Something I noticed on the AP this morning was too much to pass up.
I was reading the stories about the state legislatures and how they are winding up their respective sessions.
Kansas is dealing with huge deficits and facing lots of cuts. Oklahoma is debating its state rock song.
I just thought the comparison was too much to pass up. Not sure what it means, but it does seem that oklahoma is not in as dire straits as Kansas.
On Kansas:
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Familiar budget problems and policy issues will face the Kansas Legislature when it reconvenes Wednesday, but its members likely will be dealing with a new governor as they wrap up business for the year.
They've been wrestling with the state's financial problems since they opened their annual session in January, and they must eliminate a projected $328 million deficit in the next state budget. They're pursuing some spending cuts and proposals to boost revenues, although not a general tax increase.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Conservative Republicans, frustrated by the governor's veto of a contentious embryonic stem cell research bill, capped off a zany week in the Oklahoma Legislature by kissing off "The Flaming Lips."
The rejection by the state House of "Do You Realize??" as the official state song is just one example of social conservatives showing their strength in a session dominated by debate over such things as a Ten Commandments monument, state sovereignty and "official English."
Meanwhile, after passage of a major legislative deadline, the fate of key programs of GOP leaders remains a question mark, most notably a bill making sweeping changes in the civil justice system.
Posts
23 comments:
That number of 300 million is kind of ironic. Didn't they just spend that amount on the recent remodel in Topeka? I know it was appropriated well before the economic downturn - but is the continued growth of Government sustainable with a instable tax base.
There are no doubt things that can be adjusted on the macro scale that while they may have effects to many different departments would make a collective difference. But you won't have any volunteers as long as they see things like budgets as entitlments.
If Government had to operate like a private sector business they would be "Out of Business".
Would if the Fed had to end the year with a balanced budget. They would sure be freaking out now, wouldn't they?
I don't think they would freak out. No. They wouldn't freak out. I do understand the conundrum of governance in these Estados Unidos.
Everyone clamors for smaller government and lower taxes. Yet, few are willing to concede funding for the part of government that benefits their own interest or perceived need.
The only that consistently get whacked are the low income people and children.
The former because they usually do not know how to fight for themselves and cannot buy a candidate. The latter because they are not eligible to vote until they are no longer children.
No matter how passionately anyone's tries to deny it, you and large government are inseparable. That morbidly obese behemoth that everyone rails on is your relative. He is your Uncle Sam!!
And he will be at your house for dinner, taxing your meal. he will be there when you start your car, taxing your fuel. He will be there when you drop the kids off for school, taxing their intellect.
He is there even when you sleep, listening in with the hope that you will sleep talk and allow him to tax your dreams.
But he is YOUR Uncle. He IS YOUR RELATIVE!!
No, there is only one group of people clamoring for shrinking the gov't so it could fit in a bathtub, and now they're p!ssed because they lost the election. The only ones railing on the current gov't are you and your buddies on Fox"news".
All this time I thought smaller government meant more freedom. Silly me! I did not realize it was just a ploy to get FOX news better ratings. Gimme a break!
Some people and corporations would rather have handouts (excuse me, bailouts) than liberty. That is the problem with our country. We need to just cut them all off! Another thing we need to cut off is our current version of free trade. Why are we taxing the crap out of American made products and letting the foreign markets flood our "big box" store shelves? We all know that the current governments vision of "green" products and jobs will just be a phase. After another election, it will be a thing of the past and we will be left with more bankrupt companies and longer unemployment lines. If I'm wrong about that, and "green" products stand the test of time, they will come to be made in China. Why continue to make them here when they can make them cheaper somewhere else?
Why continue to make them here when they can make them cheaper somewhere else?
>
One thing to realize is that these companies in china, mexico or wherever, that are making cheap products, are american companies.
It is american corporations that often are exploiting cheap labor in china and then making huge profits off american citizens.
Nothing is ever as simple as it seems
No, there is only one group of people clamoring for shrinking the gov't so it could fit in a bathtub, and now they're p!ssed because they lost the election.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Ok, lets presume that Kansas is a corporation. Just for fun!
Now in the current economic downturn one of the first things a CEO might want to do is freeze the contributions to the retirment plan. In this case KPERS. No more matching contributions from the State until the budget is corrected and any attempts to ctach up will have to be done in better economic conditons. Layoffs will be a last resort.
Now I am not up to speed on KPERS anymore but I'm guessing it is close to a pay as you go retirment fund like SS. I hope I'm wrong!
I do know that it got its clock cleaned for 30 million when Enron filed BK. I think they recovered from that loss and I haven't heard how it has done with the current market melt down.
When I see Legislators making tough decisions then I might cut them some slack. Until then its just me paying for some elses benefits that I might not have myself!
freeze KPERS and you may not have any teachers, firement, Police, public servents, water treatmetn plant operators, sewer plant workers, street workers excetra,, most of these workers are in these jobs because of benifits lord knos they are the bottom of the scale in income
Young Arkansas City police patrolman is fired
By Shane Farley and Shawn Wheat
April 26, 2009 - 11:51:57 pm
An Arkansas City police officer has been fired following an investigation into his misconduct while on duty, NewsCow and KSOK have confirmed.
Details concerning patrolman Kevin Horinek's ouster were not immediately available because the matter is a personnel issue, according to police chief Sean Wallace. The chief referred all questions concerning Horinek to administrators at city hall.
Any public comment will need to be cleared by city officials and the city's attorney, Wallace said. Shawn Wheat, a reporter with KSOK radio, has filed an open records request with the city seeking information about the dismissal.
Horinek's alleged behavior did not warrant the filing of criminal charges, sources said.
Horinek was a relatively new officer and graduated from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center's basic training class last fall, according to a written statement released at the time his class graduated.
Attempts to contact Horinek Friday were not successful.
when you get caught with your pants down just make sure she is over 16 next time
Hay 8:32
Bottom of the pay scale, you must be kidding, the top bureaucrat Archer makes way over 90 grand and all the admit heads are also handsomely paid (by private industry standards) that’s the problem, if they were doing a stellar job it would be different. The cops are in the same boat, that chief we were strapped with is that’s department’s problem. He is over paid and under worked for what he produces.
The regular guys are not the problem, its management!
Why are we taxing the crap out of American made products and letting the foreign markets flood our "big box" store shelves?
-------------------
Agreed! Maybe the gov needs to tax the crap out of US companies that produce their goods overseas and not here in the US. Now, has anyone been to Family dollar or Dollar General? I was told yesterday that one of the stores(can't remember which one) pulled all their toys off the shelf because they was made in China and recalled.
Do you know this for sure? Or are you assuming?
April 28, 2009 8:20 AM
I gotta agree here. It'd be a crying shame, for someone to print such thoughts...trying to stir up an issue unnecessarily.
Maybe the gov needs to tax the crap out of US companies that produce their goods overseas and not here in the US.
YOU HAVE MY VOTE!
not the first time arkansas city cops got caught having sex with minors, wonder what shawn is teaching those men
Why blame the chief for someone else's personal choice?
who ells? maby the city manager
They said Personal choice, not personnel choice.
The only person at fault is the person who made the choice, and I believe in "judge not".
How can you just believe in "judge not..". In this case maybe, but what about drug dealers, pedophiles, rapists, murderers? Do you still "judge not"?
wrong is wrong!
Post a Comment