Comments by bluekansas / LJWorld.com

bluekansas

Last login: Sunday, May 12, 2013

Comment history

Rules tighten on TANF recipients

U.S. Spends $59 Billion on Social Welfare…$92 Billion on Corporate Welfare

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May 2, 2013 at 8:45 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Editorial: AG issue

Federal judges order Kan. to pay $389K in fees

expenses to attorneys in redistricting lawsuit

Three federal judges on Tuesday ordered Kansas to cover $389,000 worth of attorneys' fees and expenses for individuals involved in a lawsuit last year that stemmed from the Legislature's inability to redraw political boundaries to ensure equal representation.

The three-judge panel ruled that 15 legislators, business leaders and voters achieved enough of their goals in the redistricting lawsuit to warrant having at least part of their attorneys' fees and expenses covered. The court said those individuals had wanted the state to cover about $671,000 in bills, while the state had sought to have them bear almost all the expense themselves.

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May 1, 2013 at 7:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Kansas Action for Children criticizes Brownback's plan to divert funds from children's endowment

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April 30, 2013 at 6:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Media campaign launched to lobby governor on behalf of those with developmental disabilities

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April 27, 2013 at 6:50 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Legislators question paying more for NBAF

State revenue dropping by $1 billion over two years
The state’s new revenue estimates released last week show the stark budget challenge facing the state – how to cover the loss of nearly $1 billion of revenue over two years, mostly due to the tax cuts signed by Gov. Sam Brownback and the scheduled reduction in the statewide sales-tax rate. Actual revenue receipts in fiscal year 2012 were $6.4 billion. The new revenue estimate for next fiscal year is $5.45 billion.

That drop is considerably more than what occurred during the Great Recession, when revenue dropped by $618 million over a three-year period, according to former state budget director Duane Goossen. Federal stimulus money helped offset a significant amount of that drop. Another big difference between then and now: The previous budget problems were triggered by a global economic crisis that was beyond our control; the current shortfall is self-inflicted.

April 26, 2013 at 6:31 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

No concealed carry in Lawrence schools

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April 24, 2013 at 7:40 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

No concealed carry in Lawrence schools

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April 24, 2013 at 7:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Big revenue decrease projected for fiscal year starting July 1

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Kansas construction employment down 3.2% from last year

Kansas was among 19 states losing construction jobs from March 2012 to March 2013, the Associated General Contractors of America said in a report Friday.

The state lost 1,800 jobs from year ago, a drop of 3.2 percent, the AGC’s analysis of U.S. Labor Department data shows.

Kansas construction employment last month stood at 54,900, AGC says.

The AGC, in a news release, cautioned that many states remain vulnerable to construction cutbacks from newly enacted and proposed decreases in federal funding for infrastructure. Association officials said the cuts in federal funding for construction enacted in March would push employment totals lower in states with large military and federal civilian facilities.

April 23, 2013 at 8:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Brownback signs into law bill establishing adult stem cell research and treatment at KU Medical Center

Senate Bill 199

What it is: A disconcerting move by politicians to dictate policy to a university medical center, not to mention an egregious example of an unfunded mandate.

What it does: Orders the University of Kansas Medical Center to create the “Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center,” at an estimated cost of $10.7 million over 10 years, which the university would have to raise without help from the Legislature.

Normally a hospital would convene experts and gauge need and sustainability before taking on such a project, but lawmakers rammed the idea into law in a matter of weeks. Research would be restricted to work on adult stem cells and cord blood cells. Abortion opponents in the Legislature see those as promising alternatives to controversial forms of embryonic stem cell research.

Problems ahead: Medical science is fast-moving, and a university medical center aspiring to break into the top tier needs to be able to set its own priorities. KU Medical Center already conducts research on adult stem cells, but it didn’t ask for a special center and it shouldn’t be leashed indefinitely to a research agenda established by politicians in Topeka.

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April 23, 2013 at 8:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )