In this column, I try to remain neutral on most political issues unless I feel too strongly about something to let it slid; such is the case today. Although I’m using statistics and factual information here, please bear in mind this reflects my opinion and not the official stance of any official department.
On February 27, HB (House Bill) 2167 narrowly passed in the Kansas House. Quoting the official Kansas Dept of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism press release, “This bill would require the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism to establish a system to approve and administer the transfer of regular landowner or tenant hunt-on-your-own-land big game permits to a nonresident of the state of Kansas solely for the purpose of hunting white-tailed deer.”
To paraphrase, passage of this bill will allow landowners to sell, at any price, their landowner deer permits to nonresident hunters to hunt on their land.
It’s no surprise that this bill is being pushed hard by a representative from the Topeka area who also owns Ravenwood Hunting Lodge, a hunting guide service near Topeka. As a Kansas deer hunter who does not own land, I’m VERY fortunate to have a family member and friends who allow us to hunt deer on their land. You won’t have to look very far to find Kansas deer hunters who have nowhere to hunt but public land because the private land they once hunted has been leased to hunters and groups of hunters, many from out-of-state who are wealthy enough to pay huge sums annually to lease this ground.
Mike Miller, chief of information production for KDWPT told me a similar bill passed and was tried back in the early 2000’s and was a failure as it was nearly impossible to administer and police. The KDWPT opposes this bill and Miller told me he sees it as unnecessary as 97% of nonresident hunters who apply already get permits. A recent newspaper article says 24% of permitted deer hunters in Kansas are nonresidents.
As a Kansas deer hunter who has experienced trouble finding private land to hunt, I have a real problem with this bill. I don’t begrudge struggling Kansas farmers and ranchers for seeing this as a way to make some extra bucks; I only wish they’d sell them to Kansas hunters. The trouble with that goes right back to the almighty dollar, as the majority of nonresident hunters who come here to hunt deer are able to pay thousands of dollars to do so.
I’m also afraid this would do nothing to help reduce overpopulations of female deer, as hunters paying large sums to hunt Kansas deer are going to be after trophy bucks only.
As far as I’m concerned, the statement that this bill is unnecessary sums it all up. HB 2167 still has to pass the senate and get the governor’s signature, so there is still time to stop it. All you Kansas deer hunters who feel about this as I do, please go online to www.kslegislature.org and let your senators know how you feel. Let’s tell the legislature we want to keep more of Kansas deer hunting for us Kansans! …Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.
Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at [email protected].
My good friend, a single man in his 60s, didn’t like going to the medical clinic for anything, let alone a cold. His illness started with a fever, aches all over and a sudden overabundance of mucus. After one or two days of those obvious viral symptoms, for which we have no good therapy, he got better, except he acquired a new dry hacky cough.
Initially he did what he should have and stopped going to work, put a box of tissues and a waste basket next to his comfort chair, drank plenty of hot lemonade and tea, got plenty of rest and took Tylenol. After a few days and while covering his dry cough and washing his hands a lot, he went back to work. So far, so good …
On day five or six, he developed a fever again with new and profound weakness. His dry cough became productive and the mucus occasionally was streaked with blood. After one more day of fever, he developed shaking chills, and his daughter called me to explain her dad seemed to be in trouble. We got him to the emergency room where they began powerful intravenous antibiotics. He had pneumonia, a life-threatening bacterial lung infection, which invaded because the viral infection first weakened his lung defenses. The bacterial infection had also spread into his blood stream and was disseminating throughout his body. This is called sepsis and it kills unless treated very early.
My friend was very sick for about four weeks but recovered to be strong enough to go back to work again thanks to excellent medical and nursing care with effective support, antibiotics and rehabilitation. In retrospect, antibiotics would not have helped if they were started too early during the viral process. The time to attack early with antibiotics should have been at the time of the second fever. Studies show if antibiotics are given during the viral infection, a bacterial pneumonia will still follow in about the same frequency, only now there will likely be resistance to that specific antibiotic.
Take home message: Bacterial pneumonia can follow a viral respiratory infection, but, antibiotics won’t help until the bacterial infection begins;
We should all cover our coughs, wash our hands frequently and keep our fingers out of our own eyes and noses;
The flu shot saves lives by preventing the viral infection in the first place.
For free and easy access to the entire Prairie Doc® library, visit www.prairiedoc.org and follow The Prairie Doc® on Facebook, featuring On Call with the Prairie Doc® a medical Q&A show streaming live most Thursdays at 7 p.m. central.
The law in Kansas states that, essentially, you need to be more than a good driver to take the wheel of an ambulance.
Makes sense enough. A single medically trained pro riding in the back could be sketchy. It’s easy enough to imagine a medical emergency where having a second certified person could be the difference between life and death.
But what if your ambulance covers the state’s back roads in a county with a shrinking population and it’s hard enough to find a reliable volunteer driver, much less someone certified for emergency medical services?
So now some of the people trying to keep their ambulance operations alive are asking the state to relax the rules. Let an ambulance driver be just a driver.
Similarly, there’s a push to let nurses with certain advanced training operate without oversight contracts that link them to physicians. Again, it’s of particular interest in rural parts of Kansas where doctors, like volunteer drivers with emergency medical certification, are in short supply.
Resistance will come from people who represent medically trained ambulance drivers and physicians. They’ll argue sincerely that patients could suffer. But they’ll also be motivated at some level by a threat to their abilities to make a living.
Dr. Roger Marshall, R-Great Bend, is the First District Kansas Congressman.
Friends,
After 30 years as an obstetrician, never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that my most difficult work to protect unborn children would be in the halls of Congress, rather than in the delivery room. We have now asked Democrats 11 times to bring the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act to a vote in the House. They have said no every single time.
This commonsense legislation provides protection for babies that are born alive following a botched abortion, and demands they receive adequate medical care. This week, 44 Senate Democrats voted against providing this care to newborns. Yes, you read that right.
Just a little over a month ago, I rallied with more than 200,000 pro-life Americans from all over the country, and I was thrilled to meet dozens of Kansans who traveled by bus to attend. Their dedication and strong voice inspired me and helped provide many of my colleagues and me with the motivation to continue this fight.
With you fighting beside me, I will continue to share my stories and life’s work with my colleagues, and demonstrate the importance of this movement.
On a trade front, last weekend President Trump announced that he would be extending the deadline that would have escalated tariffs on Chinese imports that were set to take effect on March 1st. In a gesture of goodwill, the Chinese trade delegation agreed to purchase 10 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans, with more good news hopefully still to come as the negotiations continue to play out. Although some challenges still remain, this news is a positive step in the right direction towards reducing trade barriers with one of the world’s largest markets for Agricultural goods including: wheat, sorghum, soybeans, and beef.
I look forward to a resolution soon and applaud the work that President Trump and his team are doing to ensure that our farmers and producers have access to the export markets we so desperately need.
True Blue award
Pro-Life and Pro-Family Voting Record, 100 Percent
This week I was presented with the “True Blue” award from the Family Research Council Action President Tony Perkins. This award recognizes members who fight to protect life, families and religious liberties for all Americans. I will continue to be unapologetically pro-life, and a leading advocate for family, faith, and freedom. I applaud FRC Action for working so hard to keep these issues in the spotlight, and I look forward to continuing to promote these fundamental American values.
This week on the Hill, House Republicans stood up to Democrats that blocked the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, a bill that ask for infants that survive a botched abortion, to receive medical care. Killing a baby born alive is infanticide. We should all be able to agree that, once born, every baby deserves protection.
Education Policy Discussions with KU and KSU Students
This week I had the privilege of meeting with the Student Body Government from KSU and KU. It was wonderful to see students so passionate about current issues in our government and our education system. Our discussion centered around the Higher Ed Reauthorization Act, Title IX, and Open Educational Resources. I love having so many passionate, young, Kansas advocates visit our D.C. office!
We ❤️ Rural Hospitals
Hospitals in rural Kansas face unique financial challenges as they struggle to keep their doors open to residents in the community. Hillsboro Community Hospital, like other rural hospitals across America, are facing such challenges.
Hillsboro
Despite this, the community has banded together, especially the Hillsboro Elementary students! Their elementary class showed their support by asking the city’s administrator to courier their artwork and message to me. I am so proud to see the next generation of Kansas taking initiative and supporting their community.
Defending Our Second Amendment Rights
Here in Washington, I’m fighting hard against the latest gun control legislation, HR 8, that would do nothing to stop criminals from getting firearms, but instead, comes after law-abiding patriots.It is apparent that some people up here need to be reminded of our guaranteed rights outlined in the U.S. Constitution. Democrats think by using the term ‘background checks’ it will get full support- it doesn’t take but two seconds to see what this bill actually does, make criminals out of registered gun owners.
I will fight day-in and day-out to make sure our second amendment rights and freedoms are not undermined by unconstitutional legislation that targets America’s gun owners.
Click the link below to watch my video on H.R. 8.
BIOKansas
BioKansas
I had the pleasure of meeting with BIOKansas this week! One of the many things we discussed was the importance of ensuring that any medical device that was designated by the FDA as a breakthrough product will be covered by CMS. In addition, we discussed how Obamacare’s medical device tax would have negative effects both to the companies and to consumers. I am proud to cosponsor legislation that would repeal this harmful tax and have voted to repeal it in the 115th Congress. I am excited to continue my work with BIOKansas and collaborate on initiatives that will benefit Kansans.
Debbie’s Dream Foundation
Susan McDonald with Debbie’s Dream Foundation, a non-profit that raises awareness for stomach cancer, came by our office to discuss research funding. Susan McDonald is a stomach cancer survivor herself, and her story inspired us. Her main concern is sustaining funding from the Department of Defense’s Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program for the next year. I look forward to seeing how this non-profit will impact patients, families, and caregivers.
Pres. Trump Helps with Kansas Flood Recovery
As many of you are aware, parts of Kansas were rocked by severe storms several months ago, and the damage from those storms still remain. This week, in recognition of that damage, President Trump approved the Kansas State of Disaster declaration that addresses the impact that the severe flooding has had on so many of our communities. This declaration will make federal funding available to aid our affected counties to help with the costs of rebuilding.
House Agriculture Committee Hearing on the State of the Rural Economy
Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of welcoming Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to the House Agriculture Committee for a hearing on “The State of the Rural Economy.” Members of the committee had the opportunity to speak with and question the Secretary about a wide range of issues including: implementation of the recently passed Farm Bill, immigration reform, trade, tariffs, low commodity prices, conservation, nutrition, and many other topics. I always enjoy interacting with Secretary Perdue and look forward to continuing to support his efforts as he and his team at USDA continue working hard for farmers, ranchers, and families in Kansas and across the country.
Dan Hess leads a tour of Hess Services with 1stDist. Congressman Roger Marshall, state representative Ken Rahjes of Agra, Ellis Co. Commissioner Dean Haselhorst and county public works director Bill Ring, immediately behind him. (Photo by Hays Post)
Ellis County Infrastructure Tour
I recently had the honor of joining local and state elected officials, business leaders and economic development professionals to discuss the infrastructure needs of Ellis County. Hays is home to many thriving businesses, but the significant infrastructure improvement needs have limited the growth and development opportunities along the community’s Northwest Business Corridor Route.
The tour, which was organized by Kansas State Rep. Barbara Wasinger, included stops at Midwest Energy and Hess Services and highlighted the need for new infrastructure funding and the economic impact strategic investments can have on a community.
Things were supposed to be different on the Medicaid expansion this year.
Expansion advocates thought Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s election would elevate the issue to center stage. They figured that would all but guarantee that Kansas would join the ranks of expansion states — now numbering 37 plus the District of Columbia.
But so far this legislative session it’s been déjà vu all over again.
Republican leaders haven’t budged in their opposition. They’ve launched social media campaigns against expansion. Blasted the governor for low-balling its cost. And refused to hold hearings on her expansion bill.
They haven’t even responded to a letter that Kelly sent “respectfully” asking them to schedule hearings.
Noting the recent closure of a few more rural hospitals, Kelly wrote that communities served by other struggling hospitals “are counting on us to do something.”
She sent the letter on Feb. 19. She’s still waiting for a response.
Sensing they couldn’t avoid the issue entirely, GOP leaders OK’d Rep. Brenda Landwehr’s plan to hold a series of roundtable discussions on expansion to, as she puts it, “get the facts out on the table.”
Expansion advocates insist the facts are already well established and that they largely buttress their case. Even so, April Holman, the head of a coalition of advocacy groups lobbying for expansion, gave a politic answer when asked if she viewed Landwher’s roundtables as a delaying tactic.
“I’m going to take this at face value,” Holman said.
Unable to completely hide her frustration, she said the timing was “unfortunate.”
“We certainly would like to have seen this earlier in the year,” she said.
Landwher, the chair of the House Health and Human Services Committee, has booked three days for the discussions, starting Wednesday.
Going in, Landwher said she’s trying to keep an open mind. But she says that absent compelling evidence to the contrary, she’s likely to oppose extending coverage to tens of thousands of low-income adults — those making up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, about $17,000 per year for a single person or $35,000 for a family of four.
“It’s not children,” Landwher said. “It’s not pregnant women or the disabled. A lot of them are able-bodied (adults). So, why aren’t they working?”
While a majority of those who would benefit from expansion either have a job or are living in a household where at least one person works, that sentiment is at the heart of the opposition to expansion.
Medicaid, many opponents say, is for children and vulnerable Kansans, not adults they see as capable of working and purchasing private coverage.
Opponents also cite cost as an issue, noting that enrollment has exceeded expectations in most expansion states. Many also reject the claim that expansion would help struggling rural hospitals keep their doors open.
Finally, said Rep. Don Hineman, a Dighton Republican who supports expansion, many lawmakers have a rational fear of expanding an expensive entitlement program.
“As we’ve learned time and again, once you start a new government program there’s no going back,” Hineman said.
Advocates say they’re ready to address those concerns and others.
The Kansas Hospital Association has estimated that expansion would generate enough in savings, economic growth and existing fees to cover the state’s expansion costs with about $5 million to spare.
Expansion opponents are dismissive of those estimates but KHA says they’re based on what actually happened in expansion states.
Montana, for instance. Its expansion costs totaled $576.9 million in fiscal year 2017, according to a recent report from The Commonwealth Foundation. But with the federal government covering 95 percent of those costs the state’s obligation was $24.5 million. It covered that with $25.2 million in savings and offsets, leaving the state with a surplus of $700,000.
Sara Collins, a health care expert at The Commonwealth Fund and one of the authors of the report, will be in Kansas to participate in the roundtable discussions.
The KHA also has data to rebut the claim that Medicaid expansion would do little to help struggling rural hospitals. While it’s true that reversing recent reductions in Medicare payments would do more, expansion would still be significant.
In recent testimony to the House Rural Revitalization Committee, KHA President Tom Bell said expansion dollars would offset about 18 percent of the uncompensated care costs of urban hospitals. He said the same offset for rural hospitals would be 26 percent and climb to almost 45 percent for the frontier hospitals that operate in the most sparsely populated areas of the state.
It’s always good to get the facts on the table. The question is, are lawmakers open to being persuaded by them?
Jim McLean is the senior correspondent for the Kansas News Service, a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio covering health, education and politics. You can reach him on Twitter @jmcleanks.
Ron Wilson is director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.
By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development
A major road construction project is underway in North Africa. An industrial sweeper is being used to prepare the road surface for the application of asphalt. Where do you suppose that sweeper was built? Would you believe, halfway around the globe in Kansas? Today we’ll learn about a remarkable ruralpreneur and his company who is building these sweeper machines for markets across the nation and beyond.
Alan Vance is CEO of Broce Broom, the company which produces these industrial sweepers. Mark Chalfant is chief operating officer.
The history of this company goes back to Alan’s grandfather, Ray Broce, who was born in 1902 in the rural community of Attica, population 626 people. Now, that’s rural.
Mr. Broce worked for the Kansas Highway Department and then went into business for himself in Dodge City. “He mortgaged his home and bought his first piece of construction equipment in 1937,” Alan Vance said.
Alan Vance
Ray Broce grew the Broce Construction Company into one of the leading road construction businesses of its era. Broce became the largest road construction company in Kansas and Oklahoma. “Someone estimated that half the roads in Oklahoma were built by Broce Construction,” Alan said.
From 1973 to 1975, the National Asphalt Paving Association presented its highest award for construction projects to Broce Construction – the only company in history to win the award three years in a row. Gee, they should retire the trophy…
In the road construction process, a roadbed base is built and then swept clean immediately before adhesive and asphalt is applied. It’s important that the road surface be just right.
Of course, the process of building roads and applying asphalt is typically done in the summertime. Winter is downtime. During the winter of 1961, Ray Broce and his mechanics had time in the shop to think about how to improve their road construction process. At that time, a road sweeper was usually towed behind a truck or tractor. That made it difficult to simultaneously steer and adjust the equipment.
The question arose: “Wouldn’t the broom work better if we put it in the middle of the machine where the operator could see it and make adjustments?” The guys went to a salvage yard, got an automobile frame and engine, and mounted the industrial sweeper broom in the center of the machine.
That was the beginning of the self-propelled mid-mount sweeper which would revolutionize that part of the industry. Broce Construction crews used it that summer. It worked so well that other contractors saw it and wanted one also. In 1963, Ray Broce formed a new company, Broce Manufacturing, to build and sell “Broce Brooms.” Eventually the family closed the construction business to focus on manufacturing.
Ray Broce’s daughter went to K-State and later met and married Bud Vance. Bud was an Air Force pilot. When he eventually retired from the Air Force, he joined his father-in-law’s company. They had a son named Alan who served as an overseas missionary before taking the position as company CEO.
Broce Broom now manufactures a heavy duty model for road construction and a lighter weight model for rental companies, while continuing to innovate with its partners. “People are now using our sweepers in the artificial turf industry as the final step in leveling the crumb rubber which has been poured on the artificial turf,” Alan said.
In 2018, the company partnered with another business to offer a new dust control additive to go in the sweeper water tank. “We want our operators to have the safest experience possible,” Alan said.
Broce Broom in Dodge City now has 60 employees. “We have shipped our products coast to coast and exported to 40 different countries,” Alan said. “We continue to sell more sweepers than all our competitors combined.”
It’s time to leave North Africa, where a sweeper from a company in rural Kansas is being used to prepare the roadbed. We commend Alan Vance, Mark Chalfant, and all those involved with Broce Broom for making a difference with engineering innovation. When a Kansas company can have global impact, that is a clean sweep.
Alicia BoorGardeners are eager to get out and do something in the landscape this time of year. One chore that can be taken care of now is pruning certain shrubs.
Often, gardeners approach pruning with trepidation, but it is not as difficult as it may seem. Remember, not all shrubs need to be pruned (i.e., witch hazel), and certain shrubs, which will be identified later, should not be pruned this time of year. Shrubs are pruned to maintain or reduce size, rejuvenate growth, or to remove diseased, dead or damaged branches. Deciduous shrubs are those that lose their leaves each winter. Evergreen shrubs maintain foliage all year and include yews and junipers.
Deciduous shrubs are placed into three groups:
• Those that flower in the spring on wood produced last year
• Those that flower later in the year on current seasons’ growth
• Those that may produce flowers, but those flowers are of little ornamental value.
Shrubs that flower in the spring should not be pruned until immediately after flowering. Though pruning earlier will not harm the health of the plant, the flowering display will be reduced. Examples of these types of plants include forsythia, lilac and mock orange. Shrubs that bloom on current seasons’ growth or that do not produce ornamental flowers are best pruned in late winter to early spring. Examples include Rose-of-Sharon, pyracantha, Bumald spirea and Japanese spirea.
Pruning during the spring allows wounds to heal quickly without threat from insects or disease. There is no need to treat pruning cuts with paints or sealers. In fact, some of these products may retard healing. There are three basic methods used in pruning shrubs: thinning, heading back and rejuvenating. Thinning is used to thin out branches from a shrub that is too dense. It is accomplished by removing most of the inward growing twigs by cutting them back to a larger branch. On multi-stemmed shrubs, the oldest canes may be completely removed.
Heading back is done by removing the end of a branch by cutting it back to a bud and is used for either reducing height or keeping a shrub compact. Branches are not cut back to a uniform height because this results in a “witches-broom” effect.
Rejuvenation is the most severe type of pruning and may be used on multi-stem shrubs that have become too large, with too many old branches to justify saving the younger canes. All stems are cut back to 3- to 5-inch stubs. This is not recommended for all shrubs but does work well for spirea, forsythia, pyracantha, ninebark, Russian almond, little leaf mock orange, shrub roses and flowering quince.
Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact her by e-mail at [email protected] or calling 620-793-1910
Next week is the first full week of March, which the Federal Trade Commission marks as National Consumer Protection Week. The Kansas Attorney General’s office and our In Your Corner Kansas campaign focuses year-round on protecting consumers from scams and rip-offs, but next week in particular we remind Kansans to be diligent and to keep yourself and your personal information safe.
One of the ways we do that is to report to you some of the most commonly-reported scams to our office over the past year. This year’s report looks very familiar, as all five scams return from 2017 list.
Card Services. Remaining atop our list for the second year in a row, the folks from “card services” took the top spot in 2018. In this scam, a robocaller placing thousands of calls at a time will ask you to “press 1” to speak to an account representative about lowering your credit card interest rate. These scammers are after information. If you press anything on your phone, that lets the scammer know they have reached a working number and you’ll get more calls. If you do speak to a representative, he or she will try to trick you into giving them more personal information, including your real credit card number. Our best advice on this or any other robocall scam is to not answer calls from numbers you do not know. If you do answer, once you know it’s not someone you know, just hang up. Never give your credit card information to someone over the phone.
Computer Repairs. In this scam, the caller claims to be from a well-known computer company telling you they’ve detected a virus on your computer and offers to help you remove it by connecting remotely to your computer. But instead of trying to fix your computer, the scam artist is actually trying to install a virus to give them access to all your files and your personal information that is in them. The scammer may also be trying to hack into your machine to send out spam emails from your account, or even to take over your computer’s camera and microphone to spy on you and try to obtain additional personal information. If your computer really does have a problem, take it to a reputable, local computer repair shop or call your computer manufacturer’s customer service number directly. Never give a stranger access to your computer over the phone.
IRS. The scam involves someone impersonating the IRS saying you owe taxes and asking you to pay immediately via your credit card or by purchasing a pre-paid debit card and calling them back with the card number. Remember, when you owe money to the IRS or any government agency, it will send you notices by mail. If you do get something in the mail, it’s a good idea to look up that agency’s number in the blue pages of a phone book or on the agency’s official website and call to make sure it’s a legitimate letter. Never give your personal information to someone over the phone.
Car Warranty. Another robocall, this scammer claims to be from your auto manufacturer or dealer letting you know that your car warranty is about to expire. They will then try to sell you an extended warranty. Usually, like the card services scam, this is a way to gather information about you that can then be sold to other scammers. And just like the card services scam, the best way to deal with these scammers is to just hang up.
Government Imposter. This one is a variation on the previously-mentioned IRS scam, where scammers claim to be from different federal, state, or local government agencies. In Kansas, we’ve seen them call and say you’ve missed jury duty and need to pay a fine. We’ve actually had scammers call impersonating the attorney general’s office saying they were going to come arrest you if you don’t pay a fine immediately. I assure you, we won’t do that. Like the IRS scam, take similar steps to verify anything you receive from someone purporting to be from a government agency is telling the truth and never feel pressured to give your personal information away over the phone.
More information on how to protect yourself from these and other scams is available on our consumer protection website at www.InYourCornerKansas.org or by calling our consumer protection hotline at (800) 432-2310.
Someone recently asked me this: The Kansas legislature is a part-time body that only meets for a few months. They must pass a budget. They must fix school funding before a court-imposed deadline. A Democrat is governor, but conservative Republicans run the legislature. So, why didn’t lawmakers recognize political reality in Topeka, find agreements early that the governor and most legislators could stomach, and then leave town?
Patrick R. Miller is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.
The answer, of course, is “the show.” It’s for us.
Us citizens—typically the spectators in policymaking— often enjoy the exciting side of politics, and we especially want “our side” to put on a good show. We like bold principled statements that communicate virtue. We like emotion. We like fights that make awesome fodder for self-righteous Facebook posts. We often prefer the side of politics that looks more like Real Housewives flipping tables and snatching wigs to the wonky policy side.
So, one can understand why the legislature must act out a dramatic script before real decisions get made. Compromising on day one is bad for ratings. Nor does it help the ambitions of politicians who aspire to go from Off Broadway to Broadway itself. Good acting builds a fan club.
Take school funding. Governor Kelly and Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt have pushed legislators to act before the April court deadline that could lead to schools closing. Instead of cutting a deal early, the legislature is acting out a kabuki dance of delay, threats, and insults just to remind Kelly that they exist. Weeks of melodramatic political theater that distract from a looming deadline.
Or take taxes. Whatever you think about the last election, Kelly won. She has the veto for four years. Conservatives do not have enough votes to override her, but their job is to make policy. Yet, conservatives are spending valuable days acting like Sam Brownback is still governor and promoting a tax bill that Kelly will likely veto. Time wasted, but great theater for the 2020 and 2022 elections, especially for legislators seeking higher office.
Eventually compromise will come. Schools must be funded. A budget must be passed. Governor Kelly and Republicans should both win some and lose some. Compromise hurts. In fact, in a recent column where I suggested that Topeka politicians compromise, I apparently hurt the feelings of one conservative legislator who dramatically proclaimed that I was demanding that he “behave as a Democrat.” No, but drama must eventually give way to policy reality.
Yes, Democrats have theater, too. There is a clear parallel between politicians like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren on the left making grand proclamations on policies that stand little chance of becoming law and what Republicans like Jim Denning or Susan Wagle are doing in Topeka. Not much bowing to reality, but great dramatic displays of virtue.
Where Kansans lose in this drama is on efficiency and responsibility. Rather than practicing the dirty art of compromise up front, we get theater that reinforces for the cynical among us that politics is ugly, aloof, and unproductive. Rather than using the legislature’s time efficiently, we get dilly-dallying that procrastinates on the real work and risks producing half-baked laws that courts will strike down or that the legislature must fix later. And worthwhile bills with potentially broad support die because little time is given to them.
Ultimately, Kansans can choose what to reward. We can give our Oscar votes to the most dramatic actors who gave us that most entertaining show, or we can reward the workhorses who might have given us some good drama but ultimately made Topeka work. You choose.
Patrick R. Miller is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.
I love how our spirit of innovation combines education with service to our communities! It is especially gratifying when community partners join us to accomplish goals of education, access, opportunity and service.
I have written previously about several of our community-based partnerships, as we are so proud of our faculty and students and how they positively contribute to Western Kansas communities. In fact, over the past couple of weeks, Dr. Tim Davis, chair of the Department of Social Work, and I have been visiting with legislators about furthering the work we are accomplishing in addressing the state’s need for social workers – especially in Western Kansas. Did you know that only 11 percent of the state’s Licensed Bachelor’s Social Workers and Licensed Addiction Counselors live and work in Western Kansas?
One of the key aspects our faculty realized early on is that if we were going to make an impact on social worker needs in Western Kansas, we could not wait for students to come to us. Boldly, we would go to them.
So in 2006, we partnered with Garden City Community College to address a severe shortage of licensed social workers in Southwest Kansas. The solution was a partnership between the state’s AccessUS program through the Kansas Board of Regents, Garden City Community College and our Department of Social Work. Students who were committed to their home communities could gain their associate degrees through Garden City Community College and then, without leaving their homes, enter into the three-year social work cohort program and gain the credentials needed to seek licensure.
A cohort is a group of students who enter the program together and stay for the three-year course of education. Classes are taught by FHSU faculty at the local community college. Dr. Davis said the model has proven successful in Southwest Kansas, noting in a recent story that, “The first three Garden City cohorts graduated 30 Bachelor of Social Work students, the majority of whom have remained in Finney County to practice. These students now make up over half of the Licensed Bachelor’s Social Workers in the county.”
The program later expanded to Dodge City, and Dr. Davis said the cohort scheduled to graduate there this year has 13 students. If all finish, it will double the number of LBSWs in Ford County.
Social workers perform valuable services in their communities. They work in child and family service agencies, mental health centers, hospitals and health care agencies, schools, nursing homes, social service agencies, addiction treatment centers, the courts and more. The services they provide, as it says on the FHSU Social Work website, help “people cope with complex interpersonal and social problems and assist in obtaining resources.”
The program also expanded into Seward County, Dr. Davis said, because local child welfare agencies could not fill open professional positions. The eight in the cohort there will more than double the number of the county’s licensed social workers.
Northwest Kansas also needs many more social workers than it has available. By Dr. Davis’s count, the 26 Northwest Kansas counties that the Dane G. Hansen Foundation in Logan considers its service area – stretching from Saline County in the southeast to Cheyenne County in the northwest – have a total of 166 licensed, bachelor’s level social workers, but 92 of them are in Ellis and Saline counties. Five of these counties have none, 16 have three or less.
But the AccessUS program was created by the Kansas Legislature to expand educational opportunity only in Southwest Kansas. The fund helps pay for the added costs that come with offering an entire educational program at a distance, and not only does it pay for certain administrative costs, but it also provides for student scholarships.
Absent additional legislative funding, Dr. Davis and the department sought other partners. The Hansen Foundation stepped in. A $95,000 grant will fund expansion of the program to Colby and Colby Community College this fall and, with the assistance of Valley Hope Inc. and the CCC outreach center, to Norton as well.
Two more communities and faculty with a vision to further serve the needs of Western Kansas – that is impact. That is evidence of a culture of thinking out of the box. We understand that our success is the community’s success and the region’s success. This is a great example of reshaping education and opportunity in new and creative ways to prepare students for the future and communities for success.
At Fort Hays State, we say that our personality as an institution and as people is one of innovation, hard work, dedication, and caring about others, seeking ways to help them succeed. In many ways, the same can be said about Western Kansas – the values of one reflect the other, and each is willing to invest its energy and creativity in the common goal of preparing people for successful lives and making the world better.
Nearly a hundred years ago, a group of Kansas business owners determined politicians in Topeka and Washington, DC were making it difficult for them to expand their companies, hire more employees and support their communities. They established the Kansas Chamber of Commerce to improve the state’s business climate so all Kansas businesses can succeed and support their communities. Today, members of the Kansas Chamber employ nearly 300,000 Kansans across the state.
Each year the Kansas Chamber and its members identify legislative issues important to Kansas businesses and their employees. This year’s focus includes education, health, HR, energy and taxes.
Taxes can be complicated. In fact, Kansas “conforms” with many federal tax codes to help simplify state tax codes. So, when Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) in December of 2017 to grow the country’s economy, Kansas tax codes also changed. Unfortunately, some of those changes increased state taxes on Kansas individuals and small and large businesses.
Senate Bill 22 being debated in the Kansas Legislature this session would decouple our state from certain federal tax changes and stop the unintended state tax increases. The Kansas Chamber and its members support Senate Bill 22.
Despite the claims of many, including most recently Ed Flentje in his February 25th column in the Wichita Eagle, there is nothing in Senate Bill 22 that reduces current tax rates, eliminates any existing tax liability, or collapses tax brackets. To say otherwise is being untruthful to Kansans.
The reasons Kansas lawmakers and Governor Laura Kelly must act to stop the state tax increases are pretty simple.
First, Kansas does not allow individuals to itemize their state tax deductions if they don’t itemize on their federal tax returns. The TCJA significantly increased the federal standard deduction to $24,000. So now, most Kansans will take the federal standard deduction and will not be able to itemize their deductions on their state returns. This will cause their Kansas income taxes to increase.
Because many Kansas businesses (especially small businesses) are LLCs or Sub-s corporations, they are taxed at the individual rate, and therefore, in-action in this area also will increase their state income taxes.
Also, when Congress passed TCJA, it broadened the corporate tax base to bring down rates. Part of broadening the base was the creation of a new tax liability called “Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income” or GILTI. Since the GILTI liability didn’t exist prior to December 2017, Kansas didn’t tax it. If Kansas does not decouple from this provision, this will be a NEW state tax on businesses and increase their taxes.
Another important part of the TCJA is the treatment of repatriated income as a “deemed dividend”. Since in the past these foreign profits weren’t mandated to be repatriated, this would be another new, unexpected tax for Kansas businesses.
Last year’s federal tax cuts were meant to reduce the tax burden of individuals and small and large businesses and to energize our country’s economy.
Make no mistake, if Kansas doesn’t decouple from the federal tax changes to prevent these tax increases on individuals and small and large businesses, our state will be in an extremely uncompetitive position compared to nearly every other U.S. state.
Ed Flenjte did get one thing correct in his column – Kansans prefer economic liberty. Unfortunately, he fails to understand it and instead, tries to mislead his fellow Kansans so politicians in Topeka can increase the state tax burden on individuals and businesses and then increase state government spending.
Kansans can learn more about the Kansas Chamber and its work to improve the state’s business climate and to make Kansas a top state to do in business at www.KansasChamber.org.
Alan Cobb, President & CEO of the Kansas Chamber, a statewide association whose members are small, medium, and large businesses from a wide variety of industries and professions.
Last week marked the sixth week of session with the first half of the legislative session almost behind us. As we approach “turn-around” the Senate held floor debate on Tuesday and Wednesday and worked bills which were sent out of committees to the full Senate. The bills voted on by the full Senate now cross over to the House of Representatives where the process starts over. Conference committees will meet to iron out the differences between the Senate and House versions before the 2019 session ends in May.
FLOOR ACTION
EXPIRATION DATE OF RISK-BASED CAPITAL INSTRUCTIONS – SB 28 will change the date specified in the Insurance Code for risk-based capital (RBC) instructions.
EXEMPTING CERTAIN DOMESTIC INSURERS FROM FILING ENTERPRISE RISK REPORTS –SB 66 will modify registration requirements in the Insurance Holding Company Act related to filing exemptions for enterprise risk reports.
M DRIVER’S LICENSES OPERATING UNDER TEMPORARY PERMIT – SB 17 will remove an exception for motorcycles operated with a temporary registration permit from requirement for each operator of a motor vehicle in Kansas to hold a license classified for the operation of the motor vehicle.
CLAIMS AGAINST THE STATE – SB 25 will authorize expenditures of $82,886 in FY 2019 to pay claims against the State of Kansas.
APPROACH OF AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE – SB 40 will remove language requiring a law enforcement officer to issue a warning citation from, and after, the effective date of the act, and prior to July 1, 2001. This is for provisions requiring a driver to move into a nonadjacent lane or, if changing lanes is not possible or unsafe, proceed with due caution upon approaching an authorized emergency vehicle or police vehicle using flashing or hazard warning lights.
SEAT BELT USE IN TRAFFIC INFRACTION – SB 41 will amend the Uniform Act Regulating Traffic to specify the violation of law that requires seat belt use by occupants ages 14 and older in passenger cars or autocycles. This will now be considered a traffic infraction.
KANSAS FARM BUREAU MEMBER HEALTH CARE BENEFITS – SB 32 will allow the Kansas Farm Bureau to establish a health care benefit that offers coverage specifically for Farm Bureau members in Kansas. Senate Bill 32 aims to reduce the number of uninsured Kansans by creating competition and free-market options for health care. Senate Bill 32 is the Farm Bureau’s solution to addressing the critical need for KFB members to find affordable health care coverage. A recent study pointed out that 65 percent of agriculture producers view health care as the number one threat to the future of their operation.
KANSAS REAL ID LICENSE
Passed by Congress in 2005, the REAL ID Act enacted the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation that the Federal Government “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver’s licenses.” Starting October 1, 2020, every state and territory resident will need to present a REAL ID compliant license/ID, or another acceptable form of identification, for accessing Federal facilities, entering nuclear power plants, and boarding commercial aircraft. This is called “card-based” enforcement. The card, itself, must be REAL ID compliant unless the resident is using an alternative acceptable document such as a passport. The card that is Real ID compliant will feature a gold circle with a star cut out symbol printed in the top third of the card on the front right side. Real IDs are optional and Kansas residents can choose between either Real ID card or a Nonreal ID card and there are no changes to fees for Kansas cards. In order to receive a Real ID card, a proof of lawful presence is required such as a birth certificate, unexpired US passport or naturalization certificate. Also required is a social security card, current W-2 or 1099 or current pay stub showing full social security number. Proof of Kansas residency is required by several means including a rent or lease agreement, renewal postcard, vehicle registration, utility bill or financial institution documents such as a bank statement, deed or mortgage. More information can be found at https://www.ksrevenue.org/dovrealid.html. You can order certified vital records like birth certificates at https://www.kdheks.gov/vital/birth.html.
TOUR THE STATE CAPITOL FROM HOME
Take an online tour of the magnificent Kansas State Capitol, floor by floor at https://www.kshs.org/p/kansas-state-capitol-online-tour/15843. The classically inspired building is an impressive public monument as well as the working offices for the governor and legislators. The building holds a dramatic array of art, architecture, and colorful Kansas history. The building hours are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday, and now open 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturdays.
FROM THE STATE LIBRARY
Research for Kids
The State Library has online interactive eBooks, storybooks, and puzzles for children. These resources encourage new and reluctant readers to develop a love for reading. BookFLIX (PreK to third grade) pairs children’s video storybooks with related nonfiction titles. TumbleBooks offers animated talking picture books and read-along chapter books that improve sight word recognition. Britannica E-Stax (PreK to 5th grade) features nonfiction that can be downloaded to any Internet enabled device. https://kslib.info/kids. If the page above asks for a Kansas Library eCard number, you may get one at any library in Kansas. Most people will be automatically recognized as inside Kansas and will not need this step. Questions: [email protected] or 785-296-3296.
VISITORS FROM SENATE DISTRICT #36
The sixth week of session was another busy week with visitors to the Kansas legislature. Three hundred plus 4-Hers from across Kansas held their mock Legislative session in the House Chamber on Sunday evening and then met us for lunch on Monday in the Capitol. Mental Health Centers, Kansas Association of Conservation Districts and students and staff of the Kansas After School program were in the Capitol for their annual visit and receptions.
I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature. Committee schedules, bills, and other helpful information can be easily accessed through the legislature’s website at www.kslegislature.org. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ at this website. The House meets at 11:00AM and the Senate at 2:30PM. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. An email is the best at this point in the session.
Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is the 36th Dist. state senator and serves as the Senate Majority Whip. The 36th Senate District includes Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell, Smith and Washington counties and portions of Marshall and Phillips counties.
The media reports that many fiscal issues confront Governor Laura Kelly and the 2019 Legislature.An unreported vital issue is funding of the Kansas Water Plan (KWP).
For Fiscal Year 2019, the Governor recommends a State General Fund (SGF) Transfer of $2.75 million and an Economic Development Initiative (EDIF) Transfer of $0.5 million, totaling $3.25 million for the Kansas Water Plan. This amount is woefully inadequate.
I respectfully request Kansans to ask their legislators to take the following actions with respect to the KWP in Fiscal Year 2020 and thereafter:
To fully restore the $6 million State General Fund Transfer and $2 million Economic Development Initiatives Fund Demand Transfer, totaling $8 million in Fiscal Year 2020 and thereafter.
To fully recover the denied SGF Transfers and EDIF Demand transfers totaling over $77 million since their statutory establishment by the Legislature in 1989.
To support the dedication of 1/10 of 1 percent of state sales tax revenue to provide a more adequate, reliable, and long-term financial support of the Kansas Water Plan.
To support a required super majority vote, for example 80 percent, of the Legislature to transfer monies from the KWP to non-KWP purposes.
The “2019 Kansas Water Authority Annual Report to the Governor and Legislature” contains useful information. For example, pages 12 and 13 show in feet the 2017-2018 groundwater level changes and the years remaining until 0% reservoir storage occurs.
It also shows past year’s progress in meeting the challenges, which is appreciated.But much more and faster progress is needed to resolve challenges. Kansans can access the “Report” by typing “Kansas Water Office” in the search box of their computers.
Kansans are continuing to lose their surface and ground waters. They can reverse these trends by asking their legislators to take the above actions.
