New data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows Kansas had the 6th highest share of school funding provided by state government in 2015. State school funding comprised 66 percent of total funding in Kansas, while the national average for state school funding was 47 percent. The national average for local taxpayer support was 45 percent but Kansas local taxpayers only … Read More
School Cash Reserves Hit $203 Billion
U.S. Census data just released shows school cash reserves for 45 states set a new record in 2015 at $203 billion, up from $188 billion in 2014. Alaska, Hawaii, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and the District of Columbia are not included in the totals because Census says their schools districts’ holdings cannot be separated from the assets of their parent … Read More
Kansas Budget can be balanced without a tax increase
Ronald Reagan could have been speaking of the 2017 Kansas Legislative Session when he said, “Government is like a baby. An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other.” Despite knowing that state spending is morbidly inefficient (27 percent more per-resident than states without an income tax) and is $1.1 billion … Read More
Kansas budget can be balanced without tax hikes
Yes, that’s right, the Kansas budget can be balanced without a tax increase. But first, here’s some background to put the situation in perspective. When the Legislature raised the sales tax rate in 2015 as part of the largest tax hike in Kansas history, many legislators, special interests and media expressed outrage at the impact on the poor and the … Read More
New school funding formula would cost $965 million
Kansas school officials and teacher unions came out in strong support on Wednesday for House Bill 2270, a proposed new school funding formula that would cost taxpayers $965 million over a 4-year phase in. Some supporters expressed concern that the big price tag wasn’t enough but said the plan was a good starting point. Legislators terminated the old formula in … Read More
Brownback’s budget proposal pretty good overall
Governor Brownback’s budget proposal for the balance of this year and the coming two years contains a few things that, from a limited government perspective aren’t necessary but all things considered, it’s pretty good. There are significant efficiency measures included, he continues to avoid expansion of Medicaid through Obamacare – which is especially smart since Obamacare will likely change under … Read More
KC Star scores media bias trifecta
The Kansas City Star rang in the New Year with a media bias trifecta in their relentless push for higher taxes and more government spending. They withheld information that contradicts claims made in the story, chose not to interview anyone who doesn’t believe school funding should increase and they threw in a false claim for good measure. The poverty issues … Read More
Media’s hypocritical tizzy over fake news
Fake news stories on the presidential election outperformed real news on Facebook according to a story recently published by online news site BuzzFeed and mainstream media, including CBS News, jumped all over it. Even President Obama chimed in, saying that fake news “threatens democracy;” apparently saying “you can keep your doctor if you want” doesn’t count as ‘fake news.’ The Washington … Read More
School operating cash reserves set new record at $911 million
You’ve heard the rhetoric from school officials and media – Kansas schools are underfunded, broke, etc. – but new data from the Department of Education shows that district operating cash reserves set a new record, finishing the school year with $911 million in the bank! They started the year with $853 million in reserves, so the $58 million increase reflects … Read More