We’ve done many posts on ALEC, an organization that pairs corporate lobbyists with legislators behind closed doors. ALEC has a low-tax, anti-public-education ideology and many Kansas legislators are members, Sen. President Susan Wagle and House Speaker Ray Merrick are ALEC board members, and KPI’s Dave Trabert was a member of the Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force. We’ve seen multiple ALEC bills become Kansas law, including last year’s corporate tax credit scholarship bill. The Spring Task Force Summit was held in Savannah, GA this year. Watch this footage from an Atlanta TV station. http://www.11alive.com/story/news/local/investigations/2015/05/21/investigators-legislators-and-corporate-lobbyists-meet-in-secret-at-georgia-resort/27695105/...
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Tell legislators to fund block grants
“Join the Kansas PTA in asking … When will the Kansas legislature and Governor Brownback keep their promise of stability, predictability and certainty to K-12 schools? Our school boards, superintendents, students, parents and teachers are waiting.” Click here http://www.changekansas.org/action/petition/fund-k12-public-education to send emails directly to your legislators....
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Leave a Comment Coercing courts linked to school funding
“The legislative decision to punish the courts in this and other ways is all about politics, and particularly recent Supreme Court decisions about school funding, the death penalty and other matters that have proved unpopular at the Statehouse. Lawmakers no doubt hope the intimidation factor will work to their benefit on other cases, too, including the ongoing school funding fight. “Because judges aren’t free to scream bloody murder about this latest bill, other Kansans must speak up on behalf of adequately funded, independent courts.” Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/opinion/editorials/article21612249.html...
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Leave a Comment Bill to move local elections to fall of odd years is “step one”
In case anyone thinks we’re being paranoid when we say that the elections bill passed yesterday is step one in moving elections so that eventually they are combined with state and federal elections: “Secretary of State Kris Kobach said the bill was ‘a good first step’ to eventually moving local elections to even-numbered years so that they coincide with state and national elections. He said this would increase turnout even more significantly.” (See http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2015/may/21/kansas-house-approves-variety-election-changes/). Rep. Huebert used the same language when he spoke during the House debate yesterday....
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