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- Blog: Brownback signs 'Celebrate Freedom Week' bill May 23, 2013 · 16 comments
- Blog: Two new senior housing projects getting under way in Lawrence May 24, 2013 · 6 comments
- Club Magic manager says he's trying to turn around a new business at an old, and troubled, location May 25, 2013 · 11 comments
- Simons' Saturday Column: KU’s legislative lobbying effort lacks clout, continuity May 25, 2013 · 9 comments
- Opinion: Discrimination more than just poor service May 25, 2013 · 6 comments
- Former area Boy Scouts react to decision allowing gay scouts May 24, 2013 · 21 comments
- Police department's case for a new facility not likely to show on next year's budget, officials say May 25, 2013 · 5 comments
- Proposed cuts to corrections system could endanger Kansans, secretary says May 24, 2013 · 15 comments
- 59 minors, several local businesses, cited for alcohol violations in state regulator's patrols in May May 23, 2013 · 33 comments
- Opinion: Why gay role models matter May 23, 2013 · 45 comments
- Club Magic manager says he's trying to turn around a new business at an old, and troubled, location May 25, 2013
- Graduation and 'stepping up' an all-school event at Bishop Seabury May 24, 2013
- Bill Self: Security tricky subject May 25, 2013
- Simons' Saturday Column: KU’s legislative lobbying effort lacks clout, continuity May 25, 2013
- Wool ballcaps go out with a whimper as baseball flips its lid April 15, 2007
- Former Lawrence resident Sri Srinivasan confirmed for prestigious D.C. Court of Appeals May 23, 2013
- Kansas baseball moves to 2-0 in Big 12 tournament May 25, 2013
- Wichita might fine residents over use of water May 24, 2013
- Thread of pain ran through Jackson’s career June 28, 2009
- Doctor finds 'A Healthier Wei' to treat kids May 14, 2013
Republican tax plans would increase state revenue, analyses say
South Dakota has far superior economic performance compared to Kansas.
Private sector job growth 1998-2012 SD +13.8% KS +1.6% (BLS)
Wage & Salary Disbursements '01-'11 SD +51% KS +31% (BEA)
Private sector GDP growth 2001-2011 SD +60% KS +44% (BEA)
Domestic Migration 1998-2012 SD +1.7% KS -2.9% (Census)
May 23, 2013 at 6:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Republican tax plans would increase state revenue, analyses say
We had very high state taxes compared to most states, right up to 2012. See http://www.kansaspolicy.org/researchc.... We also had very poor economic performance. See http://www.kansaspolicy.org/researchc...
Oil and oceans have nothing to do with tax levels. State and local taxes are determined by state and local spending. Kansas spends more than most and therefore taxes more than most (and grows less).
State taxes need to be reduced in order to create better economic growth and more jobs.
May 23, 2013 at 12:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Republican tax plans would increase state revenue, analyses say
Local property taxes would only increase if local government and schools choose to continue doing so. In fact, local taxes in states with no personal income tax are actually lower than other states.
In 2010 (most recent year local data is available), per-capita local taxes in the states without an income tax were $1,763 while the average for all other states was $1,829. Kansas was at $1,725. See http://www.kansaspolicy.org/researchc...
May 23, 2013 at 12:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Republican tax plans would increase state revenue, analyses say
General Fund spending has increased quite a bit in recent years. FY 2011 saw spending jump 7.6% from $5.268 billion to $5.667 billion; that occurred under Gov. Parkinson. Then Gov. Brownback increased spending 8.1% to $6.126 billion in FY 2012. Legislative Research says FY 2013 spending will be $6.098 billion (a 1.07% increase).
Kansas' General Fund spending per-capita is the highest in the region and much greater than states with no income tax. See http://www.kansaspolicy.org/kpiblog/1...
Income tax reform can be implemented without raising sales tax or arbitrary across-the-board spending cuts. See http://www.kansaspolicy.org/researchc... Spending must come down, but it should be done by making services more efficient.
May 23, 2013 at 8:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Push-back on Common Core not unique to Kansas
If some teachers believe that the new standards are in place, it is irrelevant to the claim you make in your story. As you acknowledged above, the assessments don't go into effect until the 2015 school year. All achievement reporting until then is based on the standards and assessments that have been in place since 2005.
I'm well aware of the NAEP caveat you mentioned, which is only referring to the annual results and says one cannot directly compare NAEP results to state results. That's not what we do and you know it. Separately, USDE conducted a review of state standards, which shows Kansas as having some of the lowest state standards in the nation.
By the way, KSDE clearly supports the NAEP results. A November 2011 press release from KSDE included this statement: "Measurement from 2003 is significant because it’s the year the state adopted new curricular standards and the first year the state achieved 100 percent participation from schools identified to participate in NAEP, ensuring the validity and reliability of the results."
http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabi...
And the NAEP results show that there has been no significant change in the Kansas results since 2003. Less than half of 4th grade and 8th grade students are Proficient in Math and only about a third are Proficient in Reading.
May 21, 2013 at 4:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Push-back on Common Core not unique to Kansas
Some people may not like the reality of the facts we present, but the facts come from official government records.
May 21, 2013 at 3:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Push-back on Common Core not unique to Kansas
I don't know why Peter Hancock continually misrepresents facts but as I've explained here previously, the new Common Core performance standards do not go into effect until the 2015 school year. Kansas is still operating under and reporting performance based on the standards that have been in place since 2006. Those are the standards that the U.S. Dept. of Education says are among the lowest in the nation.
We will again file a formal complaint with LJW management over Mr. Hancock's misrepresentation of the facts. Hopefully, this time they will at least acknowledge receipt of the complaint.
May 21, 2013 at 3:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Affordable Care Act bringing jobs to Lawrence
Typical ad hominem attack. Can't dispute the facts...attack the messenger.
May 17, 2013 at 12:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Affordable Care Act bringing jobs to Lawrence
Every Obamacare job gain is being paid for by Obamacare tax increases at the federal level. Citizens are also paying for these 'job gains' at the state level; billions more in state Medicaid spending comes at the cost of higher state taxes and spending redirected from other services. The health care industry may benefit but any gains they receive come at a steep cost to everyone else.
There is no such thing as free federal money. No government has any money of its own; it only has what collects from taxpayers and redistributes.
Here's a good recap of the new Obamacare taxes for 2013: http://www.forbes.com/sites/gracemari... Note that it starts by saying "The third wave of ObamaCare taxes began on January 1, the latest blitz before the tsunami of changes from the health overhaul law hit in 2014."
May 16, 2013 at 8:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Ad campaign accuses Kansas schools of low academic standards
again you are deliberately misrepresenting the facts. Kansas only allows local school districts to authorize and operate charter schools, which effectively eliminates the competition that helps students in real charter schools and traditional public schools to flourish.
May 6, 2013 at 9:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )