TOPEKA—A calculator is now available to help Kansans estimate their increased income tax liability under the new tax law approved by the Kansas legislature.
The calculator is easily accessible by visiting the Department of Revenue website, ksrevenue.org. Users input their filing status, allowances, and adjusted gross income. The calculator then displays what their tax liability was under the old law, what it is under the new law for tax year 2017, and the difference between the two.
“This calculator is a tool, and like all tools it should be used properly,” said Revenue Secretary Sam Williams. “It’s not for tax preparation, and because individual tax liabilities are so dependent on specific details, it’s more than likely it won’t predict the exact amount that will be owed. But it’s a valuable resource to gain an idea of the changes in tax liability.”
Kansans should speak with their tax preparer to identify exactly what they’ll owe under the new law.
The calculator will be updated in January 2018 to reflect the additional tax increase effective for tax year 2018.
TOPEKA—Revenue Secretary Sam Williams announced he has appointed David Harper to replace Director of Vehicles Lisa Kaspar after she retires in September.
Director Harper currently serves as director of property valuation in the Department of Revenue, and will retain that job in addition to his new role as director of vehicles. Combining leadership roles will promote cross-team collaboration and reduce duplication of efforts, Secretary Williams said.
“We are reforming this agency to make it more accessible to Kansans and encourage efficiency in all areas,” Secretary Williams said. “I’m deeply thankful for the terrific job that Lisa has done to grow customer satisfaction within the Division of Vehicles and I know David is going to continue building on that with the broad range of management skills he has brought to our agency.”
Before joining the Department in 2007, Harper worked for 25 years in the appraisal and property tax administration field. He has a proven track record with strategic planning that helps ensure both Kansas law and department policy are followed. He also has a long history of developing positive working relationships with staff, taxpayers, stakeholders, and government officials.
“Anyone who is familiar with the Division of Vehicles knows that Lisa has made incredible improvements in communication and customer service,” Director Harper said. “I look forward to carrying forward that effort to make our services accessible and user-friendly.”
Director Kaspar has served as Director of Vehicles for four years, culminating a 35-year career at the department that spanned multiple roles and leadership positions. She is known across the state as a leader whose style is friendly and cooperative. When she took over the Division of Vehicles, she implemented twice yearly stakeholder meetings that brought together industry officials who have ties with the division in any way, such as law enforcement, transportation leaders, organ donation representatives, and the banking industry, among many others. The meetings facilitated communication into and out of the Division of Vehicles, making a significant impact on the processes of the division and collaboration with partners.
“One of the parts of my work at Revenue that I’m most proud of is the way we made dramatic improvements to customer service and the rate at which we answer phone calls,” Director Kaspar said. “We reorganized, and implemented teamwork with an emphasis on consistency and it’s made a big difference in our service to Kansans.”
Director Harper plans to continue the bi-annual stakeholder meetings. He will take over as director of vehicles on September 9.
PRATT – A spectacle like none other is about to take place on Aug. 21 – the first total solar eclipse to cross the U.S. in almost 100 years. Visitors to the far northeast corner of the state will be in the path of totality, meaning they will get to witness the eclipse in its entirety, while viewers in the remaining parts of the Sunflower State will see a partial solar eclipse.
A number of people have inquired about camping at state fishing lakes and wildlife areas in the path of the eclipse. If you plan to get together with friends and family to view the spectacle from a Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism public lands property, here are a few tips to ensure your solar soiree goes off without a hitch:
-Remember that most state fishing lakes and wildlife areas are not equipped with the same amenities featured at state parks
-Set up camp in designated areas only
-Keep vehicles on maintained roads and parking lots
-Make sure four-legged companions are leashed
-Only light fires in fire rings and grills
-Bring (and use!) a trash bag for waste, as trash containers are not available on all premises
-While alcohol is permitted on some public properties, no alcohol is allowed at Atchison State Fishing Lake (SFL), Brown SFL, and Elwood and Burr Oak wildlife areas
MANHATTAN — Senator Pat Roberts, chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, will be a special guest at the Kansas Governor’s Summit on Agricultural Growth on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017 in Manhattan. Sen. Roberts has spent more than 30 years serving the needs of Kansas, and is a respected advocate for the agriculture industry. Kansas is fortunate to be represented by a leader of this caliber, and his support of the Ag Growth Summit emphasizes the importance of agricultural growth within the state.
Senator Roberts will join agriculture leaders from across the state at the second-annual event. The 2017 Summit will focus on sector-specific desired growth outcomes for 19 sectors of agriculture, ranging from beef and wheat to specialty livestock and unmanned aerial systems, as well as industry-wide topics that affect all sectors.
The Ag Growth Summit will take place on Thursday, Aug. 24, at the Manhattan Conference Center at the Hilton Garden Inn. Registration will begin at 8:00 a.m. and the program will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. including a complimentary lunch. This year’s Summit will also include an evening social event on Wednesday, Aug. 23, beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the Stanley Stout Center on the north side of the K-State campus.
Participation in the Summit and the social is free and open to the public, but registration is requested. Please register by August 10 to guarantee lunch at the Summit and/or dinner at the social event. More information about the Summit, including a link to the registration site, can be found at agriculture.ks.gov/summit. If you have questions about the Summit, call KDA at 785-564-6700 or email [email protected].
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies – applauded the Senate’s unanimous passage of legislation Sen. Moran helped develop to make certain veterans can continue to access care in the community through the Veterans Choice Program. The legislation passed the House of Representatives with a bipartisan vote of 414-0.
“I am pleased the Senate unanimously supported critical legislation to appropriate the funds necessary for the Veterans Choice Program to continue offering veterans access to healthcare closer to home,” said Sen. Moran. “Since Congress created this important program in 2014, I have worked to make certain our veterans in Kansas and across the country benefit from the access to quality and timely healthcare the Choice network provides. Veterans deserve the best our nation has to offer, and this is a proven program that veterans like and need. I urge the president to quickly sign this bill into law so our nation’s heroes can continue to receive increased access to healthcare in their communities.”
Timeline of Sen. Moran’s work on the Veterans Choice Program:
-2014-
June 3, 2014: Sen. Moran joined Senators John McCain (R-Ariz.), Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) to introduce the Veterans Choice Act.
June 11, 2014: The Senate passed Sen. Moran’s legislation to establish the Veterans Choice Program.
August 7, 2014: The Veterans Choice Program was signed into law by President Barack Obama.
December 15, 2014: Sen. Moran introduced legislation to improve the Veteran Choice Program’s 40-mile eligibility rule.
-2015-
January 22, 2015: Sen. Moran spoke on the Senate floor regarding his legislation to improve the Choice Program’s 40-mile rule.
February 26, 2015: Sen. Moran questioned VA Secretary McDonald about flawed implementation of Choice Program.
May 22, 2015: Senate unanimously passed Sen. Moran’s legislation to improve 40-mile Choice Act eligibility criteria.
July 23, 2015: Sen. Moran expressed concern with VA budget shortfall in Community Care accounts.
December 2, 2015: Sen. Moran urged VA Deputy Secretary Gibson to improve Choice Act implementation.
-2016-
March 7, 2016: Sen. Moran joined Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) to introduce the Veterans Choice Improvement Act.
-2017-
January 20, 2017: Sen. Moran urged President Donald Trump to work with Congress to improve the Veterans Choice Program.
January 24, 2017: Sen. Moran was selected as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs; met with VA Sec. nominee Dr. David Shulkin.
February 1, 2017: Senator Moran pressed VA Secretary nominee Shulkin on Choice Program eligibility criteria.
March 8, 2017: Senator Moran joined Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) to introduce legislation to improve and extend the Veterans Choice Program.
April 3, 2017: The Senate passed legislation to preserve the Veterans Choice Program.
April 19, 2017: The Veterans Choice Improvement Act was signed into law. Sen. Moran and Sen. McCain authored an op-ed on the Veterans Choice Program, “A great day for veterans and Veterans Choice.”
June 7, 2017: Sen. Moran questioned Secretary Shulkin on the Choice Program at Veterans Affairs Committee hearing.
June 21, 2017: Sen. Moran convened hearing with Secretary Shulkin and questioned Choice budget shortfall and VA’s recent changes to Choice Program; sent letter to Secretary Shulkin regarding financial mismanagement at the VA.
July 27, 2017: Sen. Moran spoke on Senate floor urging colleagues to pass legislation to fund the Veterans Choice Program and fix the budget shortfall.
WICHITA – The owner of a hunting guide company in Elk County pleaded guilty and was sentenced Wednesday for violating state and federal laws while taking clients on hunting trips, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.
Josh Hedges, 35, Grenola, Kan., owner of Eagle Head Outfitters, LLC, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act and one count of violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. He was sentenced to five years on probation and ordered to pay $15,000 restitution to the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Restitution Fund. In addition, he was forbidden to hunt, trap or guide for 12 years. Hedges also agreed to divest himself of the company.
Hedges admitted directing his guides to:
Place corn, wheat and soybeans around ponds as bait for waterfowl.
Help hunters to exceed their daily bag limits by offering to say they shot some of the birds the hunters shot.
Fail to tag, process and transport birds as required by state and federal law.
In addition, Hedges admitted that he shot a hawk from his vehicle while sitting on a county road near Grenola.
Beall commended the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster for their work on the case.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A monthly survey of business leaders suggested a drop in business conditions but still indicated the economy will pick up over the next few months in nine Midwest and Plains states.
A report released Tuesday says the Mid-America Business Conditions Index dropped to 56.1 last month from 62.3 in June. The May figure was 55.5.
Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says it “points to solid growth for both manufacturing and nonmanufacturing for the second half of 2017.”
The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth in that factor. A score below that suggests decline.
The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.
TOPEKA – A new report from the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA), released July 31, focuses on welfare reforms in Kansas and how they have positively impacted low-income residents who previously relied on cash assistance.
Among some of the findings, the incomes of Kansas families who left the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, more than doubled in the first year, and eventually more than tripled. In total, families are now earning $48 million more per year than they had while receiving cash assistance.
“Our staff once again worked closely with FGA to supply data,” said Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) Secretary Phyllis Gilmore. “We are pleased to see the information shared turned into a meaningful report that demonstrates for Kansas and the rest of the nation that employment is the most effective path out of poverty.”
In February 2016, FGA released a similar study that focused on Kansans who received food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). That study revealed before work requirements, 93 percent of able-bodied adults without dependent children (ABAWDs) on welfare were in poverty. Most were in severe poverty and not working at all. Within one year of leaving welfare, their incomes had more than doubled, an increase of 127 percent on average.
In 2015, Governor Brownback signed into law the Kansas HOPE Act, the most comprehensive welfare reform in the nation that not only added permanency to existing work requirements, but also added additional regulations to strengthen the integrity of the welfare benefits system in Kansas. Additional reforms to incentivize employment were enacted in 2016.
Other findings from this week’s FGA report on TANF (cash assistance):
Kansans who regained their independence saw their incomes increase and surpass their previous earnings and welfare benefits combined.
Kansans found employment in more than 600 industries, ranging from health care to finance to information technology.
Fewer able-bodied adults dependent on welfare allowed Kansas to better focus resources on the truly needy.
“FGA’s past research has shown that the best way to free able-bodied, childless adults from the welfare trap is to get them back to work—the results of this study clearly indicate that the same is true for non-disabled parents. When able-bodied adults regain their independence, whether they have children or not, their incomes skyrocket and they’re able to lift themselves out of government dependence. That’s the power of work,” said Jonathan Ingram, FGA’s Vice President for Research.
Here’s a complete look at the report, Work Requirements are Working for Kansas Families: How welfare reform increases incomes and improves lives. For additional comment from FGA, please contact Whitney Munro at 239-244-8808.
Since January 2011, Kansas TANF clients have reported 43,046 new employments. In April 2017, their average hourly wage was $10.05. There are currently 11,139 Kansans receiving TANF, down from 38,963 in 2011.
PRATT – Taking Hunter Education has never been more convenient thanks to Internet-assisted courses designed to allow students to complete their classwork at home. After a student completes their Internet work, they can attend a field day to complete their final test and certification. Field days typically include live-fire, a trail-walk and safe gun handing exercises. Students must register for an Internet-assisted course (field day) before completing the online portion.
The easiest way to find a class that meets your schedule is to visit ksoutdoors.com and click “Hunting,” then “Hunter Education.” Students must be 11 or older to be certified. However, hunters 15 or younger may hunt without hunter education certification provided they are under the direct supervision of an adult 18 or older. Otherwise, anyone born on or after July 1, 1957 must be certified by an approved course before they can hunt in Kansas.
Those who prefer to learn in a classroom setting may sign up for a traditional hunter education course. Traditional courses are usually held over two to three days, totaling 10 hours of class time. To access a list of traditional courses currently being offered, visit ksoutdoors.com and click “Hunting,” then “Hunter Education.”
Classes fill up quickly, so register early and make sure you’re Hunter Ed certified before fall seasons start!
KYAC President Stormy Lukasavage, shakes Secretary Phyllis Gilmore’s hand during the recognition of KYAC Leadership.
DCF
TOPEKA – Leaving home and entering college, the workplace, the military or some other endeavor as a young adult can be an intimidating transition. But for youth who don’t have the support of a family, facing realities of being an adult can be especially difficult. This week, at Washburn University in Topeka, dozens of youth in foster care took part in a summer conference to learn how to become independent. The conference wrapped up this afternoon.
“This is an event I look forward to every year,” said Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) Secretary Phyllis Gilmore. “It’s a great opportunity for our staff to connect with older youth, learn their stories, find out how we can help them and encourage them on their journey to independence.”
Secretary Gilmore spoke to approximately 100 older youth on Wednesday, July 26. She recognized the recent high school graduates, asking each about their goals for the future. The Secretary also offered an inspirational message about how, despite their difficult starts in life, they are of value and full of potential.
Every year, approximately 350 youth age out of the Kansas foster care system. They are offered a wide range of services through DCF’s Independent Living program. Most recently, many older youth attended computer camps throughout the state, where they each received a day of instruction and computers and printers to prepare them for school and employment.
Older youth who age out of foster care are also encouraged to participate in the Kansas Youth Advisory Council (KYAC), which is a partner to DCF to advise on issues of concern related to foster care. KYAC members include youth currently in care and those who have recently aged out of the system. The summer conference, this week, was largely designed by KYAC members, and is held each July at Washburn University. The conference is sponsored by DCF, and included this year, workshops and speakers, as well as games, crafts and activities.
“This conference is beneficial to those who come. We received hygiene bags, pillows and blankets and I know people who don’t have that,” said Shaileigh Piepmeier, a conference attendee who has aged out of foster care. “The conference also provides structure, not only for those in foster care, but people my age too. They can know that this is solid and that it’s going to be here and that they can look forward to it every summer.”
Some of the workshops that the youth could attend included instructions on filing incoming taxes, financial budgeting, interviewing for jobs, completing college and scholarship applications, self-defense, cooking and sewing.
To learn more about the services offered to youth from foster care, visit www.dcf.ks.gov.
PRATT – The Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) Commission will conduct their next public meeting on Thursday, August 10, 2017 at the Ninnescah Sailing Club in Cheney State Park. The afternoon session will begin at 1 p.m. and recess at 5 p.m. The evening session will convene at 6:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend both sessions and time will be set aside for public comment at the beginning of each for discussion of non-agenda items.
The afternoon session will begin with a report on the agency and state fiscal status and an update on the 2017 Kansas legislative session. The General Discussion portion of the meeting will include a review of big game regulations, Tourism update, Mined Land Wildlife Area project review, and an update on current Walleye Initiative efforts.
The Workshop Session will include reviews of turkey regulations for 2018, park regulations, privately-owned cabin permit fees, boating registration fees, license expiration dates, and threatened and endangered species regulations.
The evening portion of the meeting will convene at 6:30 p.m., during which time the Workshop Session will continue with a review of fishing regulations. No items will be voted upon at this meeting.
If necessary, the Commission will reconvene at the same location at 9 a.m., August 11, 2017, to complete any unfinished business. Information about the Commission, as well as the August 10 meeting agenda and briefing book, can be downloaded at ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Commission/Upcoming-Commission-Meetings.
Live video and audio streaming of the August 10, 2017 meeting will be available at ksoutdoors.com. If notified in advance, the department will have an interpreter available for the hearing impaired. To request an interpreter, call the Kansas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at 1-800-432-0698. Any individual with a disability may request other accommodations by contacting the KDWPT Commission secretary at (620) 672-5911.
The next KDWPT Commission meeting is scheduled for October 19, 2017 at the Bryan Conference Center, 101 S Main, in Scott City.
Hays native Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, is set to be elevated to Kansas governor following the upcoming departure of Sam Brownback.
OFFICE OF GOV.
TOPEKA – Hays native Lt. Governor Jeff Colyer today issued the below statement following the announcement of Governor Sam Brownback’s presidential nomination to Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom:
“Sam Brownback has served our state and our citizens with distinction. I will be forever grateful for his service.
“As a doctor and a father of three beautiful girls, I am always optimistic for the future. As I’ve served in worn-torn countries, helping victims begin the healing process, I’ve seen first-hand the resilience of human beings. A Reagan alumni, I too believe people have an inherent dignity, requiring a respect for vulnerable life and civility for our fellow man.
“With humility and a deep sense of honor, I look forward to working with Kansans from across the state, listening to their vision for the future, as together we move toward a better tomorrow for the place that we love.”
Dr. Colyer’s biography can be found here. He is a 1978 graduate of Thomas More Prep Marian High School in Hays.
Colyer’s International Medical Corps mission to Sierra Leone in 2002 (Photo courtesy CBS)
While Dr. Colyer has made many International Medical Corps (IMC) trips since then, 60 Minutes documented a 2002 mission to Sierra Leone, one of his earlier IMC trips. The full interview can be seen below.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump’s plans to nominate Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback as ambassador at large for international religious freedom (all times local):
7:30 p.m.
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback’s office isn’t saying when he plans to leave office because President Donald Trump plans to nominate him to serve as ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom. See the job description.
Brownback spokeswoman Melika Willoughby said the two-term Republican governor would hold a news conference on Thursday.
But Kansas Republican Party Chairman Kelly Arnold said Wednesday he would expect Brownback to resign as governor once he’s confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Arnold said that would likely be in the fall.
Brownback’s departure would elevate Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer to governor.
The White House announced Wednesday that Trump’s would nominate Brownback.
___
7:15 p.m.
President Donald Trump will nominate Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback to serve as ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.
If confirmed by the Senate, he’ll run the State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom.
Brownback is a former U.S. senator and representative. The White House says he worked on the issue of religious freedom while in Washington.
Officials in Kansas expect Brownback to step down when he’s confirmed, but his office would not immediately discuss future plans Wednesday evening.
KDOR
