The Best Case Scenario
More than a week into the final session of the Kansas Legislature, and we are going backwards on the budget. The hole is still $800 million. For a while there it looked like the Governor's proposed sin taxes would fill a lot of that hole, and people were talking about a $400 million gap, or even a now-mythical $139 million gap. But this past week the only real movement in the budgetary discussion was to table, un-table, and then basically ignore the Governor's proposals. The gap is still $800 million, and until they actually pass a bill that appropriates money or cuts expenses, that gap will remain.
Read moreKansas First Annual Hunger Games - School Districts Compete
This is our latest Legislative Update, keeping up with the recent changes in budget plans (spoiler: they have none yet) and last minute policy.
Read moreKansas at a Crossroads
We told you it would be all about the budget now, and so it has... not been? What has happened since the Kansas Legislature reconvened on Wednesday appears to be a lot of backroom deals and head scratching. As soon as one idea is floated (close loopholes in the tax law for small businesses) we hear that this is a "non-starter" (lobbying groups start massive robo-call campaign to "save" small businesses).
Read moreHow Limited Should Kansas Government Be?
The 2015 legislative session recessed the first week in April and is nearly concluded, having moved Kansas further along the Governor’s Christian conservative roadmap with the support of limited-government ideologues.
Read moreThe Budget is a Reality Problem
The Kansas Legislature reconvenes next week, on Wednesday the 29th, to hammer out the budget. According to new revenue projections released this past Monday, the State will be short $800 million. That's right, almost a billon dollars short, and $200 million more than they projected it would be earlier this year.
Read moreVolunteering is Action!
This week is National Volunteer Week and we would like to take this opportunity to thank the many people who volunteer for MainStream throughout the year. Their commitment and support are greatly appreciated.
Read moreVoting Works
It is likely that the local elections this past Tuesday were the last Spring elections to be held in Kansas. Next time we have municipal and school elections, they may be on the Fall ballot, their issues mixed in with partisan elections for State or National offices. We have fought this proposed change, and will continue to do so.
Read moreThe Gut and Go exposed
The Kansas Legislature has reached its spring break, and lawmakers have gone home to visit with their constituents. As moderate Rep Stephanie Clayton tweeted yesterday:
Read moreMeasures of competence guide our endorsements
This is a response from MainPAC, the political action committee of the MainStream Coalition, to an article posted about our endorsements in Tuesday's elections.
Read moreALERT - Act now to stop local election changes
Act now to Kansas legislators to oppose HB 2104, a bill in the balance today that would change local and school board elections to the Fall of even numbered years. This is a purely political move by Governor Brownback, Kris Kobach, and their allies in the Kansas Legislature, and is not supported by school boards, superintendents, municipalities, or Kansans.
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