The Kansas City Star is running an important series on secrecy in Kansas government. While we note that there has been some improvement in the legislature over the past couple of years, we have experienced frustration on multiple levels, including the use of the “gut and go procedure,” lack of advance notice of hearings, rescheduled hearings, unrecorded committee votes, the requirement that hard copies of testimony be delivered in Topeka 24 hours before a hearing, among others. Game On’s executive director was quoted in this article. “Judith Deedy, a mother of three in Johnson County, is worried about...
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KC Star warns readers not to be fooled by AFP postcards
“Americans for Prosperity, the anti-tax, Koch brothers-funded political group, is carpet-bombing Kansas mailboxes with campaign-style fliers to discredit lawmakers who voted for tax increases this year. “Both political parties are being targeted. “But the conservative organization has it wrong. The lawmakers in their sights — about 60 across the state — are heroes. They should be honored for having the political fortitude to do the right thing… “Don’t be fooled by Americans for Prosperity’s effort to mislead Kansans and lay the groundwork for contentious 2018 primary fights. Anyone cited in these fliers should be hailed for a job...
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Leave a Comment Rep. Hineman shares important context for AFP postcards
Rep. Hineman shares important information about those AFP postcards and essential Kansas services. http://secure.campaigner.com/csb/Public/show/kvbca–dymdy-5rqflhb0 2018 Campaign Season Starts Early In recent weeks, registered voters in the 118th district have received four different postcards from Americans for Prosperity (AFP, telling them what I jerk I am for voting to raise Kansas income tax rates last spring. I take comfort in knowing that I am certainly not their only target. Dozens of other Kansas House members, including Speaker Ron Ryckman, have also been targeted with identical postcards into their districts. AFP ‘s source of funding is impossible to track, but...
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Leave a Comment NE JOCO legislators split on reaction to Gannon V
We agree with the NE JOCO legislators who provided comments in this article, but we are disappointed to see Rep. Ryckman and Sen. Denning suggest that exploring a constitutional amendment is a good idea at this point. We note that a constitutional amendment was proposed but didn’t pass in the 2016 legislative session and that the Supreme Court justices survived a retention election last year as well. “Word this week that Kansas state legislature leaders are open to a process to amend the state constitution to clearly define what the ‘suitable’ provision for education finance means found relatively...
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