• Federal taxpayer bailout eclipses local payroll changes

    Federal taxpayer bailout eclipses local payroll changes0

    Governments in Kansas are slated to receive roughly $3.6 billion to cover for COVID-related losses under the latest federal bailout – AKA Biden’s American Rescue Plan. (That’s in addition to the $1.25 billion collected last year.) However, county, city, and school payroll changes are not only far smaller than the COVID bailout, they don’t the

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  • Lockdown effect means 57,000 fewer private jobs

    Lockdown effect means 57,000 fewer private jobs0

    In a single calendar year, roughly eight years of Kansas private job growth disappeared. Making matters worse, it occurred after the 2019 economy was already in a perilous position. With 2020 Private-sector job numbers released, Kansas lost roughly 10,000 more private jobs than initially estimated. As a recap, the monthly jobs reported from the Kansas

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  • Localities need belt-tightening, not a bailout

    Localities need belt-tightening, not a bailout0

    In weathering the COVID crisis, Congress seems determined to provide counties and cities with hundreds of billions of dollars in a taxpayer bailout. However, data from our 2020 Green Book highlights Kansans are massively over-governed well before the federal relief payments. If Kansas localities do not adjust their spending, the latest federal package will discourage

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  • The real cost of Government “free stuff”

    The real cost of Government “free stuff”0

    It is natural to want to wish away all the hardships and obstacles we face in life. Unfortunately, we know that life does not work out that way. There’s a cost for every decision we make. It applies to politics as well. President Biden & Governor Kelly believe a $1.9 trillion plan will do just

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  • Kelly’s budget raises taxes during recession

    Kelly’s budget raises taxes during recession0

    President Obama once publicly admitted that it is a bad idea to raise taxes in the middle of a recession. And yet, under an unprecedented COVID economic downturn, Gov. Kelly’s budget has not one, but two tax increases. These tax hikes financed a record-setting state budget, 29% bigger than in 2017. By contrast, the Governor

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  • A Kansas Budget for Economic Growth & COVID Protection

    A Kansas Budget for Economic Growth & COVID Protection0

    Kansas government is at a crossroads. One path leads to economic malaise, and an ever-increasing budget financed on the backs of those living paycheck to paycheck. Another path leads to a self-sustaining economy, where every tax dollar spent is knowingly tied to a public benefit. As Kansas lawmakers await and consider Governor Laura Kelly’s tax

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