government spending Archives - Kansas Policy Institute

Politicians are ignoring a $3.7 billion revenue shortfall 0
- Tax & Spending
- September 17, 2018
“The first lesson of economics is scarcity: There is never enough of anything to satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics.” — Thomas Sowell Media and politicians were notified more than a month ago that the massive school funding increase has created a $3.7
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KPERS pension distribution creates 327 new ‘millionaires’0
- Tax & Spending
- May 12, 2018
An Open Records request fulfilled by the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) shows record-setting payouts in 2017 of $1.64 billion. The number of KPERS ‘millionaires’ also set a new record, with 2,334 government retirees expected to receive more than $1 million in pension benefits over the first 20 years of retirement; that’s 327 more
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$2 billion 2017 Kansas payroll online 0
- Tax & Spending
- April 20, 2018
The 2017 calendar year State of Kansas payroll listing is now open for public inspection at KansasOpenGov. The $1.969 billion listing was obtained in an Open Records request and includes every person who received a state paycheck. Higher education dominates the Top Ten Agency Payrolls. Kansas State University had the largest payroll at $332.1 million
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City and county payrolls jumped in 2017 0
- Tax & Spending
- March 12, 2018
City and county payrolls in the state’s more populated areas grew much faster than inflation in 2017. The seven counties listed in the adjacent table collectively had a 4.4 percent payroll increase and the ten cities increased payroll by 2.7 percent on average. Inflation, by comparison, was just 1.7 percent. Kansas Policy Institute collects the
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Kansas Legislature Broke a Lot of Promises 0
- Tax & Spending
- June 15, 2017
Last September I made a very safe prediction for the 2017 session of the Kansas Legislature – “Regardless of who is elected to the 2017 Legislature, January will bring turmoil and major disappointment for many Kansans.” Like I said, a pretty safe bet…but the rationale ruffled a few feathers. “Many candidates and special interests say
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Kansas Budget Deficit overstated by $200 million 0
- Tax & Spending
- May 8, 2017
The reported $900 million, two-year Kansas budget deficit includes $192.6 million of revenue reductions that won’t occur and another $13 million that’s purely optional and needn’t occur. Collectively, these spending items overstate the budget shortfall by $205.6 million. Each item listed in the adjacent table is considered a ‘transfer’ of revenue rather than appropriated amounts
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