Aquifer sees 2nd largest decline on record in 2012

Thanks. Fixed it.

February 4, 2013 at 4:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Hashtags, and lots of ICYMI's

In case you missed it ...

February 2, 2013 at 8:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Planning commissions recommend denial of sand permit

You're right Catalano. Thanks. Maybe my blurry vision prevented me from seeing the horizon.

January 31, 2013 at 9:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

PAC formed to support Lawrence school district bond issue

If property valuations increase, local governments can raise the same amount of money with a lower property tax mill levy. On the other hand, if values decrease slightly, as Douglas County officials anticipate, it may take a slightly higher mill levy to raise the same amount.

Local governments don't levy mills. They levy dollars. In setting their budgets, local governments look at the total amount they plan to spend, subtract how much of that they'll get from other sources, and then the balance is what they have to raise through property taxes. The mill levy (or tax rate) is simply a mathematical calculation, a function of the county appraiser's office and the county clerk: dollars levied that have to come from property taxes divided by the assessed valuation.

In the case of the Lawrence school district's bond and interest fund, it's pretty much all local property taxes, and a little interest earned on deposits. Lawrence gets no additional aid from the state for that.

January 31, 2013 at 8:32 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Lawrence school district audit shows large cash reserves

The thing to remember is that fund balances on June 30 of any given year are just a snapshot at a randomly selected point in time. Money flows into those funds, and then out of those funds, at irregular schedules throughout the year. A snapshot on June 30 will look very different from a snapshot on, any other given day of the year. As I tried to point out, schools get a big property tax distribution in June, so that will show up in various balances on June 30. But that's money that has to last until the next big distribution in December. Thus, if you take a snapshot on, say, Nov. 30, just before the next tax distribution comes in, it will look quite different.

January 26, 2013 at 11:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Lawrence school district audit shows large cash reserves

According to Supt. Doll, the money in that fund may legally be spent for only two purposes: to pay the district's group policy premiums; or be returned in the form of a rebate to the people who paid into it. He says that if the insurance carrier raises premiums from one year to the next, the district can use the fund balance to lessen the impact on the employees. The district may not "pocket" the money - i.e., transfer it to other funds where it would be spent for other purposes.

January 25, 2013 at 7:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Moody's calls school finance ruling a negative credit factor for Kansas

Please see the updated version of the story.

January 18, 2013 at 11:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

State education board to look at crisis management policies

The state board doesn't allow or disallow security guards in schools. That is a local decision. The State Department of Education keeps statistics on the number of people employed in school districts in various job classifications, including security guards.

As a general rule, weapons are not allowed on school property, but there is a statute that gives superintendents authority to make exceptions. That's where they get authority to hire armed security guards.

As the AP article points out, many districts contract with their local police departments to provide security. The LJW had a soundoff question on Jan. 2 about armed police officers and unarmed SRO's in Lawrence schools. http://www2.ljworld.com/qa/sound_off/....

January 15, 2013 at 9:27 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Court ruling casts shadow over governor's State of the State address

The courts can only invalidate a law if it violates the constitution, and then only if a case is brought before it challenging the constitutionality of that law. The school finance lawsuit does not challenge the tax cuts. The plaintiffs (and the court) only cited them as evidence to refute the state's argument that it had no choice but to cut school funding.

January 15, 2013 at 9:04 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Lawrence debaters headed for state tournament

Thanks folks. I'm going by the info sent to us from the debate coach.

January 10, 2013 at 7:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )