From our friends at Johnson County Educators on Sen. Masterson who we’ve been posting about quite a bit lately for his policy positions which we oppose. One only has to examine the contributors listed on Sen. Masterson’s campaign finance reports for the 2016 election cycle (easily accessed at the Kansas Ethics Commission) to know whose bidding he’s doing, and it’s not the schoolchildren of Kansas. Some might consider this to be an ‘ad hominem’ attack, but we believe understanding the role of money in the political process is necessary to be an informed voter. Donors make contributions because...
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Proposal would cut 6% from everything including schools
Remember when legislators sold the block grant bill as a way to provide districts with certainty in funding? We were skeptical; still are. Sen. Masterson has proposed a 6% cut across the board, which would include schools. “The latest destructive plan emerged Tuesday, pushed along by Sen. Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican. “It calls for a nearly 6 percent across-the-board cut of close to $400 million in state spending — including an estimated $180 million from K-12 school districts. That would be an unconscionable decision by legislators, one that would have long-term, devastating effects on the state’s educational...
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Leave a Comment 9 Senators vote to remove sales tax exemptions for schools
Sunday night/Monday morning 9 senators voted in support of removing sales tax exemptions for schools and other governmental entities (as well as nonprofit hospitals) which would functionally equate to losses of funding. Senators Abrams, Fitzgerald, Holmes, Knox, Lynn, Masterson, Melcher, Pilcher-Cook and Smith voted in favor....
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Leave a Comment Legislature passes judicial bill, likely unconstitutional
“The Kansas House on Monday approved and sent to Gov. Sam Brownback a bill funding the judicial branch for the next two years, although critics of the bill say it is blatantly unconstitutional…[T]he most controversial provision says that if the courts overturn a law enacted last year dealing with the selection of district court chief judges, then all other parts of the bill, including funding for the courts, will be considered invalid as well. “That 2014 law stripped the Supreme Court of its long-standing authority to appoint chief judges and now requires chief judges to be elected by...
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