Editor Brian Harrod Provides Comprehensive up-to-date news coverage, with aggregated news from sources all over the world from the Roundup Newswires Network
Dozens of information technology employees face layoffs at the Kansas Department of Revenue in conjunction with a $50 million, 10-year contract to outsource development and operation of a new tax management computer system. The technical services deal with CGI, which has not previously been reported, would require a portion of agency employees targeted for layoffs to work side-by-side with CGI consultants prior to dismissal in August.
In 2012, Kansas lawmakers cut income taxes in a bigger, faster, more dramatic way than any other state had done. And revenue from tax collections dropped like a rock, causing Kansas to enter a multi-year period of serious financial trouble.
Persistent budget problems that followed a now-abandoned tax-slashing experiment in Kansas helped kill new cuts this year that were meant to return an unexpected "windfall" to the state from changes in federal tax laws. Top Republicans pushed Friday - the last day of the GOP-controlled Legislature's annual session - for passage of a bill that would save taxpayers an estimated $78 million during the state's next budget year, which begins July 1. It was a response to changes in federal tax laws that will force some individuals and corporations to pay more to the state because the state's tax code is tied to the federal one.
Hottie Lucy has been a leader the "body acceptance" movement across the globe and today she inspires just a bit more link searching on the trending topic. A couple of examples for Tuesday: Closer to home, we're sharing more than a handful of local news items for the midday.
Kansas state Rep. Joe Seiwert, left, R-Pretty Prairie, confers with House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr., right, R-Olathe, as Ryckman's chief of staff, Paje Resner, center, watches, Friday, April 27, 2018, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. Lawmakers are considering budget measures and tax cuts.
Kansas state Rep. Joe Seiwert, left, R-Pretty Prairie, confers with House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr., right, R-Olathe, as Ryckman's chief of staff, Paje Resner, center, watches, Friday, April 27, 2018, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. Lawmakers are considering budget measures and tax cuts.
The specter of Sam Brownback haunted the Kansas statehouse last week in the form of a proposition that would place unchecked power for funding public schools in the Legislature's hands. Beginning with his election as governor in 2010, Brownback and his allies blamed the Kansas Supreme Court for the state's financial distress.
Larry Campell, left, Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer's budget director, confers with J.G. Scott, center, the Legislature's top fiscal analyst, and Raney Gilliland, right, the director of the Legislature's research staff, before the release of a new fiscal forecast, Friday, April 20, 2018, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. The new forecast boosts projected tax collections through June 2019 by a total of $540 million less Larry Campell, left, Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer's budget director, confers with J.G. Scott, center, the Legislature's top fiscal analyst, and Raney Gilliland, right, the director of the Legislature's research ... more TOPEKA, Kan.
Republican Governor Sam Brownback of Kansas, speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, US, February 23, 2017. Photo: Reuters Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom of the United States Sam Brownback arrives here on Wednesday on a two-day official visit to discuss religious freedom with government officials, civil society representatives and others concerned.
Early this past Sunday morning, at the last minute, Kansas legislators passed a school funding bill of more than $500 million. The Supreme Court must still rule on its constitutionality, but the frantic maneuvering of last week allows Kansans to understand a lot about state politics as we head toward the end of the session and the 2018 elections.
The latest statewide poll in the Republican gubernatorial race affirmed Secretary of State Kris Kobach to be the most well-known and intensely disliked candidate in the field and revealed half of the electorate still don't recognize Jeff Colyer as the state's governor four months ahead of the August primary. Kobach was known to four of every five people involved in polling by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University, but 41 percent said they had a “highly negative” opinion of him.
Kansas Lt. Gov. Tracey Mann said he was “very impressed” with the Hutchinson Career and Technical Education Academy after a quick tour Friday of the Hutchinson USD 308 site.
Four of the Kansas candidates on stage at Hillsboro High School in Hillsboro: Alex Cline , Ethan Randleas, Tyler Ruzich and Dominic Scavuzzo. Four of the Kansas candidates on stage at Hillsboro High School in Hillsboro: Alex Cline , Ethan Randleas, Tyler Ruzich and Dominic Scavuzzo.
Republican Jeff Colyer promised a "new day" of openness Wednesday shortly after taking the oath as Kansas' governor, then made overtures to a skeptical GOP-controlled Legislature on the divisive issue of public school spending. Colyer, the state's longest-serving lieutenant governor, replaced former GOP Gov. Sam Brownback immediately after Brownback stepped down to become U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.
Attorney General Derek Schmidt recommended Monday to legislative leaders, the governor and public education officials an independent audit be performed of state appropriations to K-12 schools following disclosure $45 million was delivered during the past five years in apparent violation of Kansas law. Schmidt recommended the 2018 Legislature, the Kansas Board of Education and the Kansas State Department of Education collaborate on an examination to determine whether improper allocations were limited to transportation aid for more urban districts.
Senate Republicans needed a deciding vote from Vice President Mike Pence to advance Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback's bid to be ambassador for international religious freedom in the Trump administration. Pence arrived in the chamber Wednesday afternoon and cast the final vote to cut off debate on Brownback's nomination.
The U.S. Senate is moving toward a vote on Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback's nomination for an ambassador's post. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell filed a motion Monday to cut off debate on President Donald Trump's nomination of the conservative Republican governor to serve as U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.
Local civil rights attorney and congressional candidate James Thompson spoke before the Wichita City Council on Tuesday and used national statistics to point out that the number of police shootings in Wichita is abnormally high and that funding for officer training and staffing is too low. Local civil rights attorney and congressional candidate James Thompson spoke before the Wichita City Council on Tuesday and used national statistics to point out that the number of police shootings in Wichita is abnormally high and that funding for officer training and staffing is too low.
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback gives his final State of the State address Tuesday night on the floor of the Kansas House. While giving his final State of the State address Tuesday night, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback says his administration, without raising taxes, is putting a proposal together to comply with the Kansas Supreme Court's decree that the state give an addition $600 million to school finance.
Sources: Oprah Winfrey 'actively thinking' about running for president - Oprah Winfrey in 96 seconds - Oprah Winfrey is "actively thinking" about running for president, two of her close friends told CNN Monday. - The two friends, who requested anonymity in order to speak freely The Case Against President Oprah - Nope-rah? - BuzzFeed Editor-in-Chief - When Donald Trump was elected in the fall of 2016, some analysts saw the end of normal politics and the rise of a new wave of celebrity candidates.