Education

Forum to discuss tax increase opposition

The League of Women Voters of Douglas County will sponsor a forum Jan. 7 in Lawrence to outline opposition to a sales tax increase that would help fund public schools.

The gathering is 7:30 p.m. in the commons at Lawrence High School, 1901 La.

School boards in Lawrence, Eudora and Baldwin are backing a proposed half-cent sales tax increase for public schools. It would raise an estimated $5.8 million annually for the seven districts serving students in Douglas County.

If the 2004 Kansas Legislature authorizes the vote, it would likely be placed on a ballot later in the year.

Scheduled panelists: Kathy Cook, co-founder of Kansas Families United for Public Education; Rep. Paul Davis, D-Lawrence; Richard Heckler, founder of Schoolfunders; Steve Lopes, a staff member of Kansas-National Education Assn. for 22 years; and Adela Solis, a teacher at Cordley School.

Police

Officer confiscates bullets at traffic stop

A Lawrence Police officer early Friday stopped a man for traffic violations, then removed bullets from a gun the man was carrying after he allegedly made threatening comments.

About 2:30 a.m., the officer stopped the car at 23rd and Iowa streets for expired tags and discovered the driver had improper registration and a suspended driver’s license, said police spokesman Sgt. Mike Pattrick.

The 22-year-old Lawrence man also was found to be carrying a loaded pistol. The suspect did not point the gun at the officer but did make threatening comments, Pattrick said.

The officer issued citations to the driver for the traffic violations, removed the bullets from the gun and allowed the suspect to leave, Pattrick said. A report on the incident was sent to the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office for possible charges.

City government

Sales tax collections sufficient to meet goal

Lawrence collected enough sales taxes in 2003 to meet its budget goals, according to numbers released this week.

The city collected $18.06 million in sales taxes during the year, a 1.5 percent increase over the $17.79 million collected in 2002, and 1 percent over the $17.87 million the city anticipated in the 2003 budget.

City officials aren’t expecting sales tax growth to pick up. The city’s 2004 budget projects $18.1 million in sales tax revenues for the year, a 1.3 percent increase over 2003 projections.