Friday, July 29, 2011

Land deal back

The ACI land sale to the city is back, which means the city commission is renewing focus on bringing development to Goff Industrial Park. With the current commission, a tax increment financing deal is possible, but not necessarily the inevitable outcome, of the land purchase.

As I wrote before, the controls that the city is allowing ACI to retain over the land seems odd, especially since some think ACI and the city are too cozy already. But some say the sale terms are typical for a speculative land deal.

In the end, it seems wise for the city have some land available so they can facilitate the necessary improvements, incentives to get a major employer here.

The question has mostly been over what KIND of employer - retail, manufacturing, warehousing, etc.

Six 86-ed

This is from the Democratic Party, but it's not out of bounds.
At least our Senators should explain their opposition to Six. If not, it looks like petty partisanship and that Moran and Roberts have been sucked into the dysfunctional divisions of D.C.

Roberts has been a promoter of bipartisanship in the past, but it's hard to find signs he believes in it anymore.


COLUMN: Steve Six, Kansas deserve better than the petty politics of Moran and Roberts

I was deeply disappointed to hear that Senators Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran were blocking the nomination of their fellow Kansan Steve Six for the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Former judge and Attorney General Six received the highest rating from the nonpartisan American Bar Association's Standing Committee on the Judiciary and the support of both Republicans and Democrats.

Opinion editors from across the state have echoed the thoughts of fair-minded Kansans saying that Six's "professionalism and judgment have been praised by 29 state attorneys general, Republicans as well as Democrats. Six’s supporters have included five current and former deans of the University of Kansas School of Law and Deanell Reece Tacha, the Reagan appointee and former Kansan he would replace on the 10th Circuit. In his own letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee calling for Six’s confirmation, former Republican Attorney General Robert Stephan said Six had never let politics interfere with his responsibilities. Too bad the same cannot be said about Roberts and Moran."

What do Moran and Roberts think they are doing? They certainly aren’t looking out for our best interest. As a result of their actions, there may not be another Kansan nominated to take Judge Tacha's place, and our representation on this key federal court will be weakened.

I have to agree that Moran and Roberts are playing politics.They are catering to the extreme members of the Republican Party. They care more about appeasing anti-choice groups like Operation Rescue in Wichita than in doing what’s right for Kansas.This is a sad day for our state. Attorney General Six is more than qualified to serve on the appeals court. Unfortunately, as long as our senators are driven by petty politics, Kansans will never get the representation we deserve.

Joan Wagnon
Chair, Kansas Democratic Party

Monday, July 25, 2011

Epic failure

Great column by former GOP congressman and TV talk show host Joe Scarborough on politico.com

I think he gets it right - the Republicans could have had $4 trillion deficit reduction package, 3/4 of it spending cuts, 1/4 increased tax revenues, had they been willing to work with the President and show true leadership.

I don't quite agree that Americans will totally blame the GOP if economic armagedeon occurs - Obama will get plenty of blame too. Course Bill Clinton won the PR battle when government shut down in 1995. Making the republicans look like mean spirited, unreasonable politicians.

Friday, July 22, 2011

County adminstrator

Sounds like the county commissioners are going to take their time finding a replacement for Leroy Alsup. That makes sense. They have a good interim administrator and Alsup is going to help with the budget.

Nick Hernandez

There have been five city managers in five years in Ark City, if you include interim manager Dick Chesney.

It sounds like the commission found a good one in Nick Hernandez. His military back ground is a plus, and it sounds like he wants to achieve real results and make real change.

Some have cautioned the it sounds like Doug Russell again - young, smart ambitious - and look what happened with him. But we have a different commission now and so we'll see what happens.

This is what Ark City needs. Also gotta like his comments about being transparent. Let's hope we can have a period of relative calm while continue the progress that has been made in recent years.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Compromise!?

Could it be .....

Boehner: House will compromise on debt limit
ANDREW TAYLOR,Associated Press


WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker John Boehner predicted Thursday that a majority of House Republicans will end up supporting some kind of compromise as the Senate began debating a House-passed effort to tie an increase in the debt ceiling to conservative demands for a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.

Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., called up the measure to placate Republicans demanding a vote. But he said it "doesn't have one chance in a million of passing the Senate."

At a news conference, Boehner told reporters, "Frankly, I think it would be irresponsible on behalf of the Congress and the president not to be looking at back-up strategies for how to solve this problem."

"At the end of the day, we have a responsibility to act," the Ohio Republican said.


This whole debt ceiling default fear never had to happen. Approve the debt increase, then go after legislation to reduce the deficit, if that is what lawmakers want to do. Instead, they have created this - no more debt or die crusade that has stalled the economy, sent fear through financial markets, and further eroded faith in elected officials handling things responsibly and cooperatively.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Rural revival?

I was always a bit skeptical that these income tax breaks for moving to small population counties would do much good, which this article confirms. But it can't hurt, and it probably won't cost much. Cowley County doesn't quality because our cities, Winfield and Ark City, are too big.

Brownback ran on turning the economy around, and this was his biggest policy proposal. Kind of underwhelming.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Taxes, deficit, and the public

Just because the public wants something doesn't mean it is always a good policy decision for lawmakers. But poll after poll shows public support for raising taxes along with spending cuts to reduce the federal deficit.

So Republicans should certainly make their argument that they don't believe raising taxes is good for the country or the economy, but they need to stop saying American people don't want taxes raised as part of the solution.

It's hard to tell whether the hard right in Washington is against the size of govt., or against the deficit itself. If the size of government is their biggest concern, then I can see why they don't want increased revenues. But if the deficit is the problem, its a no brainer to include them in any solution.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Reasonable Repubicans

Be nice if GOP leaders took some advice from New York Times columnist David Brooks. While is one of the liberals' favorite Republican (he often takes moderate stances) he makes oodles of sense in this column about the debt ceiling impasse.

Hernandez in Osage

To me, this story doesn't diminish Hernandez' reputation or credibility. It is window on how he handles controversy and criticism. Sounds like he did OK, not cow-towing but also making changes that responded to legitimate concerns. The credit card usage policy was apparently there before he became city manager, and there are no claims that the cards were misused or used illegally.

I'm told by the newspaper editor in Osage City that the main complainer, Michael Capra, has very little if any credibility in Osage City. And it could be that the Topeka Capital Journal gave Capra too much weight in their story. Capra sunk to a racist insult of Hernandez, which tells you a lot.

What sounds like did happen is that new commissioners were elected that wanted a different direction and created some tension on the commission - a scenario we are very familiar with here in Ark City. Whether that pushed Hernandez toward applying elsewhere is unclear. But it sounds like he handled things well in Osage City, all things considered.

Let there be light

That's what some downtown merchants say after the city installed low-wattage, energy saving bulbs in downtown street lamps.

I have to admit that the yellow, dimmer glow of the lamps took me by surprise when they were first installed a few weeks ago. I can see the businesses people's concern about lighting for safety reasons, although I disagree with some that the lighting isn't attractive or is dingy.

There are urban areas that tout their "gas lamp" district that creates a certain historical feel. I would say the lighting fits with our historic downtown architecture and street scape, although the safety concern has to come first.

UPDATE: I should have said earlier that the city should have consulted the downtown property owners/merchants. Or at least let the public know what was going to happen. It's not unsimiliar to the truck reg ordinance -- anything that might affect people those people should be consulted or the public should have time to weigh in. The political radar at City Hall might need some tuning.

Friday, July 1, 2011

No strike!

Thanks goodness for this.


I've asked some GE workers whey they think a segment of the population is so critical of them. They think its jealousy -- lots of folks have applied out there but its hard to get on.

Its a bit baffling to me. GE is one of the last places in our area with high paying manufacturing jobs that you can support a family on and retire comfortably. Should we value and support this type of employment, not snipe at it? Whether you like or dislike unions, or don't really care, the $50 million payroll out there is the boulder upon which our economy stands.

And, GE workers seem to get along well with local managers. I frankly think the positive relationship between executives and workers is admirable.