Thursday, May 27, 2010

Judgeship

Mad rush to replace retiring judge Michael Smith. How much does that job pay? Here's a story, four years old, that says Kansas district court judges get $104,000 a year.

Course money is just one component. I imagine that many attorneys aspire to becoming a judge as the pinnacle of the career in the judicial system. And the hours are probably better.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Am-on-track?

Good to see Sen. Steve Abrams at the informational meeting last night for the Amtrack extension through Ark City. Now if we can get Kasha Kelley aboard (pun intended).

What we don't hear from either of them is strong advocacy, which is what it will take from lawmakers whose districts stand to benefit. As I said earlier, it's hard for Abrams and Kelley them to take up a cause that could cost the state more money, esp. if general fund dollars are needed.

But, hey, they are fiscal conservatives, and subsidizing train service isn't what they were elected on.

But it would be nice to see them fighting for something that seems an obvious benefit to our area.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

What's going on here?

West Chestnut Ave. bridge seems like a den of inequity. And pretty dangerous. These spots pop up in every town. In Winfield, The Damn, off 19th Street was always a place of were boundaries were crossed. Might still be.

Blue Skies ahead?

Of course the economy will turn around eventually. But is state Treasurer Dennis McKinney right to be bullish on the future of the Kansas economy due to investments in workforce and research?

Makes some sense to me. Just wish we could get a bio-lab or something similar in or around Cowley County!

More Tea-hrt trouble

Tiahrt's tea party strategy is apparently not working. He's way behind in the latest SurveyUSA poll. With the race two months away, can he close the gap without a huge gaffe by Moran? (he doesn't seem like a gaffe-prone pol)


But Tiahrt is on the offensive.

Attempting to make Moran look like a Pelosi Democrat just doesn't pass the smell test. Moran might have NOT voted for a large tax break once, but there just isn't enough there for that characiture to stick.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Ghosts of Lowe's

Great follow up by Andrew Lawson on Tuesday's controversy over creating a redevelopment district. Things seem to have gotten personal again. The ghosts of Lowe's three years ago haunts this deal.

I wonder whether the new majority wouldn't be wiser to back off a little now (especially if they indeed they need 4 votes to enter into an development agreement) and wait for spring 2011.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Trouble for Tiahrt?

If this poll is true, Tiahrt is moving backward. He's trying hard to bring down Moran's favorable rating, blasting away at every opportunity. But it apparently isn't working. CAVEAT - this is an internal poll done FOR Moran, so needs to be taken with a grain of salt.

Both, frankly, have gone a big cookoo trying to suck up the perceived influence of the tea party sentiment. But Tiahrt more so than Moran. In fact Tea Party Express has endorsed Tiahrt. (he can't stop telling people that) If Tiahrt losses, and losses big, will that signal that tea party was overhyped?

If he wins, will that signal the tea party has muscle?

Blight, right?

You're going to want to read this entire story. Robust debate, including accusations of personal gain.

This whole debate masks the true conflict - whether to use financial incentives to bring retail-type businesses to town. In the end, they need 4 votes to do so. Doesn't look like they have them, so probably the next election (spring 2011) will hinge mightily on this issue.

Tipsy on tea

So Tiahrt is throwing his lot in with Rand Paul and elevating the Tea Party Express. Below is his press release last night.

It's probably safe for Tiahrt to jump as far right as he has because there's no significant Democratic opposition in Kansas for Senate. (if he can get past Moran) But can Paul and the Tea Party stand up to general election scrutiny in places where you have to actually appeal to independents and Democrats? Paul, for example, has some pretty unorthodox ideas, like opposing the Americans with Disabilities act. The Tea Party Express appeals to the hard right base of the party, but its titular leader goes way off the reservation, like saying Muslims worship a Monkey-God and calling Obama a Nazi.

The Republicans will obvious gain seats in November. But will it be able to bring in the tea party sentiment or be run over by it?


TIAHRT CONGRATULATES PAUL; CHEERS TEA PARTY VICTORY


WICHITA, KS - Congressman Todd Tiahrt (R-Goddard) congratulates US Senatorial candidate Rand Paul (R-KY) today as Paul secured the GOP nomination in Kentucky by defeating KY Secretary of State and establishment candidate, Trey Grayson.

"Congratulations to Rand Paul and to the Tea Party activists in Kentucky and across the nation," said Tiahrt. "The Tea Party Patriots are making a difference in every state and in every election this year, as they force establishment candidates to answer for their irresponsible and sometimes reckless past votes. I am honored to stand with the Tea Party activists across the nation today as we witness another of the many shockwaves bound to hit Washington this year."

Tiahrt and Paul were featured in a Wall Street Journal article Monday, May 17th discussing how conservative candidates were the beneficiary of conservative and Tea Party activists moving the Republican Party to the right. Both Tiahrt and Paul have been endorsed by the Tea Party Express and other high profile conservative groups.

The article can be found here:

http://online.wsj.com/article/capital_journal.html

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Pigs at the Trough?

This kind of rhetoric and antipathy for government programs is one reason many mid-sized local chambers opposed the state Kansas Chamber during the budget battles in Topeka, including the ark city chamber.

The argument against tax increases is a good one and valid, but to use this kind of language is pretty extreme for Kansas politics.

It seems the Kansas Chamber has fallen into the white hot political divisions you see at the federal level. They seem to be dominated by large corporations who look exclusively at bottom line and don't see the rounded picture of what makes a community work and and other things that help a business climate to thrive - good schools, roads, health facilities, etc.

School daze

A sales tax increase prevented further cuts to education for next school year, but Ron Ballard is still wary because actual cash flow could reduce state aide to local districts again, he said. Also, stimulus funding runs out next year — will the state make up that money, $550,000 for ark city public schools, or let it expire, which means more cutting in 2011-2012 school year?

Seems like state funding for schools is never a settled issue.

Monday, May 17, 2010

All aboard

Local meeting to discuss development of passenger rail next week.

I admit to being doubtful about this project when it first surfaced a couple years ago. But studies have been done and there seems to be some interest from lawmakers. And man, wouldn't it be neat to board a train and ride it to downtown KC or Fort Worth? The problem is that it would take subsidies to operate a passenger rail service, based on Amtrack service on the East Coast. Course highways are built with taxpayer funds.


We need both local legislators, Kasha Kelley and Steve Abrams, to really get out front on this, although its hard for them based on their anti-government philosophy.

This was where Greta Goodwin excelled — seeing a benefit for her district and fighting for it. Getting government money coming to our area to benefit us. It's parochial, but sometimes you gotta look out for yours.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Tea town?

Oh no, more than 50 percent of the poll respondents on Traveler Web site say they feel like members of the Tea Party. Hopefully they are talking about Lipton or Bigelow.

Bush-ed

Fascinating - Laura Bush supports gay marriage and abortion rights. There was a social moderate in the white house!

Imagine the firestorm it would have created had she spoken out on these issues as first lady. Very smart of her not to, but I think her saying she is for gay marriage gives that movement huge steps forward. She is very well-liked and respected.

I always guessed that Laura Bush pulled George Bush into religious conservatism. Wrong. I sometimes wonder just how socially conservative W is himself, or that he adopted those positions as part of the GOP orthodoxy and because Karl Rove told knew it could win him the presidency.

Shouldn't be so cyncial, probably. About W, I mean, not Rove.

Taxes lowest since 1950

Looks like our sales tax is going up a penny. That will bite, but here's what belies the religious ferment of the anti-tax lobby and feeling among some people/lawmakers in this country -- The amount of taxes paid are at the lowest level since 1950. This analysis was done by USA TODAY.

FURTHERMORE, part of the reason tax burden on individuals is so low is because of OBAMA's tax cut for the middle class under the stimulus package.

Those worried about over-spending, which is a real problem but arguably necessary to pull out of near depression - should not rule out tax increases to fix it. Cutting spending and seeking new revenues is how a budget gets balanced. That's how Clinton balanced the budget. Even Ronald Reagan agreed to tax increases to help cut the deficit.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Banking on it

Stories Fri and today have a good look at how local banks fared in 2009 and first quarter this year. The info is all online and public record. Pretty much gives weight to the stories about Home National's problems, losing 56 million last year. But they apparently are back in the black in 2010, which suggest quite a turn around and might make a potential buyer/investor more interested.

Seems like the big question is in form will the institution end up. Will it split off into more than one bank, or will it liquidate parts and be much smaller, perhaps just a Kansas bank, as it started?

I don't have any idea, and know a little less than zero about how banks work. I do know that the loss of HNB's presence in Ark City would be hurtful to the town, considering the jobs it provides and community building role it plays. And I feel for the folks working there with the uncertainly hanging over them.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Taxed

Looks like the 1 cent state sales tax is going to happen. State senate passed it yesterday and even anti-tax lawmakers are saying the votes to pass in House are there.

Mixed feelings myself. Sales tax is already pretty high locally with the 1 cent increase last year. But the cuts to schools, medicaid, prisons, etc.. are also damaging. This seems to strike a decent balance instead of tipping too far in one direction.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Misinformed?

Well golly I've been outed as a horrible journalist because I don't stick to facts and judged guilty of .... gulp ... stating my opinion, on the Arizona immigration law.

Again, people, anonymous hordes, or whoever you are .... this is an issue/opinion blog, this is not the news pages of the newspaper. It is my blog and I will give my opinions on issues here. If you don't like it don't read it but stop complaining that it contains my opinions!

Ahh, there ......


Now, down to some facts (with a liberal slant, of course) Supporters of the Ariz. law seem to think that somebody has to be arrested first, then questioned about residential documentation. As SG writes:

First of all, You have obviously not read the law. You should refrain from writing about it until you have a grasp of it. You are assuming that the law allows police to stop anyone who looks hispanic, because that is what you heard on MSNBC. IT DOESN'T! It says that if a person is already contacted by police for a lawful reason, and the police have reasonable suspicion that the person is in the country illegally, they may ask for their identification to find out. As the law stands here in Kansas, if a police officer stops you for a lawful reason, they can ask you for your identification (ie: your driver's license). There is nothing "flagrantly unconstitutional" about that, now is there?

I'd like to thank SG for providing a link to the law itself. He (she?) was right, I had not read the text. So I did (at least the first part of it) All it says is that law enforcement have to make "lawful" contact with somebody to ask them for papers. What does that mean? They sure don't have to have been arrested or even suspected of a crime. What's to say "lawful contact" is everthing short of beating somebody up? The term is not defined. Here's a good link on the subject: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-04-29/news/ct-oped-0429-chapman-20100429_1_illegal-immigrant-cops-immigration

Come on, now. The law's intent is clear - its to get the state and local cops to question people (hispanic people) who seem suspicous of being illegal residents. The problem is, how do you do that? What does an illegal alien look like? Even the gov. of the state refused to answer the question because she knew the answer would sound racist. The fear is, that an officer would be able to develop suspicion just by seeing an Hispanic person in a torn shirt who doesn't speak English, or something liek that. He makes lawful contact by coming up and saying hello. So now we have police/state inquisition based on "appearances" and it's an open invitation harassment of a minority group and harassment of "legal" resident based on how they appear.

I'm amazed that so-called conservatives like this law - it's a police state, big government, move that infringes on the rights of citizens. Anti-Tea Party!

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Bad law, good outcome?

It seems clear to me that the new Arizona immigration law is flagrantly unconstitutional. You can't arrest somebody based on how they look, and the law opens the door to police persecution. Many law enforcement leaders think it's out of hand.

Here in Ark City, you here suspicion of Hispanics just based on appearances. People see somebody who doesn't speak the language and might look particularly "Mexican" or "Hispanic" and they assume they are illegal. Or they hear Spanish being spoken and make that assumption. It's fear of difference and "other" and that somehow our existing culture will be harmed. It's called Xenaphobia. I'm not saying there aren't illegal immigrants in Ark City and Cowley County, but some folks jump to conclusions.

But ....

In the end, what if this bad law leads to some real immigration reform at the federal level because it's brought the issue to a head.

Seems reform is plenty overdue - Bush tried it three or four years ago. The stupid "amnesty" rhetoric gummed things up and scared the GOP because they hate to look compassionate or reasonable when it comes to illegal immigrants. But Bush, McCain and some others were right on on this issue. It seems like what