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Voice For Liberty
Individual liberty, limited government, economic freedom, and free markets in Wichita and Kansas.
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Get short articles on a variety of topics at
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Every two years the American politics industry fills the airwaves with the most virulent, scurrilous, wall-to-wall character assassination of nearly every political practitioner in the country -- and then declares itself puzzled that America has lost trust in its politicians.
-- Charles Krauthammer
The curious task of economics is to demonstrate to men how much they really know about what they imagine they can design.
-- Friedrich von Hayek
Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening all at once.
-- Anonymous
Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for.
-- Will Rogers
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Growing the Wichita economy
Wichita leaders are proud of our region's economic growth. Here are the numbers.
Click here for the full story.
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WichitaLiberty.TV: What Was Really the Matter with the Kansas Tax Plan
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Dave Trabert of Kansas Policy Institute joins Bob and Karl to discuss his new book
What Was Really the Matter with the Kansas Tax Plan -- The Undoing of a Good Idea. View
here. Episode 186, broadcast March 3, 2018.
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Property under attack in Kansas
Local governments in Kansas are again seeking expanded power to seize property. Here's a short video that explains.
Click here for the full story.
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What Was Really the Matter with the Kansas Tax Plan
Tax relief opponents have repeatedly pointed to the 2012 Kansas tax plan as their primary example of why tax cuts do not work. But, other states like North Carolina, Indiana, and Tennessee contemporaneously, and successfully, cut taxes. What was different about the Kansas experience?
Click here for the full story.
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KU Crime Down 13 Percent, No Weapons Violations in Year One of Campus Carry
It would be rash to credit a 13 percent annual drop in crime at the University of Kansas to six months of legalized campus carry, but the new law certainly did not cause an increase in crime or a spike in weapons violations. From
The Sentinel.
Click here for the full story.
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If You Want To Avoid A Sex Scandal, Become A Teacher, Not A Pastor
The disparate way the media treat alleged sexual abuse by a pastor and by a public school teacher was on full view this week for anyone who cared to see. From
The Sentinel.
Click here for the full story.
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Metro Monitor evaluates the Wichita economy
Metro Monitor from Brookings Institution ranks metropolitan areas on economic performance. How does Wichita fare?
Click here for the full story.
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WichitaLiberty.TV: Kansas Gubernatorial Candidate Dr. Jim Barnett
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Dr. Jim Barnett is a candidate for the Republican Party nomination for Kansas Governor. He joins Bob Weeks to make the case as to why he should be our next governor. View
here. Episode 185, broadcast February 24, 2018.
This is the first in a series of appearances by gubernatorial candidates for 2018. We hope that all major candidates, of all parties as well as independents, will accept our invitation.
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Greater Wichita Partnership asks for help
Wichita's economic development agency asks for assistance in developing its focus and strategies.
Click here for the full story.
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Another Kansas Teacher Busted on Sex Charge, When Will KNEA Speak Out?
The last time the Kansas National Educational Association (KNEA) spoke up about pornography, it was to attack Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook's anti-porn legislation. From
The Sentinel.
Click here for the full story.
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Not Taking Money from Citizens Is Not a Government 'Expense'
The Wichita Eagle published a lengthy story about a myriad of tax exemptions in the state of Kansas this weekend. It's an interesting read, but it falsely gives readers the idea that every dollar in the Kansas economy belongs to the state. From
The Sentinel.
Click here for the full story.
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Teacher Effectiveness, Not Funding Amounts, Most Critical to Kansas Schools
Eric Hanushek doesn't buy the conventional wisdom on education. Spending more doesn't equal better outcomes, smaller class size doesn't mean students improve, and teachers should be evaluated and fired if they can't produce gains in the classroom. From
The Sentinel.
Click here for the full story.
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WichitaLiberty.TV: Danedri Herbert, Editor of The Sentinel
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: The Sentinel's Danedri Herbert joins Bob Weeks to discuss the upcoming gubernatorial debate, the Kansas Legislature's website and transparency, and accountability in government. View
here. Episode 184, broadcast February 17, 2018.
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Kansas Week, February 16, 2018
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elists Russell Fox and Bob Weeks join host Pilar Pedraza to discuss the call for Swatting legislation, the reported abuse of medication in nursing homes, and Kansas election security. View
here
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Unemployment in Kansas
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ew Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer proudly cites the low Kansas unemployment rate, but there is more to the story.
Click here for the full story.
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Dale Dennis, sage of Kansas school finance?
Is the state's leading expert on school funding truly knowledgeable, or is he untrustworthy?
Click here for the full story.
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KASB school funding statement misses important perspective
A February 9 blog post by Mark Tallman outlining the KASB school funding positions on some funding elements left out critical perspective that legislators and taxpayers need to understand. From Kansas Policy Institute.
Click here for the full story.
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WichitaLiberty.TV: Sound money and private governance
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Professor Edward Stringham joins Karl Peterjohn and Bob Weeks to discuss Bitcoin, sound money, and the role of markets in private governance. View
here. Episode 182, broadcast February 10, 2018.
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Kansas GDP growth
Kansas ranks low among the states in growth of gross domestic product (GDP) for the third quarter of 2017.
Click here for the full story.
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School district debt exceeds $6 billion
New data from the Department of Education shows outstanding school district debt set a new record at $6.1 billion last year. The average debt per-pupil (only counting enrollment at districts with debt) is $14,715. from Kansas Policy Institute.
Click here for the full story.
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WichitaLiberty.TV: WATC and WSU Tech President Sheree Utash
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Wichita Area Technical College (WATC) has formed an affiliation with Wichita State University, to be called the Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology, or WSU Tech. Sheree Utash, president of WATC and future president of WSU Tech, joins Karl Peterjohn to discuss these institutions. View
here. Episode 181, broadcast January 27, 2018.
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WichitaLiberty.TV: Radio Host Andy Hooser
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Radio Host Andy Hooser of the Voice of Reason appears with Karl Peterjohn to discuss the simulcast of his radio show on KGPT 26, the legislative session, and whether President Trump's tax breaks can save Kansas from the recent tax hike. View
here. Episode 180, broadcast January 20, 2018.
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In Wichita, three Community Improvement Districts to be considered
In Community Improvement Districts (CID), merchants charge additional sales tax for the benefit of the property owners, instead of the general public. Wichita may have an additional three, contributing to the problem of CID sprawl.
Click here for the full story.
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WichitaLiberty.TV: Kansas State of the State for 2018
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Vice president and policy director of Kansas Policy Institute James Franko joins Karl Peterjohn to discuss Governor Brownback's State of the State Address for 2018. Topics include schools and Medicaid expansion. View
here. Episode 179, broadcast January 13, 2018.
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Kansas personal income
The Bureau of Economic Analysis, an agency of the United States Department of Commerce, released personal income figures for the states for the third quarter of 2017.
For the country as a whole, personal income grew at the annual rate of 0.7 percent from the previous quarter. For Kansas, the rate was 0.3 percent. That was the forty-seventh best rate. This continues the trend of Kansas underperforming the nation in recent years.
Click here for the full story.
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WichitaLiberty.TV: Looking back at 2017
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Karl Peterjohn and Bob Weeks look back at some stories from 2017, and take a peek at the year ahead. View
here. Episode 178, broadcast January 6, 2018.
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Year in Review: 2017
Here are highlights from Voice for Liberty for 2017. Was it a good year for the principles of individual liberty, limited government, economic freedom, and free markets in Wichita and Kansas?
Click here for the full story.
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Naftzger Park project details
The city has finalized a proposal for a development near Naftzger Park. It includes a few new and creative provisions.
Click here for the full story.
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WichitaLiberty.TV: Radio Host Andy Hooser
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Radio Host Andy Hooser of the Voice of Reason appears with Bob Weeks to discuss issues in state and national political affairs. View
here. Episode 177, broadcast December 23, 2017.
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From Pachyderm: KPTS Chief Victor Hogstrom
From the Wichita Pachyderm Club: KPTS President and CEO Victor Hogstrom. Listen
here. This was recorded December 15, 2017.
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Naftzger Park project details
The city has finalized a proposal for a development near Naftzger Park. It includes a few new and creative provisions.
Click here for the full story.
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WichitaLiberty.TV: Judicial selection in Kansas
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Attorney Richard Peckham joins Karl Peterjohn and Bob Weeks to discuss judicial selection and other judicial issues in Kansas. View
here. Episode 176, broadcast December 16, 2017.
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Panhandling in Wichita
The City of Wichita cracks down on panhandling. Is it too much?
Click here for the full story.
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School choice, good news in tax credit expansion
As things in life come to a close it is natural to take stock. The end of a year is no different and 2017 gave Kansans plenty of poor policy outcomes to review - not the least of which was a staggering retroactive tax hike. But, the expansion of a tax credit scholarship for low income children in Kansas is a piece of school choice good news that bears mentioning as 2017 wraps up. From Kansas Policy Institute.
Click here for the full story.
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WichitaLiberty.TV: Senator Jim DeMint and Convention of States
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Former United States Senator Jim DeMint joins Karl Peterjohn and Bob Weeks to talk about the Convention of States. David Schneider, regional director for Citizens for Self-Governance also appears. View
here. Episode 175, broadcast December 9, 2017.
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Spirit expands in Wichita
It's good news that Spirit AeroSystems is expanding in Wichita. Let's look at the cost.
One thing that would also increase the credibility of economic development efforts is for Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell (and others) to stop making claims of "no more cash incentives." The city explicitly offers cash in this proposal. The city also offers to cancel a debt, which is just like cash. Forgiveness of future taxes is as good as cash, too.
Click here for the full story.
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Wichita school student/teacher ratios
During years of purported budget cuts, what has been the trend of student/teacher ratios in the Wichita public school district?
Click here for the full story.
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Spirit Aerosystems incentives reported
Opinions vary on economic development incentives, but we ought to expect to be told the truth of the details.
Click here for the full story.
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Wichita check register
Wichita spending data presented as a summary, and as a list.
Click here for the full story.
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Wichita school revenue
Revenue for the Wichita public school district continues its familiar trend.
Click here for the full story.
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Kansas tax receipts
News about Kansas tax receipts for November 2017, along with an interactive visualization.
Click here for the full story.
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WichitaLiberty.TV: Ron and Susan Estes
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: United States Representative Ron Estes joins Bob Weeks to talk about the tax bill, his op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, and Susan Estes tells us what Mrs. Smith does when Mr. Smith goes to Washington. View
here. Episode 174, broadcast November 25, 2017.
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School cash reserves nearly triple state budget requirement
State legislators are legally required to keep cash reserves equal to 7.5 percent of General Fund spending but the average Kansas school district had nearly three times that level - 19.3 percent - in reserve at the beginning of the 2017 school year. That disparity should prompt considerable discussion in the upcoming legislative session. A state efficiency study recommended capping school cash reserves at 15 percent and doing so would produce one-time savings of about $255 million based on this new data, but legislators have been unwilling to seriously consider the matter in prior years. From Kansas Policy Institute.
Click here for the full story.
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PEAK benefits across Kansas
The use of PEAK, a Kansas economic development incentive program, varies widely among counties.
Click here for the full story.
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PEAK, or Promoting Employment Across Kansas
PEAK, a Kansas economic development incentive program, redirects employee income taxes back to the employing company.
Click here for the full story.
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Wichita personal income up, a little
For 2016, personal income in Wichita rose, but is still below 2014 levels.
Click here for the full story.
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Wichita employment up
Employment in the Wichita metropolitan area is on an upward tick. But be careful when considering the unemployment rate, as it hides a larger story.
Click here for the full story.
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WichitaLiberty.TV: Sedgwick County Commissioner Richard Ranzau
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Sedgwick County Commissioner Richard Ranzau joins Karl Peterjohn and Bob Weeks to discuss Sedgwick County government issues, including allegations of misconduct by a commission member and the possibility of a Tyson chicken plant. View
here. Episode 172, broadcast November 11, 2017.
Click here for the full story.
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In Wichita, the surveillance state expands again - and again
In Wichita, we see another example of how once government starts a surveillance program, the urge to expand it is irresistible.
Click here for the full story.
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WichitaLiberty.TV: Matt Kibbe of Free the People
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Matt Kibbe of Free the People joins Karl Peterjohn and Bob Weeks to discuss FreeThePeople.org and our relationship with government. View
here. Episode 171, broadcast November 4, 2017.
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Wichita to look outside for management of engagement
Wichita decides to have someone else conduct public engagement.
Click here for the full story.
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Cost per visitor to Wichita cultural attractions
Wichitans might be surprised to learn the cost of cultural attractions. The price of adult admission to the Wichita Art Museum is $7.00, or free on Saturdays thanks to the generosity of Colby Sandlian, a Wichita businessman.
But the cost of admission is much higher. For 2016, Wichita city documents report a cost per visitor of $54.71
Click here for the full story.
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Kansas school spending
New data for spending in Kansas schools is available. State and local total spending, per pupil, adjusted for inflation, has been remarkably level since 2013. At the same time, schools are telling us spending has been slashed.
Click here for the full story.
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WichitaLiberty.TV: Wichita school board member Joy Eakins
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: Wichita school board member Joy Eakins joins Karl Peterjohn and Bob Weeks to discuss important issues facing the school district. View
here. Episode 170, broadcast October 28, 2017.
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Living in downtown Wichita
Wichita economic development officials use a circuitous method of estimating the population of downtown Wichita, producing a number much higher than Census Bureau estimates.
Click here for the full story.
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Downtown Wichita report omits formerly prominent data
The new State of Downtown Wichita report for 2017 is missing something. What is it, and why is it missing?
Click here for the full story.
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Wichita public school district transparency
Transparency issues surrounding the Wichita public school district are in the news. There are steps that are easy to make, but the district resists.
Click here for the full story.
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Kansas school fund balances
Kansas school fund balances rose this year, in both absolute dollars and dollars per pupil.
Click here for the full story and interactive visualization.
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Wichita economy shrinks
The Wichita MSA economy produced fewer goods and services in 2016 than in 2015, according to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, which is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
In real (inflation-adjusted) dollars, the Wichita metropolitan area gross domestic product fell by 1.4 percent. For all metropolitan areas, GDP grew by 1.7 percent.
Since 2001, GDP for all metropolitan areas grew by 29.3 percent, while Wichita had 12.3 percent growth.
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WichitaLiberty.TV: John Fund, National Review Columnist
In this episode of WichitaLiberty.TV: National Review columnist John Fund joins Bob Weeks and Karl Peterjohn to discuss elections and their security. View here. Episode 168, broadcast October 8, 2017.
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Tax collections by the states
An interactive visualization of tax collections by state governments.
Click here for the full story and interactive visualization.
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Downtown Wichita jobs decline
By the measure of jobs used by the City of Wichita, downtown jobs declined in 2015.
There is, however a serious problem with this data series, as it includes workers whose "administrative home" is downtown, even though they work somewhere else.
Click here for the full story.
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Kansas hotel tax collections
Kansas hotel guest tax collections presented in an interactive visualization.
Of note, while Wichita is the largest city in Kansas, Overland Park collects the most hotel guest tax. Of the largest markets in Kansas, Wichita has experienced the least growth in hotel tax collections since 2010.
Click here for the full story and interactive visualization.
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Kansas highway spending
A look at actual spending on Kansas highways, apart from transfers. Many criticize Kansas government for slashing highway spending, letting our roads crumble. While total spending on these four programs has been falling (after adjusting for inflation), the decline is minor compared to the hysterical claims of those with vested interests in more government, and especially highway, spending.
Click here for the full story.
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Voting to raise taxes in Kansas
Here are printable tables of voting on legislation that raised taxes in Kansas.
Click here for the full story.
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If you aren't getting email from Voice for Liberty
Troubleshoot why you aren't getting email from Voice for Liberty or other senders.
Click here for the full story.
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Wichita WaterWalk contract not followed, again
Wichita city hall failed to uphold the terms of a development agreement from five years ago, not monitoring contracts that protect the public interest.
Beyond this, we now know that neither the city nor the WaterWalk developer followed the terms of the deal. The annual reports were
not supplied by the company, and they were
not requested by the city. As it turns out the annual reports purport to show that the city was owed no money under the profit sharing agreement.
But that's not the point. The issue is that the city did not enforce a simple aspect of the agreement, and the private-sector company felt it did not need to comply. Taxpayers were not protected, and we're left wondering whether these agreements were really meant to be followed.
Click here for the full story.
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Metro area employment and unemployment
An interactive visualization of labor force, employment, and unemployment rate for all metropolitan areas in the United States.
Click here for the full story and interactive visualization.
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Kansas Freedom Index for 2017
Kansas Policy Institute has released the completed Freedom Index for 2017. Did your legislators support or oppose economic freedom?
Click here for the full story.
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Decoding Duane Goossen
When reading the writings of former Kansas State Budget Director Duane Goossen, it's useful to have a guide grounded in reality.
For example, Goosen wrote: "We became famous, the poster state for bad tax policy."
No, Kansas became the poster state for
bad spending policy. Our legislature and governor had several years to find ways to reform spending, but there was not the will to do so. One example: The budget for next year contains $47.2 million in spending because the legislature did not adopt a recommended plan to save money on purchasing health insurance for school employees. That number rises to $89.0 million the following year.
Click here for the full story.
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Downtown Wichita jobs, sort of
The claim of 26,000 workers in downtown Wichita is based on misuse of data so blatant it can be described only as malpractice.
Click here for the full story.
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Kansas employment by industry
An interactive visualization of Kansas employment by industry.
Click here for the full story.
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Airport traffic statistics, 2016
Airport traffic data presented in an interactive visualization, updated through 2016. A few observations regarding Wichita airport traffic as compared to the nation:
- Since 2014, passenger traffic at the Wichita airport has been level, while increasing for the nation.
- The number of departures has been declining in Wichita, while level and increasing for the nation.
- The number of available seats on departing flights from Wichita has been mostly level while rising for the nation.
Click here for the full story and interactive visualization.
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Wichita, Kansas, and U.S. economic dashboards
Dashboards of economic indicators for Wichita and Kansas, compared to the United States.
Click here for the full story.
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Census data for downtown Wichita workers
Is the presentation of the number of workers in downtown Wichita an innocent mistake, mere incompetence, or a willful lie?
Click here for the full story.
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Rich States, Poor States, 2107 edition
In
Rich States, Poor States, Kansas improves its middle-of-the-pack performance, but continues with a mediocre forward-looking forecast.
Click here for the full story.
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Medicaid expansion survey in Kansas
Should Kansans accept the results of a public opinion poll when little is known about it?
Click here for the full story.
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Downtown Wichita business trends
There has been much investment in Downtown Wichita, both public and private. What has been the trend in business activity during this time?
Click here for the full story.
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Fake government spawns fake news
Discussions of public policy need to start from a common base of facts and information. An episode shows that both our state government and news media are not helping.
Click here for the full story.
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Wichita property tax rate: Level
The City of Wichita says it hasn't raised its property tax mill levy in many years. For this year, the city is correct.
Click here for the full story.
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Kansas state school assessments
An interactive presentation of Kansas state school assessment scores at the state, district, and building levels.
Click here for the full story.
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Accountability in Kansas public schools
Critics of school choice say there is no accountability outside the traditional public schools. Here are the standards Kansas used to hold its schools accountable.
Click here for the full story.
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