Sunflower Financial and Strategic Growth Bancorp Incorporated (SGB) announced the completion of their merger effective today, June 19, bringing together the holding companies and their respective banking entities: Sunflower Bank N.A., First National Bank of Santa Fe, and Capital Bank, SSB, as well as Guardian Mortgage Company, Inc. The new holding company, FirstSun Capital Bancorp will be the third largest Colorado-headquartered institution by total assets.

“We’re excited about the new products and services we will be introducing in all our communities,” said Mollie Hale Carter, Chief Executive Officer of FirstSun Capital Bancorp and the newly integrated Sunflower Bank, N.A. “Together we are bringing clients across our markets enhanced small business banking, personal banking, and mortgage solutions, as well as wealth management services for individuals and institutions.”

As a super-community bank with 60 offices in in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, and Texas, the bank will be organized into eight regions. In Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri the bank will operate as Sunflower Bank, and in New Mexico and Texas the brand name will be First National 1870. This model is designed to elevate local leadership, drive local decision-making, and maintain a connection to all communities. While the bank will operate under two names, depending upon location, the organization operates as one, giving clients the full benefit of larger scale, quick response, and accessibility.

The Denver Metro and Northern Colorado regions will expand in scope as First National Denver and Sunflower Bank teams and locations are combined. These will be led by Russel Schmucker – Denver Metro and Mike Hindman – Northern Colorado. Other regional leadership includes: Michael Briney — Western Kansas; Eric Comeau — Metro Kansas; Glynn Sheridan — Eastern & Central Kansas; and Larry Stringari — Southern Colorado.

Two new regions will be led by Michelle Coons, formerly of First National Rio Grande and First National Santa Fe, as regional president for Northern New Mexico, and Joseph Mullings, formerly of Capital Bank, as regional president for Texas & Southern New Mexico.

“Our teams look forward to being part of the newly merged bank that will continue to serve Santa Fe, Los Alamos, and Albuquerque with enhanced products and services that complement our strong community roots and local knowledge,” said Michelle Coons. Joseph Mullings added “This is a great banking opportunity for our clients and communities in El Paso, Las Cruces, and San Antonio. As First National 1870, we are able to support the economic growth of our region with greater scale and new capabilities.”

Guardian Mortgage will retain its trade name and will continue to be led by Russell Anderson. It will expand its operations to provide mortgage services through branches across the bank’s footprint.

— Submitted

It’s done. The income tax rates have been raised. We’re waiting to see just how Kansans who watched the scraps between Republicans and Democrats, the House and the Senate, and the Legislature and the governor will assess the result at the upcoming 2018 elections.

Did all that talk about putting those LLCs and other small businesses back in the routine of paying Kansas income tax yield supporters for those lawmakers who voted for the issue, some whenever they got a chance, some just once to override a gubernatorial veto?

Will that key issue in 2016 elections turn out to be just history for the upcoming election? Or, will Kansas income taxpayers who wanted that 330,000 or-so of their neighbors to start paying taxes again object, saying that while they wanted that LLC “non-wage income” taxed, they didn’t want to see their own taxes boosted.

We’ll get an indication soon, when the Kansas Department of Revenue issues new rates for withholding from most Kansans’ paychecks to make sure they will have most of their income tax paid without the annual April scrambling to come up with a few bucks, or a few hundred bucks, to settle their tax bills.

That tax bill, remember, instituted those new higher rates on wage-earners and, well, just taxes on those who are now exempt, going back to Jan. 1 of this year, so we’re halfway into the new tax year before there’s a chance to adjust withholding for next April’s Tax Day. And the LLCs, well, they’re going to have to start doubling up because they paid no withholding for the first six months of this year.

Might not be a big deal. Low-income wage earners will see another buck or two deducted from their take-home pay, middle-income folks a little more, and those making more than $60,000 as a married couple filing jointly a little bit more.

But there’s likely to be another response. Some taxpayers may say that as long as legislators were tinkering with the bracket system, why keep $60,000 income folks in the same bracket as higher-dollar income folks? That your neighbor who shops for Buicks is going to pay the same rate of taxes that the Honda buyer pays? Once you’re over that $60,000 income line, the fact that the rate is the same is likely to be the head-scratcher for folks who can now divert their interest from the LLCs to income tax equity in general.

Any good reason that those $60,000 earners should pay the same percentage of their wages as those who bank $100,000, or $250,000 or more?

This three-bracket system — two brackets more than flat-taxer Gov. Sam Brownback sought, didn’t get, and blocked until the Legislature overrode his veto of a three-bracket system — probably is the best deal that the high-income Kansans could have hoped for, while remembering to wail about taxes in general.

But, the tax increases are now law, and it’s going to be a little interesting to see whether the tax increases actually produce the $591 million in the state fiscal year that starts July 1 and the $633 million for the following year.

If the increases produce that amount of revenue, we’ll see whether lawmakers want to tinker with the rate structure, so the folks who make that $60,000 to wind up in the highest bracket are comfortable paying the same percentage of their income in taxes as those making $100,000 or more pay.

And…if the tax increases don’t yield the amount of state revenue to balance budgets in the next few years—and the state has a new governor as Brownback’s final term expires—it’ll be worth watching to see whether that three-bracket system gets stretched to more brackets.

Just like most of state government, it isn’t over even when it’s over…

Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver’s Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at www.hawvernews.com

Long hours, a flurry of activity, less-than-ideal weather conditions and work involving large machinery combine to make wheat harvest a potentially dangerous period.

To say farmers are busy during this time would be an understatement. Try to call one after 7 a.m. or before 10 p.m. and you’ll be wasting your time – they’re not home. They’re in the field or shop preparing for harvest.

Gathering grain marks the pinnacle of nearly a year’s effort to produce this crop. During harvest, farmers and custom cutters work long, hard hours. Fifteen-minute meal breaks are about the only real time off in days that often stretch 14 hours.

If weather conditions cooperate, cutting usually begins about 9 a.m. and continues until midnight, or when the grain becomes too moist or too tough to cut. People and machines are pushed to their limits.

While every combine, truck, grain cart, tractor or auger provides its own unique hazards, operator stress or error account for most harvest accidents. Years of safety features built into these machines are useless without operator safety. Exceed human limitations and accidents follow.

Operator knowledge and attitude remain the key to a smooth, well-oiled wheat harvest. A safe operator knows his skills, limitations and condition, both physical and emotional.

In Kansas, thousands of acres of wheat add to the pressure of slicing through those acres before hail or windstorm destroy the bountiful crop. With this added pressure comes the desire to take chances, short cuts and extend working hours. Such behavior only adds to fatigue and high levels of stress and tension.

Remember, harvest will take its toll if you don’t take breaks. Stop the machine. Crawl off and relax a few minutes while you’re eating balanced meals.

Drink plenty of water, tea or other cold liquids during the hot, dry days of wheat harvest. Jump out of your machine for such breaks at least every hour.

Walk around the machine to limber up. This will also allow you to check for possible trouble spots on your combine.

Before harvest ever begins, check your equipment and perform the proper maintenance. Consult your operator’s manual or dealer if you have questions. Well-maintained machinery reduces the chance for breakdowns and related aggravation in the wheat field.

Delays due to breakdown only force harvest crews to work longer and harder to catch up. Such delays also increase the chance of accidents.

As is sometimes the case with farmers, they may have kept some combines longer than they should have. Treat these “old-timers” with care. They’ll need additional preventative and routine maintenance.

Pulling pre-harvest maintenance is easier and less frustrating than fixing such problems in the heat, dirt and sweat of the harvest field. Reduce your chances of aggravation now – it will be worth it.

John Schlageck, a Hoxie native, is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas.

By JOHN P. TRETBAR

Independent Oil & Gas Service reports a 13% increase in the Kansas drilling rig count over the last week. There were 15 active rigs east of Wichita, up four, and 28 in western Kansas, up three. The total is 38% higher than a month ago and 126% higher than a year ago during the peak of the price bust. The total number of inactive rigs, those that are stacked or shutdown awaiting contracts, dropped by three to 159 inactive rigs statewide. Baker Hughes pegged the national rig count at 933, up six oil rigs and one exploring for natural gas.

There were 28 permits filed for oil and gas drilling at new locations across Kansas last week, 676 so far this year. There were 13 permits filed east of Wichita and 15 inwestern Kansas, including one new drilling permit in Barton County.

Independent Oil & Gas Service reports 598 newly completed wells so far this year, including ten completed last week. There were five in eastern Kansas, And all five completions west of Wichita were dry holes, including one in Russell County and one in Stafford County.

The Texas nonprofit Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas is taking that state’s largest industry to task, saying oil and gas drilling in Texas shale pollutes the air, erodes soil and contaminates water, and that the disposal of wastewater causes earthquakes. The Houston Chronicle reports no one, including the scientists who conducted the study, expect oil and gas companies to slow production. But they suggest the report prompt producers to change production methods. One member of the team is an Exxon Mobil consultant, who said they’re hoping to keep the debate on fracking honest, “with real data, hard facts, hard information.”

Oil traders are resorting to storing more and more oil at sea amid swelling output. Bloomberg reported the amount of oil stored in tankers reached a 2017 high of 111.9 million barrels earlier this month, citing Paris-based tracking company Kpler SAS.

During the first four months of 2017, the U.S. exported three times more crude oil than during the same timeframe in 2016. Including shipments to Canada, over 1.0 million barrels per day (bpd) in February and April, according to The Hill Dot Com. Platts Analytics forecasts US exports to rise, and become an increasingly important outlet to balance the US market.

Saudi Arabia says it has disrupted an attack on a major offshore oilfield, repelling three boats flying red and white flags racing toward the Marjan offshore field. The military said sailors fired warning shots and captured one of the boats while two others escaped in the assault Friday. The captured boat “was loaded with weapons for subversive purpose,” according to the announcement.

Oil company payrolls rose by 3,800 jobs across the United States in April. The Houston Chronicle reports nearly all of that expansion came in Texas. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, 3.500 of those jobs were in the Lone Star State. Texas had about 214,100 oil industry jobs in April, up from around 200,000 during the worst of the oil bust at this time last year.

Preliminary figures from the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources show state produced 1.05 million barrels per day in April, which represents an increase of nearly 25,000 barrels per day over March. The State’s oil chief Lynn Helms says operators have shifted from running the minimum number of rigs to “incremental increases and decreases throughout 2017,” as the benchmark crude price moves above and below $50/barrel. If WTI drops below $45/barrel for more than 30 days, Helms says he expects the rig count to drop.

At my brothers cabin deep in the southern Ohio woods, carpenter bees (known there as wood bees) are a big problem. They look for all-the-world like our big bumble bees, but they drill and burrow into the beautiful wood siding of his cabin and make a real nuisance of themselves.

Over generations, farm boys, country kids and outdoorsmen have developed numerous ways of entertaining themselves, many of which actually serve a purpose at the same time. One such game developed by my brother and his family is Wood Bee Bustin.’

The object of the game is fairly straightforward and simple; swat those suckers into oblivion using anything available, without breaking windows or threatening life and limb of those around you, the first being the most important. The two most popular weapons used in the sport of wood bee bustin’ are the common baseball cap (or just plain “cap” as my dad would say,) and a tennis or badminton racket.

First let’s consider the qualities of the baseball cap. Caps are cheap and easy to find, plus all farmers and most other households already have dozens of them on hand. In the sport of wood bee bustin’ a cap is held by the bill, so another plus is that one size fits all. Those hats made of thick heavy material pack the hardest wallop, but those nice light ones with the mesh in them are fastest in the air. When your quarry comes into sight (or sound) simply grab the bill of the baseball cap, wrest it from your head and swing it madly in the general direction of the enemy. One word of caution here; be sure to hit the critter with the top of the hat, as hitting it with the underside may simply scoop it from the air rather than killing it. This could cause the now ticked-off insect to remain alive inside the hat when placed back on your head, making for an even worse outcome than if you’d just let the creature fly past in the first place.

Since the only hat I ever wear is a stocking cap in the winter( which is absolutely useless when trying to swat a bee) my chosen armament for wood bee bustin’ is the badminton racket, although a tennis racket, ping-pong paddle, dish towel or even the newspaper your reading right now will get the job done in a pinch. The strings on a badminton racket are closer together than those on a tennis racket, giving the user the best possible chance of connecting with an incoming bee. When I was a kid we had nests of those big bumble bees in our garage every summer and that’s when we found out how good a badminton racket worked. A hit anywhere on the rackets surface would zing those big bumblers’ clear across the garage and bounce them off the far wall.

There are 2 basic styles used in wood bee bustin’; the chill-and-kill maneuver or the mauler-brawler approach. Since you usually hear the bee before you see it, the players using the chill-and-kill approach wait quietly until they actually see their quarry, then put it down with one well-placed swat. The mauler-brawlers however begin swinging wildly at the first “buzz,” savagely chasing the critter until they connect. A word of warning here; young bee busters usually resort to the mauler-brawler approach and can put innocent bystanders in peril.

Form in wood bee bustin’ is not important at all, as you’re often caught off guard and have no time to properly get your feet under you and square-up your body properly for the shot. So whether forehand, backhand, overhand, underhand, firsthand, secondhand or dead-mans-hand, it really doesn’t matter as long as you hit the critter the first time if at all possible, as the more swings you take, the more ticked-off it gets. This is the rule no matter your choice of weapons.

So there you have an overview of the popular but behind the scenes sport of wood bee bustin.’ It’s cheap and easy to get into, it can offer hours of entertainment and it provides a necessary service in the process; that’s more than you can say for most pastimes these days. So roll up this newspaper, don the “cap” you like the least and head for the bumble bees (and please leave the honeybees alone) as you continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at [email protected].

Abundance can be contradictory. Something’s always available, so we don’t question its existence. We don’t wonder what makes it unique. During the recent spring bloom when Russian olive scents wafted on spring breezes, I thought of Wallace Stegner’s remembrance of landscape Wolf Willow. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that common Russian olives and Stegner’s wolf recollected plant share roots in the same plant family.

These familiar trees dot western landscapes, punctuating pastures and lining streambeds. We can’t miss silvery leaves contrasting against deep green native cedars and brighter cottonwoods. While it never grows as tall Kansas’s state tree, it shades cattle and offer prime real estate for nesting birds. After more research, I decided this recent new world arrival is a mess of inconsistencies.

Most call it a Russian olive, but, in truth, its Middle Eastern origins make it a Persian olive. Over time, it spread into southern Russia and by the 1920s to the U.S. Its ability to fix nitrogen in its roots permits it to thrive in minimal soils– a perfect fit for western landscapes.

When you examine fencerows and windbreaks, it’s clear birds relish its fruit and deposit undigested seeds below roosts. Our former fencerow sprouted scores of pale starts amongst mature red cedars. While feathered friends enjoy eating these misnamed olives, few plains residents do. However, diners in Afghanistan, Iran, and Iraq prize this plant’s pale, oval drupes, including them in Norwuz, a festive meal.

Those who do consume them select fully ripe fruits. Unripe ones are unpleasantly astringent. In addition, the seed is disproportionately large and the flesh mealy, which explains why many Fertile Crescent region cooks dry and pound them and use the flour to thicken soups. Innovative cooks find internet sites offering jelly and syrup recipes utilizing Russian olives.

Though small, this fruit packs a nutritional and pharmaceutical punch. Rich in vitamins A, C, and E as well as bioflavonoids, it’s a source for essential fatty acids, an unusual quality in fruit. Another source mentions that researchers are investigating its ability to slow or stop cancer cell growth. Other medical practitioners use oil from the seeds to treat bronchial conditions as well as distilling juice from the flowers to treat various fevers. It appears this tree that’s made itself at home on the plains might be good for more than a place to raise baby birds.

Because of its ability to withstand poor soil, cold temperatures, insects, and drought, several states including California and Wisconsin have identified it as an invasive species. In short time, these saplings can overtake native trees, particularly along waterways. Despite the negative press, some landscape nurseries market Russian olives for their attractive appearance, minimal care, and survivability.

Russian olive trees are living contradictions. Cousin to Stegner’s wolf willow which inspired a memoir about landscape, these mostly uncultivated trees and their large seeded, mealy fruits are rich in nutrients and pharmaceuticals. They didn’t originate in Russia. Biologists have determined they threaten native plants. They thrive in minimal soils. They’re so common most don’t notice their presence. Like the author’s northern relative, they make us think of landscape and how inconsistent life on the plains can be—productive one moment and destructive the next.

Native Kansan Karen Madorin is a local writer and retired teacher who loves sharing stories about places, people, critters, plants, food, and history of the High Plains.

Father’s Day on Sunday is a great opportunity to recognize the hard work and important contributions that Dad makes to his family.

While Dad may take the lead in working to provide for the family, one Extension expert says the most important work a man will ever do is within the walls of his own home.

“Many men become biological fathers, but becoming a successful dad is the work of a lifetime,” said Sean Brotherson, North Dakota State University Extension family specialist, writing on eXtension, the national Extension educational network.

Research has shown that children’s school success and emotional well-being are influenced by their father’s presence in the home. Additionally, fathers who are more involved with their children tend to have a lower risk for divorce and are more satisfied with their own lives and relationships.
To strengthen the important contributions to the family, here are the specialist’s ABC’s of successful fathering:

* A is for being available, attentive and participating in activities.
Being around is the first step to being available to your child. To a child, love is spelled
t-i-m-e. This may require some effort on the part of a father.
“Examine your work schedule,” Brotherson said. “Come home a little earlier. Take more time together in the evenings. Children want parents to be available for time with them.”
Attentiveness means focusing attention to their feelings and activities. Do you know your child’s favorite color? Do you know what activity your child would most like to do with you? Attentiveness is crucial to seeing and following a child’s invitation for a father to be involved.
According to research, the most significant way for fathers to connect with their children is through participating in shared activities. The key is doing something together– not just talking. Men feel close to their children when they are doing things together that are fun, engaging or focused on learning. This can range from reading to playing checkers or going fishing.

* B is for big moments and being playful and being a model.
Be there for the big moments of your child’s life, such as at birth, birthdays or school performances.
Dads excel at being playful with their children. Playing together is an underrated but important aspect of parenting. It builds great relationships and fosters learning. Fathers can challenge a child’s abilities, provide opportunities for growth and build connections through play.
Fathers also are role models, whether they want to be or not. Children learn by observing and imitating. Consider the personal values that you wish to instill in your children, and then model that behavior.

* C is for connecting and coaching.
Connecting for fathers occurs when they are involved in their child’s activities and by talking and providing support. Making a connection is among the most important aspects of parenting, according to research.
To be a good coach, a father should give time, listen, create teaching opportunities, share stories and introduce new skills. A father should be gentle in discipline, firm in providing boundaries and clear in his message of love and support.
The ABC’s of successful fathering provide a foundation as fathers seek to build healthy and caring relationships with the children they love. If you begin with the ABC’s, you are laying the foundation for success.

Linda K. Beech is Ellis County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences.

Sponsored by Glassman, Bird, Brown and Powell LLP — a full-service law firm serving Hays and Northwest Kansas.

The white flowers of yuccas, jutting up from a whorl of sword-like green leaves, are a common site in eastern Kansas. Spikes with over 200 white cup-shaped flowers may extend as high as five or six feet. This is the eastern yucca: Yucca filamentosa.

Western Kansas has a smaller yucca species with about 20 larger flowers on a 2 foot high stalk, emerging from a smaller broad-leaf whorl: species Yucca smalliana. No bees visit these flowers. The yucca is pollinated by small white moths dependent on the yucca seeds for food for their larvae. In turn, the yucca depends on the moth for pollination to set seeds. Biology textbooks use this yucca-and-yucca-moth example to describe the concept of “mutualism”—the total dependency of two species upon each other. If one goes extinct, so does the other.

We tend to think that big concepts are discovered by scientists from elsewhere. But this relationship was first described by an entomologist working in eastern Kansas and Missouri in the late 1800s.

Charles Valentine Riley was the Missouri state entomologist. He often traveled west to work with colleagues in Manhattan, Kansas. The eastern yucca was brought by pioneers from the East Coast and continues to be found in towns and graveyards where it was planted. It branches by vegetative growth but can only produce seeds if pollinated by the yucca moth.

C.V. Riley experimented with our Kansas and Missouri yuccas to discover their beneficial relationship. In the daytime, our yucca moths hide inside the yucca flowers. The moth is also white and barely a half inch long. If you disturb it, it may fly out of one flower and into another.

After dark, the female flies from flower-to-flower. She “combs” the yucca flower anthers with her mouthparts, gathering a ball of pollen to fertilize other flowers. She then flies from flower to flower with this pollen ball under her chin, spreading the pollen on the female pistils. Before she leaves a flower she has pollinated, she lays several eggs in the base of the flower.

Fertilized flowers may then grow large seed pods. The petals drop away and the pods grow over an inch in length. These green pods can be broken apart into three sections with two rows of seeds in each section. The seeds are stacked like flat black coins. As the pod dries out and splits, the seeds will shake out on windy days over the next year. But in late June through July, there should also be two or three yucca moth caterpillars eating away on a few of those seeds—the yucca’s payment to the moth in return for fertilizing the plant.

Many homeowners do not like the ugly barren stalks and pods that are left after the white yucca flowers drop off. If they cut off the yucca stalks, the yucca moth larvae die as well. Those yucca plants will still flower each spring, but there will be no moths. And no pods.

C.V. Riley not only discovered this life cycle and mutual relationship, but he also described how our helpful species of moth, Pronuba yuccasella, probably evolved from distant relatives in New Mexico, where some other species of the moth were still pests feeding in the stem of yucca relatives.

Riley asked the questions and did the research that was possible at the time. It would take another century to develop the population biology question: what keeps a yucca moth from laying more eggs, producing enough young to eat up all of the seeds in the pod and therefore destroy the host plant’s seeds?

That question was asked in masters research by Marylee Ramsey in 1994 (now a biology teacher at Goddard High School). Her mark-and-recapture study showed that a few yucca moths did “cheat” and laid up to a dozen eggs per flower, and their larvae did occasionally eat all of the seeds. Her work is available as a Kansas School Naturalist, available free upon request from the Biology Department at Emporia State University, Emporia, KS 66801 (and found online at www.emporia.edu/ksn/).

A few years later, entomologists from Colorado confirmed how the yucca plant defends itself against such “cheater” moths. The yucca sheds a large number of its flowers at random, whether they are fertilized or not. If the “cheater” moth puts all of its eggs in a few flowers, there is a high risk of losing all of them. Like a roulette table in Las Vegas, the yucca plant forces the moth to place many small bets (lay a few eggs) in many flowers in order that some will survive.

If you have yucca plants on your property and they are producing pods, don’t cut the yucca spikes off. If there are 20 pods, there are probably 40 to 60 little yucca moth caterpillars inside that will develop into moths in future years. And if someone accuses you of being a yucca farmer, you can correct them: you are a yucca moth rancher—with about 40 to 60 head.

By EDWARD CROSS
Kansas Independent Oil & Gas Association

Debate continues across the country on our nation’s energy future. The competing visions, however, are not just philosophical arguments. There are real differences between these two visions and their outcomes on our economy, on consumers, and on our way of life.

On one hand, we have today’s energy reality in which the U.S. leads the world in production of oil and natural gas and consumers enjoy almost unprecedented energy security. Drivers saved over $550 at the pump in 2015, while lower costs for energy related products and services boosted household budgets by $1,337. The overwhelming majority of Americans support policies to maintain U.S. energy leadership. This pro-energy vision means energy from all sources, including oil and natural gas, generate economic growth and reduce carbon emissions.

While 80% of American voters support increased U.S. oil and natural gas production, a vocal minority of extreme environmental activists work to obstruct energy development and infrastructure projects, reducing our energy options under a false belief that oil and natural gas production and use are incompatible with environmental progress. Their vision is one of constrained energy choices, with less certainty and reliability, and with less assurance on affordable power.

What would happen if we halted new oil and gas leasing, banned hydraulic fracturing, and stopped permitting energy infrastructure? A recent study using the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) economic model and base case inputs revealed that freezing the American energy revolution means the average American household could see its costs jump $4,550 by 2040 due to increased costs for transportation fuel, electricity, home heating, and goods and services.

Stopping the American energy revolution would take us back to last century’s era of energy dependency. The U.S. economy would lose a projected 5.9 million jobs. Only twice in the past 70 years has the U.S. unemployment rate exceeded 8.2%. But the vision of extreme environmental activists would take us there again, plunging the economy into persistent recession-level unemployment throughout 2020-2040. Lower U.S. energy production and higher energy prices could reduce cumulative GDP by $11.8 trillion. That is a stark contrast to today’s world, in which U.S. energy leadership is generating major economic benefits for American families and businesses.

Extreme environmental activists would not only erase, but reverse, all those gains, taking the U.S. back to an era of energy dependency – all based on the false idea that we must choose between energy security and environmental progress. In reality, the U.S. leads the world in reduction of carbon emissions and in production of oil and natural gas. The U.S. emitted 23% fewer energy-related carbon emissions in 2015 than 2005. Carbon emissions from power generation have plunged to nearly 30-year lows primarily because of greater availability of natural gas. In fact, more than 60% of the carbon reductions in the electric power sector from 2005 to 2016 have been the result of fuel switching from higher emission generation to natural gas generation.
Even under the most optimistic scenarios for renewable energy growth, oil and natural gas will supply 60% of U.S. energy needs in 2040. What’s more, projections show worldwide energy consumption will increase by more than 38% by 2040 and 67% of that will be met by fossil fuels.

The oil and natural gas industry has proven that over the long-term it is possible to lead in energy production AND in environmental stewardship. Those are the facts.

Contrary to claims from extreme environmental activists, cutting U.S. oil and natural gas production would not magically reduce world energy demand. But it could raise costs significantly for American families and manufacturers, profoundly damage the U.S. economy, diminish our geopolitical influence, and severely weaken our energy security. That’s where extreme environmental activists strategies lead, and it is not a path most Americans want to take.

We should set aside the acrimony and division that has marked too much of past national energy policy discussions and work together as one nation on a positive forward- looking energy future based on the understanding that our nation’s best energy future can only be achieved through a true all of the above energy strategy. With forward-thinking energy policies, we can ensure the U.S. energy revolution continues to provide benefits for American consumers, workers, and the environment.

To say this has been a tough week would be an understatement. I ask that you continue to pray for my good friend, Congressman Steve Scalise, as he undergoes continued procedures and hurdles in his recovery. You can read more of my thoughts HERE.

Additionally, we just got word from the USDA that the Secretary has approved a CRP request I sent with Congressmen Lucas and Thornberry for areas impacted by the March wildfires. This is great news for many producers grappling with the devastation the wildfires left behind.

As always, never hesitate to contact my office if you have any concerns, or if you need assistance.

In the House
Regarding the President’s change in Cuba policy

Late this week, President Trump announced a series of changes to the existing policy of engagement with the Cuban government. While I wholeheartedly share the President’s goal of a freer Cuban people, I am concerned that this reversion to a policy of isolation will result in reduced trade opportunities for Kansas producers, and do little to improve the lot of every day Cubans. There is also a strong national security argument to support engagement, which I expressed with my colleagues last week in a letter to the President. It is encouraging to see we will maintain formal diplomatic relationships, and I look forward to working with the Administration on this subject in the future.

Questioning DHS Staff

This week, I had the opportunity to speak with staff from the Department of Homeland Security on the National Bio and Agro-Defense National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan. I was able to receive an update on its progress and conveyed the excitement of it becoming operational on schedule.

House Sends VA Accountability Act to President

This bipartisan legislation will reform the VA by allowing the Secretary to fire underperforming employees, ensure appropriate protections for whistleblowers, and authorize the Secretary to directly appoint folks to critically important positions that need filled quickly.

Those that serve our nation are honored heroes. Unfortunately, the VA hasn’t always treated with the care, respect and honor they deserve. I’m thrilled at the passage of this bill, and by helping bring our treasured Veterans one step closer to the care they deserve.

Small Business Administrator

I greatly appreciate SBA Administrator Linda McMahon (shown right) taking the time to come to my office this week.

We were able to discuss the many challenges and opportunities faced by small businesses in the Big 1st, our mutual aspiration for women’s entrepreneurial development, and the benefits of the Financial CHOICE Act for Kansas’ small businesses.

 

Congressional Baseball game

We lost, but raised a over $1.5 million for charity in the process. The entire game, we were thinking of Congressman Steve Scalise.

Great to meet Ivanka Trump and give her little man a KSU hat! Great to meet Secretary Rick Perry, as well! Team Scalise was out in full force to support the team he loves!

That’s a wrap! The legislature is officially adjourned until the ceremonial close on June 26. We addressed the key issues of the session in the final days, including school finance, taxes, and the budget. I’m glad to be back at home full-time, but the work we did this session will change the course of Kansas.

Ending the Experiment
The end of most of Gov. Sam Brownback’s tax cuts was made official with the passing of SB 30. The bill was passed over the governor’s veto by votes of 88-31 in the House and 27-13 in the Senate.

More than $1.2 billion in revenue will be raised for Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019. The legislation restores tax fairness by repealing, going back to Jan. 1, 2017, the non-wage business income tax exemption for small businesses. Several itemized deductions taken away in 2012 will be gradually restored, including deductions for medical expenses, mortgage interest and property taxes. A child and dependent care tax credit also will be brought back in phases. A credit that helps certain low-income taxpayers, however, will be reduced. In addition, business owners can begin claiming certain non-wage business income losses similar to federal tax policy. The bill restores three individual income tax brackets for 2017 of 2.9 percent, 4.9 percent and 5.2 percent. In future years, the rates will be 3.1 percent, 5.25 percent and 5.7 percent. Finally, the bill renews the state’s STAR Bonds economic development program until 2022, but places a one-year ban on the state granting any new projects.

School Funding Formula
The Legislature passed SB 19 to provide some additional funding for Kansas schools. The bill calls for $294 million in more money over the next two school years. All-day kindergarten and an increase in early childhood funding would be covered under the bill. The legislation also has a controversial provision that expands a tax credit scholarship program that goes toward private school education. The program lets individuals and companies receive a tax credit if they provide funding to scholarship-granting organizations. Overall, the base aid for students would be set at $4,006 for this coming school year and $4,128 for 2018-2019. In future years, the base aid would be adjusted according to the Consumer Price Index. Performance audits would be mandated under the bill, and the funding formula would sunset in 10 years. A previous effort to pass both the school finance provisions and a tax reform plan in this same bill failed in the House, 32-91. After separating the tax provisions from the school funding, SB 19 passed the House, 67-55, and the Senate, 23-17. Governor Brownback signed the bill into law on Thursday.

Budget
The House and Senate passed S Sub for HB 2002, for Fiscal Years 2017-2020, which expands on the paltry budget submitted by Gov. Sam Brownback at the beginning of the year. The compromise bill includes a $238.3 million increase over the governor’s proposal, and includes funding for plans for a State Employee Health Clinic, increased funding for mental hospitals, community mental health centers, payments to the KS Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS), and increases for KU and K-State, which were cut heavily in recent years. The bill provides a long-sought 2.5% pay increase for many state workers. It passed the House (88-27) and Senate (27-11), and is awaiting the Governor Brownback’s consideration.

Employment Law
HB 2054 is now law after its signing by Gov. Sam Brownback. The bill will change the Employment Security Law regarding accessing unemployment insurance records kept by the Department of Labor. Besides state employees, contractors and other agents working on behalf of state public officials and performing their official duties will now have access to those records. In addition, the bill changes the law for the Kansas Sentencing Commission so it can better gather data and information from state agencies to carry out its duties and functions. The bill passed the House, 98-23, and the Senate, 36-2.

Alcoholic Beverage Consumption
Like the Power & Light District in Kansas City, cities and counties now will have the option of creating community spaces that allow residents and visitors to drink alcohol. Gov. Sam Brownback signed Sub HB 2277 to allow “common consumption areas” to be established for drinking in public spaces. Common consumption areas are defined as an indoor or outdoor area, clearly marked for such activities. The conference committee report passed the House, 97-22, and the Senate, 35-5.

Amusement Rides
After the state enacted legislation to tighten regulations on the amusement ride industry earlier this year, the House has passed a bill to rescind and replace the law. H Sub for SB 86 changes the Kansas Amusement Ride Act and the Amusement Ride Insurance Act originally contained in H Sub for SB 70. The changes would take effect July 1, 2018. As with the old bill, the new legislation would provide more oversight to amusement park rides brought about by the tragic death of a child and injuries suffered to other riders at the Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City, Kan., in August 2016. The new bill changes permitting; registration; collection of fees; injury reporting; handling deaths on rides; insurance for ride operators; qualifications for inspectors; quality of inspections; and the handling of violations and penalties. The House passed the bill, 107-14.

Medicaid Reimbursement Rates
Medicaid reimbursement and privilege fees are part of a comprehensive bill, HB 2079. The bill covers Medicaid reimbursement for emergency ground transportation services; privilege fees for health maintenance organizations (HMOs); and fees going to the Kansas Newborn Screening Fund. The bill creates a voluntary, intergovernmental transfer program for Medicaid manage care, emergency ground medical transport and pre-stabilization services. It also starts supplemental Medicaid reimbursement for emergency ground medical transportation. These provisions will cost the State General Fund about $289,000 in Fiscal Year 2018. The privilege fee is currently set at 3.77 percent, and the legislation would increase it to 5.77 percent to help lessen cuts to Medicaid for hospitals and others. The bill would raise $103.9 million in FY 2018. The newborn screening fund will receive money from the Medical Assistance Fee Fund and could be funded up to $2.5 million each fiscal year. The conference committee report was approved by the House, 101-18, and the Senate, 32-5. Gov. Sam Brownback now receives the bill.

Lottery Expansion
The Kansas Lottery will expand its reach under HB 2313, if it becomes law. The bill would allow the use of instant lottery ticket and bingo vending machines; keep individuals 18 and under from collecting on winning lottery tickets; and extend the Kansas Lottery until July 1, 2022. The bill passed the House, 98-19, and the Senate, 34-4. Governor Brownback vetoed the bill on Thursday, and a veto could be considered on June 26.

It is a special honor to serve as your state representative. I both value and need your input on the various issues facing state government. Please feel free to contact me with your comments and questions. My office address is Room 43-S, 300 SW 10th, Topeka, KS 66612. You can reach me at (785) 296-4683 or call the legislative hotline at 1-800-432-3924 to leave a message for me. Additionally, you can e-mail me at [email protected]. You can also follow the legislative session online at www.kslegislature.org.

Sincerely,

Eber Phelps
Kansas House of Representatives-111th Dist.
Serving Hays and Ellis County