Medicaid massacre

Here's a pretty good editorial in the Courier about Medicaid cuts in Kansas. This will force reductions in services to developmentally disabled in the cluster of community homes we have in Cowley County, not to mention the larger numbers of people, including seniors in nursing homes, who rely on Medicaid for health needs.

There is a paradox here in that we have created a system in which an entitlement program touches the lives of so many, and cutting it becomes not just about the poor but about the jobs of the people who help the poor. But the alternative, relying on charity to help the poor, creates beggar cities and third-world type poverty.

The cuts in Medicaid get less attention than schools or prisons, because the money goes to the poor and disabled, but it could have just as big an impact. It also shows why states don't like the part of the national health reform moving through Congress that would require a states to increase their share of Medicaid spending. The good news about that, though, is that it doesn't happen until 5 or 6 years from, now, so there is time to prepare.

Burford Bonanza

The Burford campaign reaching its fund-raising goals is quite an accomplishment for the arts, downtown and community building in general, especially during a recession. Looking around, it's not hard to see progress. In addition to the theater building, we've got hospital construction, major street repairs, school upgrades (including new stadium) and various private projects (ark valley credit union a good example).

Blood letting

You know things are bad financially when politicians don't want to crack down further on sex offenders, with an election year coming up. Stories are hitting the papers and news on the effects of budget cuts. Here's another one about the corrections system. Problems there could lead to closing Winfield Correctional Facility, which has roughly 200 jobs.

And of course schools are starting to cutback, with the possibility of classroom positions being left vacant, especially next school year.

Boomer town

Any guesses on where this mysterious sound is coming from? I think we'll have some possible answers in today's paper.

Prison still in jeopardy

How about bringing some Gitmo detainees to Winfield Correctional Facility, if state cuts force it to close? I think that town in Illinois expects 3,000 jobs to house 100 prisoners.

This is a joke, folks. Gallows humor.

School cuts

I still think state lawmakers should consider getting rid of some tax exemptions, on sales or equipment, perhaps, to soften the blow to schools, prisons, health programs, etc. Be too bad to start reversing the good trends at USD 470 if they had to cut academic support people and even classroom teachers.

Road to improvments

Second part of traffic problems near casinos. O-DOT will reduce the "official" speed limit and plan to build a turn lane in 2011. I still think it would behoove the tribes, an O-DOT to do more. A full gamit of turn and acceleration lanes makes sense. As does an access road, especially if growth continues there.

Casino crashes

Our look at the traffic problems created by the border casinos. Tomorrow's story will make a little news. O-DOT has some plans to improve things, although my personal opinion is that it doesn't go far enough.

Hospital unrest

The question behind this story is, why doesn't the hospital board want to keep Phylis Macy Mills as its CEO as it transitions to the new facility, and/or does she even want the job. Her comments, (some of which are not online) reveal real dissatisfaction. Not a good thing when you're spending millions in taxpayer money to build a new facility.

Tiahrt Trampolines

That's the verbage from Survey USA to describe how Tiahrt is now 3 points within Moran in the GOP primary for U.S. Senate.

Tiahrt was way behind. He's been using the "I'm the real conservative" strategy and recently made a false claim that Moran was endorsed by the USA communist party.

It would be sad if Tiahrt's gutter tactics are working. But, alas, this is politics. Will Moran go on the offensive now? Unfortunately, the GOP base that will control the primary is about as demagogic and extreme and as Tiahrthas become

Kerri Falleti

Big step up for Kerri Falleti, long the administrative assistant for Cowley First and now the director of the economic development partnership. Have no idea who the ex. committee interviewed, so it's just a guess that they decided to go with the hometown person who might make up in commitment and can-do attitude for what she lacks in experience.

Also, they need somebody who can work well with county administrator Leroy Alsup, who is the driving force behind Cowley First, which operates as a county department.

Medicare protectors?

You have to laugh at conservatives using liberal rhetoric to bash Democratic health care reform as being dangerous to Medicare and seniors. This Eagle editorial rightly points out that Democrats did the same thing when Republicans wanted to cut the program. But the idea that the GOP is concerned about keeping the government entitlement program whole is worth a good chuckle.

TIF time

My what a difference an election makes. The new commissioners, Jay Warren and Jean Snell, have changed the make up the Ark City Commission enough that Ark City Industries is back in the good graces of the elected board. The group is on tax increment financing for development in Goff Industrial Park, and possibly to construct new housing. As I've written before, I can see both sides of the TIF argument. What I think is real, and probably unfortunate, is that cities and counties and states HAVE to give sweet deals to get commercial growth, unless your a high-growth area where businesses are aching to come.

AC Industries is also trying to change its image, deserved or not, of being a tight-knit club of businessmen run by Home National Bank leaders, interested primarily in their own welfare. Part of the image problem is that it is for-profit and private, unlike say, Cowley First or Winfield Economic Development. But being private and for profit gives it more freedom to operate and probably makes private investment much easier.

Bureaucratic bruhaha

This story sounds like the agency set up to support group disability homes in Cowley County failed in its mission and might have spend taxpayer money unwisely. Good argument against too much government, and/or a case of county commissions asleep at the switch? But I'd love to hear more from the agency and it's director, Bill Brooks, to get the full story. It seems like this public hearing is only the beginning of the story.

Building boom?

Good problem to have.

Computer condundrum part III

As we say in the news business, there are always AT LEAST two sides to every story.