Dear Rep. Ryckman, Sen. Wagle, Sen. Denning and others, the problem is not the Kansas constitution, and the problem is not the Kansas courts. You have had options for dealing with our school funding situation. You didn’t have to pass a disastrous tax plan, which many told you would blow a hole in our state’s budget. You did not have to sit through the two years of the block grant without addressing our new school funding formula, which is now causing you to deal with the latest court decision as you enter the 2018 election year. You did...
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Denning and Ryckman voice support for reviewing constitutional amendment
We oppose a constitutional amendment to change the language requiring the legislature to make suitable provision for the funding of public schools. We note that a previous effort to amend the constitution failed in 2016, and that Kansans voted to retain the supreme court justices on the ballot in the 2016 election, which makes Sen. Denning’s statement ring hollow. We would prefer Johnson County’s Rep. Ryckman and Sen. Denning focus on getting adequate resources to Kansas school children instead of wasting time and energy on constitutional amendments. “In a letter sent to legislative leaders, Ryckman said one purpose...
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Leave a Comment KC Star runs important series on secrecy in KS government
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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Leave a Comment 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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