By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Due to the pandemic, it’s not been possible to travel and see the world. But now, the world has come to us.”&nbsp;

That’s a paraphrase of a sentiment expressed by one Kansan as he described the benefit of improvements made to the bicycle facilities in his community. These improvements have welcomed people from across the globe.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Last week we met Donna Krug, district director and family and consumer sciences agent for the K-State Research and Extension Cottonwood District in Barton and Ellis counties. She and her husband John live in Great Bend.&nbsp;

Donna grew up on a farm near the rural community of Washington, population 1,131 people. Now, that’s rural. “We had a tandem (two-seater) bike when I was a kid,” Donna said. After she and John married and had kids of their own, they rode bikes as well.&nbsp;

“We had always been a biking family,” Donna said. In 2000, she and John purchased a tandem bike for themselves. Bicycling became a passion.&nbsp;

“We’ve put 75,000 miles on our tandem bike,” Donna said. “We’ve ridden in every Kansas county and every one of the contiguous 48 states,” she said. While it’s not possible to ride a bike across an ocean, Donna still has hopes of riding a bike in Hawaii.&nbsp;

Donna learned of an organization known as Adventure Cycling that designates a TransAmerica Bike Trail. The route went through Kansas but bypassed Great Bend.&nbsp;&nbsp;When the organization’s representative contacted Barton County’s Central Kansas Partnership looking for someone to do a route study, they were told: “Contact Donna Krug. She bikes all the time.”&nbsp;

Donna and John performed the route study, which involved measuring the width of highway shoulders, evaluating the quality of pavement, and noting support services available. Ultimately, this led to the route being redirected through Great Bend.&nbsp;

The study also identified the need for a bicyclist camping facility. Public camping is prohibited in Great Bend city parks. However, when she and John met the pastor of Central Baptist Church in Great Bend, they found that the church had an unused grassy lot on the property and was willing to let this space serve as a bicycling campground. In fact, it already had a bicycle repair station.&nbsp;

“It had been a (landscape) nursery at one time, so it had some nice trees for shade,” Donna said.&nbsp;

People pitched in to improve the lot. Volunteers installed a kiosk, bike rack, covered shelter, and electrical recharging station and repaired two picnic tables. However, there was no fresh water available at the site.&nbsp;

One day, John and Donna participated in Great Bend’s Friday night community bike ride.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Let’s show everybody the new campground,” Donna said. When they stopped there, it caught the eye of another rider who had recently lost his son to suicide.&nbsp;

“They need water here,” said the rider. “I wonder if we could drill a well?”&nbsp;

Ultimately, the rider was able to use funds from his son’s memorial, his family and the suicide prevention task force to drill a well that provides fresh, potable water for bicyclists at the campground.&nbsp;

It was a fitting, life-giving tribute to the deceased young man. Another young man had been in scouting with the suicide victim. He worked on the campground as his Eagle Scout project.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

A memorial bike ride was held subsequently to honor the memory of this young man.&nbsp;&nbsp;“The organizers ordered 150 orange t-shirts for those who would participate in the ride, and they ran out,” Donna said. In the end, some 200 people participated. The two people asked to lead the ride were John and Donna Krug.&nbsp;

This campground has become a haven for cross-country bicyclists. “Without this even being listed on Google Maps, since August 2021 we ‘ve had people from 17 states, South Korea, England, Germany, Australia, and other countries,” Donna said.&nbsp;

We commend Donna and John Krug and all the volunteers who are making a difference by contributing to this project. As John Krug later reflected: “The pandemic has kept us from traveling the world, but this trail has brought the world to us.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645020900026.png" alt="John and Donna Krug" />
 <figcaption>John and Donna Krug</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;&nbsp;“Due to the pandemic, it’s not been possible to travel and see the world. But now, the world has come to us.”&nbsp;That’s a paraphrase of a sentiment expressed by one Kansan as he described the benefit of improvements made to the bicycle facilities in his community. These improvements have welcomed people from across the globe.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Last week we met Donna Krug, district director and family and consumer sciences agent for the K-State Research and Extension Cottonwood District in Barton and Ellis counties. She and her husband John live in Great Bend.&nbsp;Donna grew up on a farm near the rural community of Washington, population 1,131 people. Now, that’s rural. “We had a tandem (two-seater) bike when I was a kid,” Donna said. After she and John married and had kids of their own, they rode bikes as well.&nbsp;“We had always been a biking family,” Donna said. In 2000, she and John purchased a tandem bike for themselves. Bicycling became a passion.&nbsp;“We’ve put 75,000 miles on our tandem bike,” Donna said. “We’ve ridden in every Kansas county and every one of the contiguous 48 states,” she said. While it’s not possible to ride a bike across an ocean, Donna still has hopes of riding a bike in Hawaii.&nbsp;Donna learned of an organization known as Adventure Cycling that designates a TransAmerica Bike Trail. The route went through Kansas but bypassed Great Bend.&nbsp;&nbsp;When the organization’s representative contacted Barton County’s Central Kansas Partnership looking for someone to do a route study, they were told: “Contact Donna Krug. She bikes all the time.”&nbsp;Donna and John performed the route study, which involved measuring the width of highway shoulders, evaluating the quality of pavement, and noting support services available. Ultimately, this led to the route being redirected through Great Bend.&nbsp;The study also identified the need for a bicyclist camping facility. Public camping is prohibited in Great Bend city parks. However, when she and John met the pastor of Central Baptist Church in Great Bend, they found that the church had an unused grassy lot on the property and was willing to let this space serve as a bicycling campground. In fact, it already had a bicycle repair station.&nbsp;“It had been a (landscape) nursery at one time, so it had some nice trees for shade,” Donna said.&nbsp;People pitched in to improve the lot. Volunteers installed a kiosk, bike rack, covered shelter, and electrical recharging station and repaired two picnic tables. However, there was no fresh water available at the site.&nbsp;One day, John and Donna participated in Great Bend’s Friday night community bike ride.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Let’s show everybody the new campground,” Donna said. When they stopped there, it caught the eye of another rider who had recently lost his son to suicide.&nbsp;“They need water here,” said the rider. “I wonder if we could drill a well?”&nbsp;Ultimately, the rider was able to use funds from his son’s memorial, his family and the suicide prevention task force to drill a well that provides fresh, potable water for bicyclists at the campground.&nbsp;It was a fitting, life-giving tribute to the deceased young man. Another young man had been in scouting with the suicide victim. He worked on the campground as his Eagle Scout project.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A memorial bike ride was held subsequently to honor the memory of this young man.&nbsp;&nbsp;“The organizers ordered 150 orange t-shirts for those who would participate in the ride, and they ran out,” Donna said. In the end, some 200 people participated. The two people asked to lead the ride were John and Donna Krug.&nbsp;This campground has become a haven for cross-country bicyclists. “Without this even being listed on Google Maps, since August 2021 we ‘ve had people from 17 states, South Korea, England, Germany, Australia, and other countries,” Donna said.&nbsp;We commend Donna and John Krug and all the volunteers who are making a difference by contributing to this project. As John Krug later reflected: “The pandemic has kept us from traveling the world, but this trail has brought the world to us.”&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Donna Krug, central Kansas bicycle trail 

By Dr. KARISSA L. NIEHOFF NFHS

Several times in the past three years, the NFHS has 
shared concerns about the declining number of officials for high school 
sports. Last fall, in fact, the headline stated that the officiating 
shortage had reached a crisis level across the country. A recent survey 
now provides solid proof for those concerns.

A survey of state 
high school associations indicates that approximately 50,000 individuals
 have discontinued their service as high school officials since the 
2018-19 season – the last full school year unaffected by the pandemic.

Dana
 Pappas, who has been on board as NFHS director of officiating services 
since last summer, said 43 states have reported losses totaling more 
than 33,000 officials. However, several larger states have not reported 
yet, so the exact figure is likely to approach 50,000.

While there
 are several contributing factors to this sizeable decline, such as the 
age-old problem of unsportsmanlike behavior by students, coaches, 
parents and other fans, Pappas said one of the latest challenges is 
related to the pandemic.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

“In talking to some of the state 
directors, many of these losses are people who were probably on the 
brink of retirement, and then COVID kind of forced the issue,” Pappas 
said. “Nationally, we’ve gone from about 240,000 to 200,000, which has 
become an area of concern for states just to cover games at all or with 
the maximum number of officials on a crew.”

Interestingly, about 
the same number of individuals – between 50,000 and 60,000 – have 
expressed an interest in officiating the past four years through the 
NFHS’&nbsp;#BecomeAnOfficial Program, but the number of officials actually 
coming in the front door do not come close to matching those going out 
the back door.

There is some good news on the horizon, however. 
After hearing the same message – shortage of officials – from every 
level of sport in the country, the NFHS is orchestrating and leading a 
first-ever National Officials Consortium Summit in April to collectively
 address the concerns.

“What we discovered was that everyone was 
working on the same problem, but there is no strategic collaboration 
between the entities,” Pappas said. “We understand that everybody is 
reliant upon our pipeline at the high school level. So, we want to work 
together to replenish and keep that pipeline healthy and figure out ways
 that we can do the work collectively instead of everyone doing it on 
their own.”

In addition to the NCAA, more than 30 national-level 
sports organizations have committed to be a part of the consortium 
hosted by the NFHS in Indianapolis April 12-14. Various youth, high 
school, college and professional sports organizations, as well as 
national governing bodies for Olympic sports, have expressed an interest
 in coming together to address the growing shortage of officials.

“In
 our discussions with these groups, we realize that instead of just 
talking about the problem, they want to be a part of the solution, which
 is exciting,” Pappas said. “We want to get all hands on deck instead of
 everyone trying to do their own thing to accomplish the same goal.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

While
 unsportsmanlike behavior continues to be a major issue, it’s not one 
unique to high school sports. It will be helpful to address this issue –
 and others – with ideas on solutions from all levels of sport.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In
 the meantime, the NFHS is continuing in its attempt to recruit more 
individuals to officiating, including current high school athletes and 
current parents of athletes.

“Many sport parents have been around 
the sport for 18 years, and then their kid graduates, so we’re trying to
 reach out to those individuals to get them to stay involved on the 
field, on the court or on the mat as officials,” Pappas said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Kids
 coming out of high school think they have two options – to play sports 
or to coach sports. They forget about the people who are officiating 
their games! So, how do we make officiating something that is at the 
forefront of their minds? When they are leaving high school or leaving 
college, they need to understand that there is an entire career path 
they could follow in the world of high school officiating.”

In an 
attempt to encourage more individuals to consider officiating high 
school sports, the NFHS is trying to celebrate those involved and turn 
negatives into positives.

“A lot of times in the news we hear 
people blaming officials because they lost a game,” Pappas said. “We 
hear stories about assaults and stories about poor treatment of 
officials. So, we are trying to highlight individuals within the 
officiating community to talk about how officiating was transformative 
for them in their lives, and why it’s important to get involved.”&nbsp;

While
 work continues to retain more officials by improving behavior of 
players, coaches and fans, recruitment efforts must intensify to keep 
high school sports going in our nation’s schools. 

Apply online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.highschoolofficials.com/">www.HighSchoolOfficials.com</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;Become a High School Official.

Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff is chief executive officer of the National Federation of State High School Associations in Indianapolis.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645048539273.jpeg" alt="Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff is chief executive officer of the National Federation of State High School Associations in Indianapolis." />
 <figcaption>Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff is chief executive officer of the National Federation of State High School Associations in Indianapolis.</figcaption>
 </figure>By Dr. KARISSA L. NIEHOFF NFHSSeveral times in the past three years, the NFHS has 
shared concerns about the declining number of officials for high school 
sports. Last fall, in fact, the headline stated that the officiating 
shortage had reached a crisis level across the country. A recent survey 
now provides solid proof for those concerns.A survey of state 
high school associations indicates that approximately 50,000 individuals
 have discontinued their service as high school officials since the 
2018-19 season – the last full school year unaffected by the pandemic.Dana
 Pappas, who has been on board as NFHS director of officiating services 
since last summer, said 43 states have reported losses totaling more 
than 33,000 officials. However, several larger states have not reported 
yet, so the exact figure is likely to approach 50,000.While there
 are several contributing factors to this sizeable decline, such as the 
age-old problem of unsportsmanlike behavior by students, coaches, 
parents and other fans, Pappas said one of the latest challenges is 
related to the pandemic.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“In talking to some of the state 
directors, many of these losses are people who were probably on the 
brink of retirement, and then COVID kind of forced the issue,” Pappas 
said. “Nationally, we’ve gone from about 240,000 to 200,000, which has 
become an area of concern for states just to cover games at all or with 
the maximum number of officials on a crew.”Interestingly, about 
the same number of individuals – between 50,000 and 60,000 – have 
expressed an interest in officiating the past four years through the 
NFHS’&nbsp;#BecomeAnOfficial Program, but the number of officials actually 
coming in the front door do not come close to matching those going out 
the back door.There is some good news on the horizon, however. 
After hearing the same message – shortage of officials – from every 
level of sport in the country, the NFHS is orchestrating and leading a 
first-ever National Officials Consortium Summit in April to collectively
 address the concerns.“What we discovered was that everyone was 
working on the same problem, but there is no strategic collaboration 
between the entities,” Pappas said. “We understand that everybody is 
reliant upon our pipeline at the high school level. So, we want to work 
together to replenish and keep that pipeline healthy and figure out ways
 that we can do the work collectively instead of everyone doing it on 
their own.”In addition to the NCAA, more than 30 national-level 
sports organizations have committed to be a part of the consortium 
hosted by the NFHS in Indianapolis April 12-14. Various youth, high 
school, college and professional sports organizations, as well as 
national governing bodies for Olympic sports, have expressed an interest
 in coming together to address the growing shortage of officials.“In
 our discussions with these groups, we realize that instead of just 
talking about the problem, they want to be a part of the solution, which
 is exciting,” Pappas said. “We want to get all hands on deck instead of
 everyone trying to do their own thing to accomplish the same goal.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;While
 unsportsmanlike behavior continues to be a major issue, it’s not one 
unique to high school sports. It will be helpful to address this issue –
 and others – with ideas on solutions from all levels of sport.&nbsp;&nbsp;In
 the meantime, the NFHS is continuing in its attempt to recruit more 
individuals to officiating, including current high school athletes and 
current parents of athletes.“Many sport parents have been around 
the sport for 18 years, and then their kid graduates, so we’re trying to
 reach out to those individuals to get them to stay involved on the 
field, on the court or on the mat as officials,” Pappas said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Kids
 coming out of high school think they have two options – to play sports 
or to coach sports. They forget about the people who are officiating 
their games! So, how do we make officiating something that is at the 
forefront of their minds? When they are leaving high school or leaving 
college, they need to understand that there is an entire career path 
they could follow in the world of high school officiating.”In an 
attempt to encourage more individuals to consider officiating high 
school sports, the NFHS is trying to celebrate those involved and turn 
negatives into positives.“A lot of times in the news we hear 
people blaming officials because they lost a game,” Pappas said. “We 
hear stories about assaults and stories about poor treatment of 
officials. So, we are trying to highlight individuals within the 
officiating community to talk about how officiating was transformative 
for them in their lives, and why it’s important to get involved.”&nbsp;While
 work continues to retain more officials by improving behavior of 
players, coaches and fans, recruitment efforts must intensify to keep 
high school sports going in our nation’s schools. Apply online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.highschoolofficials.com/">www.HighSchoolOfficials.com</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;Become a High School Official.Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff is chief executive officer of the National Federation of State High School Associations in Indianapolis.

With loss of 50,000 officials, consortium organized to find solutions

By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancher As I watched the Super Bowl, it occurred to me this is a truly American event only Americans really get. It is a sporting event that is really a national holiday where we celebrate commercials and eat ourselves into oblivion. For most of us the game is the third attraction. Only in the United States would we use the last football game of the season for a reason to gorge ourselves on food we would normally not eat. As I thought about all of this it occurred to me, the biggest MVPs of the Super Bowl are really us, the farmers and ranchers who are responsible for this impressive spread. I know the MVP of the Super Bowl is generally a superstar quarterback who makes more money than any of us will ever see, but I would argue the men and women responsible for all the appetizers, chips and dips, and desserts are the true stars. We take food for granted. Sure, the pandemic helped make consumers aware of how important and fragile the food supply is, but most of the time we forget just how good we have it. That is because as farmers and ranchers we have done such a tremendous job of growing food and fiber that consumers have become accustomed to having an array of available sustenance anytime they want it. In the case of our Super Bowl parties, we can find food we didn’t even know we needed. What we are celebrating during the Super Bowl is not the best two teams of the NFL. What we are really celebrating is the abundance that American agriculture provides our great nation. We are celebrating the vast variety and abundance we all have grown to expect in the grocery store. Shelves and shelves with choices we often take for granted. I know most of us don’t do this for recognition, we are just doing our jobs. But do you know what? We are the best in the world at what we do. No other nation produces as much food or utilizes its resources as well as we do here in the United States. We may not be paid millions of dollars like the superstars we watch in the Super Bowl, but we are just as good. That is something to be proud of. We may never be the MVP of the big game or get a championship ring for what we do, but I do know one thing for sure. The Super Bowl would be just another game without the wings, sliders and other snacks. The commercials would be just more annoying breaks between the game if it were not for the meat and cheese trays, veggies, and cookies. Do you know what? Those of us who produce all that great food really are the MVPs. At least in my book we are. &nbsp;

"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576508626397.png" alt="Glenn Brunkow" />
 <figcaption>Glenn Brunkow</figcaption>
 </figure>By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancher As I watched the Super Bowl, it occurred to me this is a truly American event only Americans really get. It is a sporting event that is really a national holiday where we celebrate commercials and eat ourselves into oblivion. For most of us the game is the third attraction. Only in the United States would we use the last football game of the season for a reason to gorge ourselves on food we would normally not eat. As I thought about all of this it occurred to me, the biggest MVPs of the Super Bowl are really us, the farmers and ranchers who are responsible for this impressive spread. I know the MVP of the Super Bowl is generally a superstar quarterback who makes more money than any of us will ever see, but I would argue the men and women responsible for all the appetizers, chips and dips, and desserts are the true stars. We take food for granted. Sure, the pandemic helped make consumers aware of how important and fragile the food supply is, but most of the time we forget just how good we have it. That is because as farmers and ranchers we have done such a tremendous job of growing food and fiber that consumers have become accustomed to having an array of available sustenance anytime they want it. In the case of our Super Bowl parties, we can find food we didn’t even know we needed. What we are celebrating during the Super Bowl is not the best two teams of the NFL. What we are really celebrating is the abundance that American agriculture provides our great nation. We are celebrating the vast variety and abundance we all have grown to expect in the grocery store. Shelves and shelves with choices we often take for granted. I know most of us don’t do this for recognition, we are just doing our jobs. But do you know what? We are the best in the world at what we do. No other nation produces as much food or utilizes its resources as well as we do here in the United States. We may not be paid millions of dollars like the superstars we watch in the Super Bowl, but we are just as good. That is something to be proud of. We may never be the MVP of the big game or get a championship ring for what we do, but I do know one thing for sure. The Super Bowl would be just another game without the wings, sliders and other snacks. The commercials would be just more annoying breaks between the game if it were not for the meat and cheese trays, veggies, and cookies. Do you know what? Those of us who produce all that great food really are the MVPs. At least in my book we are. &nbsp;"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: Full bowls and football

I’ve been seeing lots of ads lately for debt consolidation companies, debt settlement companies and the HELOC. Are any of these methods for reducing debt a good idea?

No. These are all bad ideas when it comes to getting out of debt. There’s a lot of buzz these days surrounding all the “quick” and “easy” ways to clean up&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/debt-to-income-ratio-calculator">debt</a>and get control of your finances. But the truth is neither one is ever easy. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Debt consolidation is basically a&nbsp;loan that combines all your debts&nbsp;into one single payment. Sounds like a great idea at first, right? But then you find out the lifespan of your loans increase, and that means you’ll stay in debt even longer than before. The low interest rate that looks so appealing in the beginning usually goes up over time, too. Stretching out the amount of time you’re paying off debt, plus adding interest, is just dumb.

Debt settlement companies are awful. These crummy outfits will charge you a fee, then promise to negotiate with your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/the-truth-about-bankruptcy">creditors</a>&nbsp;to reduce what you owe. In most cases, they take your money up front, do a bad job “negotiating” your debt and leave you responsible for what’s left.

A home equity line of credit (HELOC) is also a bad idea.&nbsp;With a HELOC, you’re borrowing against your home. On top of that, you risk losing your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/real-estate/mortgage-calculator">house</a>&nbsp;if you can’t pay it back on time. All these plans are really just gimmicks that only treat the symptoms of your money problems. They never help you address the root issue of why you landed there in the first place. Personal finance is always 80% behavior, and 20% head knowledge. You have to change your behavior if you want to make a lasting, positive impact on your finances!

<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/">Dave Ramsey&nbsp;</a>is a seven-time #1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of&nbsp;The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635524005597.png" alt="Dave Ramsey" />
 <figcaption>Dave Ramsey</figcaption>
 </figure>Dear Dave,I’ve been seeing lots of ads lately for debt consolidation companies, debt settlement companies and the HELOC. Are any of these methods for reducing debt a good idea?BrentDear Brent,No. These are all bad ideas when it comes to getting out of debt. There’s a lot of buzz these days surrounding all the “quick” and “easy” ways to clean up&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/debt-to-income-ratio-calculator">debt</a>and get control of your finances. But the truth is neither one is ever easy. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.Debt consolidation is basically a&nbsp;loan that combines all your debts&nbsp;into one single payment. Sounds like a great idea at first, right? But then you find out the lifespan of your loans increase, and that means you’ll stay in debt even longer than before. The low interest rate that looks so appealing in the beginning usually goes up over time, too. Stretching out the amount of time you’re paying off debt, plus adding interest, is just dumb.Debt settlement companies are awful. These crummy outfits will charge you a fee, then promise to negotiate with your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/the-truth-about-bankruptcy">creditors</a>&nbsp;to reduce what you owe. In most cases, they take your money up front, do a bad job “negotiating” your debt and leave you responsible for what’s left.A home equity line of credit (HELOC) is also a bad idea.&nbsp;With a HELOC, you’re borrowing against your home. On top of that, you risk losing your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/real-estate/mortgage-calculator">house</a>&nbsp;if you can’t pay it back on time. All these plans are really just gimmicks that only treat the symptoms of your money problems. They never help you address the root issue of why you landed there in the first place. Personal finance is always 80% behavior, and 20% head knowledge. You have to change your behavior if you want to make a lasting, positive impact on your finances!— Dave<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/">Dave Ramsey&nbsp;</a>is a seven-time #1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of&nbsp;The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

DAVE SAYS: These debt reduction strategies are bad ideas

TOPEKA - Hello from Topeka. We are getting closer to the first half of the 2022 legislative session. The next week&nbsp;will be full of committee hearings, debating bills on the floor and seeing what bills survive to go to the&nbsp;Senate.

Legislature Overrides Governor’s Veto of Redistricting
Legislation

Last week, the Governor vetoed SB 355, the Congressional
map, known as Ad Astra 2. This week, the&nbsp;Legislature overrode the veto with the House voting 85-37 making the override successful. The next&nbsp;step is for the Congressional map to undergo court review, providing a check and balance for Kansans&nbsp;that the map is drawn fairly and that it does not disenfranchise minority or other voting populations.

Major Economic Development Legislation Becomes Law

This week, the House approved SB 347, known as the
Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion (APEX)&nbsp;Act. APEX would ensure that companies make a minimum investment in Kansas of $1 billion over a five-year-period and, in exchange, would grant tax incentives to those companies. The Department of&nbsp;Commerce has announced that Kansas is one of two finalists for a $4 billion, 3-million square foot&nbsp;advanced manufacturing facility that would employ 4,000 people and create 16,000 temporary jobs&nbsp;during construction. SB 347 retools the current Kansas tax incentives in an effort to win this&nbsp;megaproject, as well as attract other projects in the future.&nbsp;Republicans worked to incorporate accountability and safeguards into the bill, so that this economic&nbsp;development initiative is not designed solely for one company but is instead designed to drive economic&nbsp;development across the board. The incentives to attract APEX projects should help all Kansas companies – not just one - with a measured corporate tax reduction. Finally, the property tax component of the bill&nbsp;must be addressed to ensure local control so that economic development incentives offered by the state&nbsp;do not place an added tax burden on local residents and local business owners.&nbsp;During the House’s debate, an amendment providing for oversight by the State Finance Council was&nbsp;adopted. The House approved SB 347, with a vote of 80-41. The Senate concurred with the House&nbsp;amendments, sending the bill to the Governor. On Thursday, prior to the Governor signing SB 347,&nbsp;House Republican leadership reiterated their intent to require budget accountability from the Governor&nbsp;when an APEX plan is executed.&nbsp;“The Governor cannot escape economic reality,” said House Republican leadership. “She’s made a long&nbsp;list of costly election-year promises to Kansans – promises she cannot deliver while at the same time&nbsp;paying out economic development incentives before the money is there to back it up.”

Condemning Price Gouging in Kansas

On Wednesday, the House passed HCR 5023, with a vote of
114-2. HCR 5023 denounces the price&nbsp;gouging and market manipulation that occurred following the February 2021 cold snap. The resolution&nbsp;states the intent of the Legislature to support both state and federal investigations into the&nbsp;extraordinary price increases that resulted and hit Kansans and their communities hard. The resolution&nbsp;acknowledges the work of Attorney General Derek Schmidt for his efforts at investigating profiteering. A&nbsp;key component of the resolution is advocating for the protection of ratepayers should any corrective&nbsp;action be assigned. The adopted resolution will be sent to the chairperson of the Federal Energy&nbsp;Commission and the Attorney General.&nbsp;The 2021 Legislature passed the Utility Financing and Securitization Act, 2021 HB 2072, which gives&nbsp;utilities the opportunity to use securitized bonds at more favorable terms than traditional financing in&nbsp;order to mitigate the impact on Kansans’ utility bills. The agreement includes provisions to provide&nbsp;refunds to Kansans should money be recovered from on-going investigations and lawsuits regarding&nbsp;market manipulation and price gouging.

KPERS Legislation Moving Through the Process

The House Insurance and Pensions Committee has begun its
work on HB 2561, which utilizes some of&nbsp;the state’s budget surplus to stabilize the KPERS retirement fund, ensuring it will be there for our&nbsp;teachers, our firefighters, and other public employees when they need it. The plan would appropriate $1&nbsp;billion to the KPERS Trust Fund, which would:

• Bring KPERS above the 80 percent funded level, a goal in
ensuring the stability of retirement&nbsp;systems.

• Lower future costs for taxpayers by reducing the amount
needed for the state’s share of&nbsp;employer contributions, saving the taxpayers $82 million in Fiscal Year 2023 and $429 million over the&nbsp;next five years.

• Fully fund 2017 and 2019 payments, paying off layering
payments, and eliminating the annual&nbsp;$25.8 million payments on delayed employer contributions.

Proponent testimony was provided by Attorney General Derek
Schmidt and the Committee’s Chairman,&nbsp;Rep. Steven Johnson. The Attorney General noted that HB 2561 is a fiscally responsible approach in&nbsp;contrast to the Governor’s previous reamortizing proposals, which would have left taxpayers burdened&nbsp;with more than $4 billion in added debt service. HB 2561 reduces debt and the unfunded liability and&nbsp;frees up more than $70 million annually to sustain funding for core services or make future tax relief&nbsp;possible.

Neutral testimony from Budget Director Adam Proffitt showed
that the Governor only wants to fund&nbsp;$253.8 million to make up for Fiscal Year 2017 and Fiscal Year 2019 layering payments.

If you would like to contact me: my office is still located in Room: 149-S. My phone number is (785) 296- 7463 and email is: kenn.rahje@house.ks.gov and you can always try my cell number at (785) 302-8416.

Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, is the Kansas state representative of the 110th Dist. House District 110 includes:&nbsp;

Norton and Phillips Counties Ellis County: Cities: Catharine, Ellis and Schoenchen;&nbsp;Townships: Big Creek(part), Buckeye, Catherine, Ellis, Herzog(part),&nbsp;Lookout(part) and Wheatland(part) Graham County: City: Hill City;&nbsp;Townships: Hill City(part) and Nicodemus(part) Rooks County: Cities: Damar, Palco, Plainville,&nbsp;Stockton, Woodston and Zurich

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644854972078.jpeg" alt="State Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, 110th Dist..jpeg" />
 <figcaption>State Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, 110th Dist..jpeg</figcaption>
 </figure>The Rahjes Report 02-14-22TOPEKA - Hello from Topeka. We are getting closer to the first half of the 2022 legislative session. The next week&nbsp;will be full of committee hearings, debating bills on the floor and seeing what bills survive to go to the&nbsp;Senate.Legislature Overrides Governor’s Veto of Redistricting
LegislationLast week, the Governor vetoed SB 355, the Congressional
map, known as Ad Astra 2. This week, the&nbsp;Legislature overrode the veto with the House voting 85-37 making the override successful. The next&nbsp;step is for the Congressional map to undergo court review, providing a check and balance for Kansans&nbsp;that the map is drawn fairly and that it does not disenfranchise minority or other voting populations.Major Economic Development Legislation Becomes LawThis week, the House approved SB 347, known as the
Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion (APEX)&nbsp;Act. APEX would ensure that companies make a minimum investment in Kansas of $1 billion over a five-year-period and, in exchange, would grant tax incentives to those companies. The Department of&nbsp;Commerce has announced that Kansas is one of two finalists for a $4 billion, 3-million square foot&nbsp;advanced manufacturing facility that would employ 4,000 people and create 16,000 temporary jobs&nbsp;during construction. SB 347 retools the current Kansas tax incentives in an effort to win this&nbsp;megaproject, as well as attract other projects in the future.&nbsp;Republicans worked to incorporate accountability and safeguards into the bill, so that this economic&nbsp;development initiative is not designed solely for one company but is instead designed to drive economic&nbsp;development across the board. The incentives to attract APEX projects should help all Kansas companies – not just one - with a measured corporate tax reduction. Finally, the property tax component of the bill&nbsp;must be addressed to ensure local control so that economic development incentives offered by the state&nbsp;do not place an added tax burden on local residents and local business owners.&nbsp;During the House’s debate, an amendment providing for oversight by the State Finance Council was&nbsp;adopted. The House approved SB 347, with a vote of 80-41. The Senate concurred with the House&nbsp;amendments, sending the bill to the Governor. On Thursday, prior to the Governor signing SB 347,&nbsp;House Republican leadership reiterated their intent to require budget accountability from the Governor&nbsp;when an APEX plan is executed.&nbsp;“The Governor cannot escape economic reality,” said House Republican leadership. “She’s made a long&nbsp;list of costly election-year promises to Kansans – promises she cannot deliver while at the same time&nbsp;paying out economic development incentives before the money is there to back it up.”Condemning Price Gouging in KansasOn Wednesday, the House passed HCR 5023, with a vote of
114-2. HCR 5023 denounces the price&nbsp;gouging and market manipulation that occurred following the February 2021 cold snap. The resolution&nbsp;states the intent of the Legislature to support both state and federal investigations into the&nbsp;extraordinary price increases that resulted and hit Kansans and their communities hard. The resolution&nbsp;acknowledges the work of Attorney General Derek Schmidt for his efforts at investigating profiteering. A&nbsp;key component of the resolution is advocating for the protection of ratepayers should any corrective&nbsp;action be assigned. The adopted resolution will be sent to the chairperson of the Federal Energy&nbsp;Commission and the Attorney General.&nbsp;The 2021 Legislature passed the Utility Financing and Securitization Act, 2021 HB 2072, which gives&nbsp;utilities the opportunity to use securitized bonds at more favorable terms than traditional financing in&nbsp;order to mitigate the impact on Kansans’ utility bills. The agreement includes provisions to provide&nbsp;refunds to Kansans should money be recovered from on-going investigations and lawsuits regarding&nbsp;market manipulation and price gouging.KPERS Legislation Moving Through the ProcessThe House Insurance and Pensions Committee has begun its
work on HB 2561, which utilizes some of&nbsp;the state’s budget surplus to stabilize the KPERS retirement fund, ensuring it will be there for our&nbsp;teachers, our firefighters, and other public employees when they need it. The plan would appropriate $1&nbsp;billion to the KPERS Trust Fund, which would:• Bring KPERS above the 80 percent funded level, a goal in
ensuring the stability of retirement&nbsp;systems.• Lower future costs for taxpayers by reducing the amount
needed for the state’s share of&nbsp;employer contributions, saving the taxpayers $82 million in Fiscal Year 2023 and $429 million over the&nbsp;next five years.• Fully fund 2017 and 2019 payments, paying off layering
payments, and eliminating the annual&nbsp;$25.8 million payments on delayed employer contributions.Proponent testimony was provided by Attorney General Derek
Schmidt and the Committee’s Chairman,&nbsp;Rep. Steven Johnson. The Attorney General noted that HB 2561 is a fiscally responsible approach in&nbsp;contrast to the Governor’s previous reamortizing proposals, which would have left taxpayers burdened&nbsp;with more than $4 billion in added debt service. HB 2561 reduces debt and the unfunded liability and&nbsp;frees up more than $70 million annually to sustain funding for core services or make future tax relief&nbsp;possible.Neutral testimony from Budget Director Adam Proffitt showed
that the Governor only wants to fund&nbsp;$253.8 million to make up for Fiscal Year 2017 and Fiscal Year 2019 layering payments.If you would like to contact me: my office is still located in Room: 149-S. My phone number is (785) 296- 7463 and email is: kenn.rahje@house.ks.gov and you can always try my cell number at (785) 302-8416.It is my honor to serve you.Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, is the Kansas state representative of the 110th Dist. House District 110 includes:&nbsp;Norton and Phillips Counties Ellis County: Cities: Catharine, Ellis and Schoenchen;&nbsp;Townships: Big Creek(part), Buckeye, Catherine, Ellis, Herzog(part),&nbsp;Lookout(part) and Wheatland(part) Graham County: City: Hill City;&nbsp;Townships: Hill City(part) and Nicodemus(part) Rooks County: Cities: Damar, Palco, Plainville,&nbsp;Stockton, Woodston and Zurich

RAHJES REPORT: Feb. 14, 2022

2022 Senate Scene Week 4 and 5 February 14, 2022

TOPEKA - Last week, the Senate standing committees continued to hold hearings and bring forward legislation after a short week last week due to the weather which moved across the state. The Ways and Means Committee is starting to work the budget bill with subcommittee meetings to report to the full committee in a few weeks.

SNAPSHOT OF THE KANSAS LEGISLATURE 2022

The Kansas Senate consists of forty Senators – twenty-nine Republicans, eleven Democrats with sixteen women and twenty-four men. Eleven Senators live in cities of 100,000+ population, eleven with 20,000 to 100,000, six with 5,000-20,000 and six with 2,000-5,000 and six with 0-2,000. The Kansas House of Representatives consists of one-hundred twenty-five members with eighty-six Republicans and thirty-nine Democrats with thirty-three women and ninety-two men.

Late last week, Governor Kelly vetoed the legislation containing the Ad Astra 2 Congressional Map. This week, the legislature overrode her veto (27- 11) thus making the map law.

The map only splits four counties. Pawnee, Douglas, Jackson and Wyandotte are the only split counties on the new map. Both Douglas and Wyandotte are primarily divided along natural and geographic barriers such as highways and rivers. Marshall County would be entirely in the First District. The First District contains both University of Kansas and Kansas State University, which have aligned goals, returning them to the same Congressional district. The Second District includes several military installations, including Ft. Riley, Ft. Leavenworth, Forbes Field, and the Kansas National Guard. The Third District keeps Johnson County together, blending the Kansas City suburbs with nearby bedroom communities. The Fourth District includes Wichita and surrounding communities. Also, Indian Reservations are kept wholly within Congressional districts.

A few historical facts on maps over the decades:&nbsp; the 3rd Congressional District for
instance, has had the following shifts over time:

Mid-1960s – 5 districts – Anderson County was in CD 3

1973-1982 – 5 districts – Wyandotte County was split, and Franklin
County was in CD 3

1983-1992 – 5 districts – All of Miami County was included in CD 3

1993-2002 – 4 districts – All of Miami County was included in CD
3, Douglas County split

2003-2013 – 4 districts – Douglas County split, City of Lawrence
split

Some citizens have asked about the process of drawing the 3rd District. Because of population shifts in the last decade, placing Wyandotte County and Johnson County both completely within the 3rd District was not possible. The decision was made to keep Johnson County whole, which then necessitated dividing Wyandotte County. The Kansas River and I-70 provided a natural&nbsp;and geographic barrier, so people within Wyandotte County would easily understand which Congressional district they resided in. The resulting population shift resulted in then adding Miami, Franklin, and Anderson Counties, followed by minor adjustments to bring the deviation between districts to 0. The Ad Astra 2 map keeps all four members of Congress within their districts and all four members of Congress would have still won in 2020. In addition, the results for President in 2020 and Governor in 2018 would not have been different in any of the four districts.

SB 347 – APEX – Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion Act

Last week, the House and Senate both adopted the finalized version of the state’s new Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion (APEX) economic growth plan with the Governor signing on February 10th. The final APEX Plan includes important oversight components, including by the State Finance Council. The initial target of the incentive package is a $4.0 billion manufacturing project that would employ over 4,000 people and be one of the most significant private sector investments in Kansas history. It would establish new economic development incentives targeted at specific industries that agree to invest at least $1.0 billion within the State of Kansas. The APEX Act also targets incentives at the suppliers involved in the APEX project. The APEX Program would be under the purview of the Secretary of Commerce for the purpose of attracting large capital investments in new facilities and operations by businesses engaged in specified industries and encouraging the development of Kansas-based supply chains. To help drive taxes down for all who do business in Kansas, an important provision of the bill would lower the corporate income tax by .5% per project with a cap of two. Finally, the bill has claw-back provisions in case the company relocates outside of the state in the 11th through 15th years following the year the manufacturer entered into the agreement with the state. The sunset of the program is on March 31, 2024, to ensure that the full legislature reviews the provisions of the APEX Act in just two years.

SB 329 amends law in order to make the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) savings program compliant with the federal Internal Revenue Code and mandatory federal regulations. The program allows individuals with a disability and their families to save private funds without violating federal means tested benefit requirements. SB 329 passed the Senate 40-0.

SB 330 would place a permanent memorial honoring Kansas Gold Star families on the Statehouse grounds. “Gold Star families” are families who have lost a family member in the line of military duty. SB 330 passed the Senate 40-0.

SB 358 would allow financing from the Public Water Supply Loan Fund (PWSLF) for public water supply projects that acquire water through a water transfer. SB 358 passed the Senate 40-0.

HB 2005 amend provisions of law related to the Boiler Safety Act. The bill would increase the maximum nominal water capacity of an exempt hot water supply boiler to 120 gallons from the current maximum of 85 gallons. HB 2005 passed the Senate 40-0.

SB 327 would exclude delivery charges that are separately stated on an invoice or similar document from the sales price for purposes of retail sales and compensating use tax. SB 327 passed the Senate 40-0.

Sub for SB 300 would amend definitions in the Kansas Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (Kansas RICO Act). The bill would add to the definition of “covered person” a person who has engaged in identity theft or identity fraud. This will be a useful tool for Unemployment fraud which we witnessed last year and continues to be an issue. Sub for SB 300 passed the Senate 40-0.

SB 346 would allow for the on-farm retail sale of milk or milk products, regulate the labeling and advertising of such products, extend the sunset date for certain milk and dairy license fees. SB 346 passed the Senate 38-0-2.

HB 2109 would amend the statute governing membership of the State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services (BIDS) to raise the population threshold from 100,000 to 115,000 for a county to automatically qualify for a lawyer member of BIDS. HB 2109 passed the Senate 35-5.

Local Award-Winning Students from Senate District 36

Congratulations to Olivia Richardson, Marysville, and Katelyn Binder, Beloit, as essay winners for the League of Kansas Municipalities “My City, My Home” essay contest. Olivia, Marysville Jr/Sr High School, was the Northeast region winner and Katelyn, Beloit Jr/Sr High School, was the North Central region winner.

Congratulations to Dreyton Hughes, Phillipsburg High School, who was chosen the 11th Grade KDHE Bureau of Waste Management "Keep It Clean Kansas" Calendar Winner. If you would like a copy of the yearly KDHE Calendar – call Randi in our office and we will mail you a copy.

As always, I’ll keep you updated on the activities of the Senate while we continue through the last few weeks before turn-around. I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature. Committee schedules, bills, and other helpful information can be easily accessed through the legislature’s website at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ at this website. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. An email is the best at this point in the session.

Senator Elaine Bowers Kansas State Capitol Building Room 223-E 300 SW 10th St. <a href="mailto:elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov</a> 785-296-7389 <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>

Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is senator of the 36th District in Kansas which includes:

* Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell,&nbsp;Smith and Washington Counties * Marshall County: Cities: Blue Rapids, Marysville, Oketo and Waterville;&nbsp;Townships: Blue Rapids, Blue Rapids City, Cottage Hill, Elm Creek,&nbsp;Herkimer, Logan, Marysville, Oketo, Walnut and Waterville * Phillips County: Cities: Agra, Glade, Kirwin and Phillipsburg;&nbsp;Townships: Arcade, Bow Creek, Crystal Deer Creek, Freedom,&nbsp;Glenwood, Greenwood, Kirwin, Phillipsburg, Plum,&nbsp;Rushville, Solomon(part), Sumner,&nbsp;Valley and Walnut

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644853578448.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist." />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist.</figcaption>
 </figure>2022 Senate Scene Week 4 and 5 February 14, 2022SENATE HAPPENINGSTOPEKA - Last week, the Senate standing committees continued to hold hearings and bring forward legislation after a short week last week due to the weather which moved across the state. The Ways and Means Committee is starting to work the budget bill with subcommittee meetings to report to the full committee in a few weeks.SNAPSHOT OF THE KANSAS LEGISLATURE 2022The Kansas Senate consists of forty Senators – twenty-nine Republicans, eleven Democrats with sixteen women and twenty-four men. Eleven Senators live in cities of 100,000+ population, eleven with 20,000 to 100,000, six with 5,000-20,000 and six with 2,000-5,000 and six with 0-2,000. The Kansas House of Representatives consists of one-hundred twenty-five members with eighty-six Republicans and thirty-nine Democrats with thirty-three women and ninety-two men.Senate Floor ActionSB 355 - AD ASTRA 2 MAPLate last week, Governor Kelly vetoed the legislation containing the Ad Astra 2 Congressional Map. This week, the legislature overrode her veto (27- 11) thus making the map law.Highlights of the map include:The map only splits four counties. Pawnee, Douglas, Jackson and Wyandotte are the only split counties on the new map. Both Douglas and Wyandotte are primarily divided along natural and geographic barriers such as highways and rivers. Marshall County would be entirely in the First District. The First District contains both University of Kansas and Kansas State University, which have aligned goals, returning them to the same Congressional district. The Second District includes several military installations, including Ft. Riley, Ft. Leavenworth, Forbes Field, and the Kansas National Guard. The Third District keeps Johnson County together, blending the Kansas City suburbs with nearby bedroom communities. The Fourth District includes Wichita and surrounding communities. Also, Indian Reservations are kept wholly within Congressional districts.A few historical facts on maps over the decades:&nbsp; the 3rd Congressional District for
instance, has had the following shifts over time:Mid-1960s – 5 districts – Anderson County was in CD 31973-1982 – 5 districts – Wyandotte County was split, and Franklin
County was in CD 31983-1992 – 5 districts – All of Miami County was included in CD 31993-2002 – 4 districts – All of Miami County was included in CD
3, Douglas County split2003-2013 – 4 districts – Douglas County split, City of Lawrence
splitSome citizens have asked about the process of drawing the 3rd District. Because of population shifts in the last decade, placing Wyandotte County and Johnson County both completely within the 3rd District was not possible. The decision was made to keep Johnson County whole, which then necessitated dividing Wyandotte County. The Kansas River and I-70 provided a natural&nbsp;and geographic barrier, so people within Wyandotte County would easily understand which Congressional district they resided in. The resulting population shift resulted in then adding Miami, Franklin, and Anderson Counties, followed by minor adjustments to bring the deviation between districts to 0. The Ad Astra 2 map keeps all four members of Congress within their districts and all four members of Congress would have still won in 2020. In addition, the results for President in 2020 and Governor in 2018 would not have been different in any of the four districts.SB 347 – APEX – Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion ActLast week, the House and Senate both adopted the finalized version of the state’s new Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion (APEX) economic growth plan with the Governor signing on February 10th. The final APEX Plan includes important oversight components, including by the State Finance Council. The initial target of the incentive package is a $4.0 billion manufacturing project that would employ over 4,000 people and be one of the most significant private sector investments in Kansas history. It would establish new economic development incentives targeted at specific industries that agree to invest at least $1.0 billion within the State of Kansas. The APEX Act also targets incentives at the suppliers involved in the APEX project. The APEX Program would be under the purview of the Secretary of Commerce for the purpose of attracting large capital investments in new facilities and operations by businesses engaged in specified industries and encouraging the development of Kansas-based supply chains. To help drive taxes down for all who do business in Kansas, an important provision of the bill would lower the corporate income tax by .5% per project with a cap of two. Finally, the bill has claw-back provisions in case the company relocates outside of the state in the 11th through 15th years following the year the manufacturer entered into the agreement with the state. The sunset of the program is on March 31, 2024, to ensure that the full legislature reviews the provisions of the APEX Act in just two years.SB 329 amends law in order to make the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) savings program compliant with the federal Internal Revenue Code and mandatory federal regulations. The program allows individuals with a disability and their families to save private funds without violating federal means tested benefit requirements. SB 329 passed the Senate 40-0.SB 330 would place a permanent memorial honoring Kansas Gold Star families on the Statehouse grounds. “Gold Star families” are families who have lost a family member in the line of military duty. SB 330 passed the Senate 40-0.SB 358 would allow financing from the Public Water Supply Loan Fund (PWSLF) for public water supply projects that acquire water through a water transfer. SB 358 passed the Senate 40-0.HB 2005 amend provisions of law related to the Boiler Safety Act. The bill would increase the maximum nominal water capacity of an exempt hot water supply boiler to 120 gallons from the current maximum of 85 gallons. HB 2005 passed the Senate 40-0.SB 327 would exclude delivery charges that are separately stated on an invoice or similar document from the sales price for purposes of retail sales and compensating use tax. SB 327 passed the Senate 40-0.Sub for SB 300 would amend definitions in the Kansas Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (Kansas RICO Act). The bill would add to the definition of “covered person” a person who has engaged in identity theft or identity fraud. This will be a useful tool for Unemployment fraud which we witnessed last year and continues to be an issue. Sub for SB 300 passed the Senate 40-0.SB 346 would allow for the on-farm retail sale of milk or milk products, regulate the labeling and advertising of such products, extend the sunset date for certain milk and dairy license fees. SB 346 passed the Senate 38-0-2.HB 2109 would amend the statute governing membership of the State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services (BIDS) to raise the population threshold from 100,000 to 115,000 for a county to automatically qualify for a lawyer member of BIDS. HB 2109 passed the Senate 35-5.Local Award-Winning Students from Senate District 36Congratulations to Olivia Richardson, Marysville, and Katelyn Binder, Beloit, as essay winners for the League of Kansas Municipalities “My City, My Home” essay contest. Olivia, Marysville Jr/Sr High School, was the Northeast region winner and Katelyn, Beloit Jr/Sr High School, was the North Central region winner.Congratulations to Dreyton Hughes, Phillipsburg High School, who was chosen the 11th Grade KDHE Bureau of Waste Management "Keep It Clean Kansas" Calendar Winner. If you would like a copy of the yearly KDHE Calendar – call Randi in our office and we will mail you a copy.As always, I’ll keep you updated on the activities of the Senate while we continue through the last few weeks before turn-around. I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature. Committee schedules, bills, and other helpful information can be easily accessed through the legislature’s website at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ at this website. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. An email is the best at this point in the session.Thank you for the honor of serving you!Senator Elaine Bowers Kansas State Capitol Building Room 223-E 300 SW 10th St. <a href="mailto:elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov</a> 785-296-7389 <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a> Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is senator of the 36th District in Kansas which includes:* Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell,&nbsp;Smith and Washington Counties * Marshall County: Cities: Blue Rapids, Marysville, Oketo and Waterville;&nbsp;Townships: Blue Rapids, Blue Rapids City, Cottage Hill, Elm Creek,&nbsp;Herkimer, Logan, Marysville, Oketo, Walnut and Waterville * Phillips County: Cities: Agra, Glade, Kirwin and Phillipsburg;&nbsp;Townships: Arcade, Bow Creek, Crystal Deer Creek, Freedom,&nbsp;Glenwood, Greenwood, Kirwin, Phillipsburg, Plum,&nbsp;Rushville, Solomon(part), Sumner,&nbsp;Valley and Walnut

BOWERS: 2022 Senate Scene, Weeks 4 and 5

Senator Rick Billinger&nbsp;Newsletter February 14, 2022

TOPEKA - Last week, Governor Kelly vetoed the legislation containing the Ad Astra 2 Congressional Map. The Senate and the House overrode the veto.

The House and Senate both adopted the finalized version of the state’s new Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion (APEX) economic growth plan. The APEX plan includes important oversight components, including oversight by the State Finance Council. The APEX Plan sets the stage for thousands of new jobs and game-changing private sector investments in our state, as well as important corporate tax reductions that benefit all who do business in Kansas. The legislature included several critical oversight provisions to ensure proper fiscal responsibility in the years ahead. 

The APEX Plan is an exciting and bold step that has the potential to drive significant economic activity to Kansas, and we look forward to seeing its responsible implementation in the months ahead. As I stated in a prior newsletter the legislature must be careful in providing incentives to bring in industries or businesses. This particular APEX Plan if accepted will cost over $1.0 billion which will considerably reduce our projected ending balances. Should any APEX project come forward, Republicans will expect the Governor to bring forward a balanced tax and budget proposal to the State Finance Council, and we must be cautious against any short-term payouts that would threaten the fiscal health of Kansas. If this offer is accepted it will impact our ability to reduce sales tax, such as taxes on food. To help drive taxes down for all who do business in Kansas, an important provision of the bill would lower the corporate income tax by .5% per project with a cap of two. In the amended legislation, the sunset of the program is on March 31, 2024, to ensure that the full legislature reviews the provisions of the APEX Act in just two years. The bill includes a refundable an investment tax credit of up to 15% of the business’ investment, which the state would refund over the period of a decade. The payroll tax refund would be capped at 7.5% for 10 years, but the State Finance Council could approve a higher refund of up to 10%. The bill includes a 5% refundable investment tax credit to the suppliers up to their first $50 million in capital investment, who would receive another percentage point of tax credits for every $10 million they invest up to the total of $100 million. The bill contains a reimbursement for suppliers for training costs up to $250,000 a year per supplier, with the primary manufacturing company able to receive to $5 million on an annual basis. It also establishes a $10 million matching incentive fund for the company to help with the relocation costs for employees who move from another state and make Kansas their primary residence. The bill also has claw back provisions in case the company relocates outside of the state in the 11th through 15th years following the year the manufacturer entered into the agreement with the state.

New legislation will hopefully help protect Kansans from identity theft by imposing stricter penalties. Sub for SB 300 will add to the definition of “covered person” a person who has engaged in identity theft or identify fraud, and also would add identity theft or identity fraud to the list of crimes for which committing, attempting, or conspiring to commit or soliciting, coercing, or intimidating another person to commit a misdemeanor or felony violation would constitute “racketeering activity.”

Last Thursday Wyandotte County voted to make their county a sanctuary city/county. An ordinance was passed that would give undocumented immigrants and others the opportunity to get a photo municipal ID so they can access government services. The ordinance prohibits local law enforcement agencies from helping federal authorities enforce federal laws. This makes one wonder how many midnight flights with illegals have been authorized to enter Kansas by Governor Kelly. Attorney General and Governor candidate Derek Schmidt has asked the legislature to pass legislation that would ban sanctuary cities/counties in Kansas.

Rick Billingr, R-Goodland, is the 40th district senator which includes:

Cheyenne, Decatur, Ellis, Gove, Graham, Logan, Norton, Rawlins,&nbsp;Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, Trego and Wallace Counties Phillips County: Cities: Logan, Long Island, Prairie View, Speed;&nbsp;Townships: Beaver, Belmont, Dayton, Granite, Logan, Long Island, Mound, Plainview, Prairie View,&nbsp;Solomon(part) and Towanda

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644852447177.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist." />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist.</figcaption>
 </figure>Senator Rick Billinger&nbsp;Newsletter February 14, 2022 TOPEKA - Last week, Governor Kelly vetoed the legislation containing the Ad Astra 2 Congressional Map. The Senate and the House overrode the veto.The House and Senate both adopted the finalized version of the state’s new Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion (APEX) economic growth plan. The APEX plan includes important oversight components, including oversight by the State Finance Council. The APEX Plan sets the stage for thousands of new jobs and game-changing private sector investments in our state, as well as important corporate tax reductions that benefit all who do business in Kansas. The legislature included several critical oversight provisions to ensure proper fiscal responsibility in the years ahead. The APEX Plan is an exciting and bold step that has the potential to drive significant economic activity to Kansas, and we look forward to seeing its responsible implementation in the months ahead. As I stated in a prior newsletter the legislature must be careful in providing incentives to bring in industries or businesses. This particular APEX Plan if accepted will cost over $1.0 billion which will considerably reduce our projected ending balances. Should any APEX project come forward, Republicans will expect the Governor to bring forward a balanced tax and budget proposal to the State Finance Council, and we must be cautious against any short-term payouts that would threaten the fiscal health of Kansas. If this offer is accepted it will impact our ability to reduce sales tax, such as taxes on food. To help drive taxes down for all who do business in Kansas, an important provision of the bill would lower the corporate income tax by .5% per project with a cap of two. In the amended legislation, the sunset of the program is on March 31, 2024, to ensure that the full legislature reviews the provisions of the APEX Act in just two years. The bill includes a refundable an investment tax credit of up to 15% of the business’ investment, which the state would refund over the period of a decade. The payroll tax refund would be capped at 7.5% for 10 years, but the State Finance Council could approve a higher refund of up to 10%. The bill includes a 5% refundable investment tax credit to the suppliers up to their first $50 million in capital investment, who would receive another percentage point of tax credits for every $10 million they invest up to the total of $100 million. The bill contains a reimbursement for suppliers for training costs up to $250,000 a year per supplier, with the primary manufacturing company able to receive to $5 million on an annual basis. It also establishes a $10 million matching incentive fund for the company to help with the relocation costs for employees who move from another state and make Kansas their primary residence. The bill also has claw back provisions in case the company relocates outside of the state in the 11th through 15th years following the year the manufacturer entered into the agreement with the state.New legislation will hopefully help protect Kansans from identity theft by imposing stricter penalties. Sub for SB 300 will add to the definition of “covered person” a person who has engaged in identity theft or identify fraud, and also would add identity theft or identity fraud to the list of crimes for which committing, attempting, or conspiring to commit or soliciting, coercing, or intimidating another person to commit a misdemeanor or felony violation would constitute “racketeering activity.”Last Thursday Wyandotte County voted to make their county a sanctuary city/county. An ordinance was passed that would give undocumented immigrants and others the opportunity to get a photo municipal ID so they can access government services. The ordinance prohibits local law enforcement agencies from helping federal authorities enforce federal laws. This makes one wonder how many midnight flights with illegals have been authorized to enter Kansas by Governor Kelly. Attorney General and Governor candidate Derek Schmidt has asked the legislature to pass legislation that would ban sanctuary cities/counties in Kansas.Rick Billingr, R-Goodland, is the 40th district senator which includes:Cheyenne, Decatur, Ellis, Gove, Graham, Logan, Norton, Rawlins,&nbsp;Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, Trego and Wallace Counties Phillips County: Cities: Logan, Long Island, Prairie View, Speed;&nbsp;Townships: Beaver, Belmont, Dayton, Granite, Logan, Long Island, Mound, Plainview, Prairie View,&nbsp;Solomon(part) and Towanda

BILLINGER: Senate Update, Feb. 14, 2022

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;

When your business or organization needs to conduct a staff retreat, where do you go?&nbsp;Sometimes groups leave their town to go to a bigger city with lots of venue choices.&nbsp;

Today we’ll meet an Extension district whose staff chose to go in the opposite direction.&nbsp;&nbsp;They are choosing to hold their retreats in the smaller towns within their counties.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Donna Krug is the district director for the K-State Research and Extension Cottonwood District, comprised of Barton and Ellis Counties. She also serves as a family and consumer sciences agent for the district.&nbsp;

Donna grew up on a farm near Washington, Kansas. After graduating from K-State, she became a 4-H agent in Texas where her future husband, John, was attending chiropractic school. They married and came to back to Kansas where Donna became the family and consumer sciences agent in Barton County. John was a chiropractor in Great Bend for 32 years.&nbsp;

“As an Extension agent, I do a lot of health and wellness and nutrition classes,” Donna said. “I like sharing my knowledge on health and wellness, and I love the people who come to learn.”&nbsp;

She enjoys teaching Stay Strong, Stay Healthy workshops and has developed10 family and consumer sciences fact sheets focused on health and nutrition. She’s now teaching a sauerkraut making class.&nbsp;

“I recently did a fact sheet on taking a new look at fermented foods,” Donna said. “I shared it at a national meeting. The folks at Iowa State called and want me to come present it there.”&nbsp;

In 2017, Barton and Ellis counties joined together to form the Cottonwood district, and Donna became director. When county staffs join together as a new team, planning becomes especially important.&nbsp;

Donna recognized the need for a staff planning retreat and had a creative idea about where to conduct it. “So many of our activities take place in Hays or Great Bend,” she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Why not go to the outlying communities? I thought it would be good to reach out to the smaller towns in our counties.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

In the years since, the Cottonwood district has held its semiannual retreats in rural communities such as Hoisington, population 2,699; Ellinwood, population 2,131; Ellis, population 1,958; Claflin, population 645; and Catharine (including the surrounding area), population 113 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

“I reach out to the staff members who live in those areas and ask them to take the lead in planning those retreats,” Donna said. Such retreats typically involve a tour, meal, or fun activity plus a couple of hours of strategic program planning.&nbsp;

“Our 4-H agent Michelle Beran lives near Claflin,” Donna said. “She arranged for us to meet at the library and then walk to the pizza parlor.”&nbsp;

In Ellinwood, they learned about the Strengthsfinders program and toured the underground tunnels downtown. At Ellis, they visited a maker space.&nbsp;

“Our office professional in Hays, Theresa Meis, lives near Catharine,” Donna said. “She arranged for us to meet there and tour her beautiful church, and we also tried painting barn quilts.”&nbsp;

The retreat provides an opportunity for agents and staff to discuss program direction and practice staff development. “I always try to keep us focused on our mission statement,” Donna said. “At one meeting, I used Bill Snyder’s book on 16 goals for success and we shared how we could apply those to our work.”&nbsp;

She also organizes a joint meeting of Extension program development committees in both counties. “We share a meal, go over shared topics, and then break into our program development committees,” she said.&nbsp;

When your business or organization needs to conduct a staff retreat, where do you go?&nbsp;&nbsp;We’re thankful that Donna Krug and the K-State Research and Extension Cottonwood District chose to make a difference by reaching out to the smaller communities in their counties. As Donna said, “It validates that every community and every person is important.”&nbsp;

And there’s more. Donna played a pivotal role in rerouting a national bicycle trail to her hometown of Great Bend.&nbsp;&nbsp;We’ll learn about that next week.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644416317024.png" alt="Krug / Courtesy Huck Boyd Institute" />
 <figcaption>Krug / Courtesy Huck Boyd Institute</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;When your business or organization needs to conduct a staff retreat, where do you go?&nbsp;Sometimes groups leave their town to go to a bigger city with lots of venue choices.&nbsp;Today we’ll meet an Extension district whose staff chose to go in the opposite direction.&nbsp;&nbsp;They are choosing to hold their retreats in the smaller towns within their counties.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Donna Krug is the district director for the K-State Research and Extension Cottonwood District, comprised of Barton and Ellis Counties. She also serves as a family and consumer sciences agent for the district.&nbsp;Donna grew up on a farm near Washington, Kansas. After graduating from K-State, she became a 4-H agent in Texas where her future husband, John, was attending chiropractic school. They married and came to back to Kansas where Donna became the family and consumer sciences agent in Barton County. John was a chiropractor in Great Bend for 32 years.&nbsp;“As an Extension agent, I do a lot of health and wellness and nutrition classes,” Donna said. “I like sharing my knowledge on health and wellness, and I love the people who come to learn.”&nbsp;She enjoys teaching Stay Strong, Stay Healthy workshops and has developed10 family and consumer sciences fact sheets focused on health and nutrition. She’s now teaching a sauerkraut making class.&nbsp;“I recently did a fact sheet on taking a new look at fermented foods,” Donna said. “I shared it at a national meeting. The folks at Iowa State called and want me to come present it there.”&nbsp;In 2017, Barton and Ellis counties joined together to form the Cottonwood district, and Donna became director. When county staffs join together as a new team, planning becomes especially important.&nbsp;Donna recognized the need for a staff planning retreat and had a creative idea about where to conduct it. “So many of our activities take place in Hays or Great Bend,” she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Why not go to the outlying communities? I thought it would be good to reach out to the smaller towns in our counties.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In the years since, the Cottonwood district has held its semiannual retreats in rural communities such as Hoisington, population 2,699; Ellinwood, population 2,131; Ellis, population 1,958; Claflin, population 645; and Catharine (including the surrounding area), population 113 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;“I reach out to the staff members who live in those areas and ask them to take the lead in planning those retreats,” Donna said. Such retreats typically involve a tour, meal, or fun activity plus a couple of hours of strategic program planning.&nbsp;“Our 4-H agent Michelle Beran lives near Claflin,” Donna said. “She arranged for us to meet at the library and then walk to the pizza parlor.”&nbsp;In Ellinwood, they learned about the Strengthsfinders program and toured the underground tunnels downtown. At Ellis, they visited a maker space.&nbsp;“Our office professional in Hays, Theresa Meis, lives near Catharine,” Donna said. “She arranged for us to meet there and tour her beautiful church, and we also tried painting barn quilts.”&nbsp;The retreat provides an opportunity for agents and staff to discuss program direction and practice staff development. “I always try to keep us focused on our mission statement,” Donna said. “At one meeting, I used Bill Snyder’s book on 16 goals for success and we shared how we could apply those to our work.”&nbsp;She also organizes a joint meeting of Extension program development committees in both counties. “We share a meal, go over shared topics, and then break into our program development committees,” she said.&nbsp;When your business or organization needs to conduct a staff retreat, where do you go?&nbsp;&nbsp;We’re thankful that Donna Krug and the K-State Research and Extension Cottonwood District chose to make a difference by reaching out to the smaller communities in their counties. As Donna said, “It validates that every community and every person is important.”&nbsp;And there’s more. Donna played a pivotal role in rerouting a national bicycle trail to her hometown of Great Bend.&nbsp;&nbsp;We’ll learn about that next week.&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Donna Krug, Cottonwood District 

By DOUG WILLIAMS <a href="https://www.growhays.com/">Grow Hays</a>

One of the comments I hear often is “we like our community just the way it is.” I understand that sentiment. We have a wonderful community with much to be thankful for, yet the reality is that staying the way we are is simply not an option.

Ellis County is a regional trade center drawing people from a wide area for shopping, entertainment, education, cultural activities and events, to name a few. Year after year our community ranks in the top three in pull factor among Kansas counties. This is an essential component in making Ellis County a great place to live and giving us the vibrant economy that we have. That being said, there are some realities that we need to consider as we look to the future and our ability to maintain the quality of life we currently have.

From 2010 to 2020 Ellis County population increased from 28,452 in 2010 to 28,934 in 2020, 482 people. This represents a .17 percent per year annual growth rate. Over that same period, our “trade area” experienced a 3.5 percent loss in population-over 3,500 people. Furthermore, the projections for future population trends in our trade area are bleak. Aging populations, automation of farming operations, and difficulty in retaining youth are all contributing to population loss. What this means for Ellis County is a shrinking population of people who shop, attend events, see health care professionals, go to school here, and the list goes on.

Shrinking population is never good for economic conditions in communities and it ultimately leads to business closures, shrinking tax bases, and increasing property taxes. As property values drop there are fewer resources to share in the costs. It also creates an environment where it is very difficult to attract new businesses and people to our community.

While this may sound like doom and gloom, we have been provided with an opportunity through of all things, the pandemic. People are fleeing urban areas in record numbers. Remote workers can work from virtually anywhere and millions are looking to relocate to places without the crowds, the traffic, and the high costs associated with urban life. If our community can resolve the primary challenges we face-those being affordable housing, childcare, antiquated school facilities-and attract a workforce, we can draw in our fair share of this highly desirable demographic.

In a recent interview, Karen Kimbrough, chief economist for LinkedIn, commented that pre-pandemic 1 in 67 of the millions of jobs posted on Linkedin were for remote workers. Today, that number has changed to 1 in 7. That is a stunning statistic! Today, job searchers have more flexibility than ever before as to how and where they work and live. Many are choosing to look for a better way of life in rural areas. We are already seeing this migration taking place in Ellis County. Consider this. Two years ago the local MLS had more than 100 homes available. Early this week, there were 9. Over that same time frame, apartment vacancy rates have hit historic lows and on-campus FHSU enrollment has declined. The only explanation for this combination is that we have had an influx of people and it will continue if we resolve the challenges before us.

The real question is: are we willing to make the investments in housing, schools, and childcare to make sure we take advantage of this unprecedented opportunity. I have great confidence that our community can, and will, do what we must to make sure that we “Grow to stay the same.”

Doug Williams is the executive director of Grow Hays.

By DOUG WILLIAMS <a href="https://www.growhays.com/">Grow Hays</a>One of the comments I hear often is “we like our community just the way it is.” I understand that sentiment. We have a wonderful community with much to be thankful for, yet the reality is that staying the way we are is simply not an option.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Ellis County is a regional trade center drawing people from a wide area for shopping, entertainment, education, cultural activities and events, to name a few. Year after year our community ranks in the top three in pull factor among Kansas counties. This is an essential component in making Ellis County a great place to live and giving us the vibrant economy that we have. That being said, there are some realities that we need to consider as we look to the future and our ability to maintain the quality of life we currently have.From 2010 to 2020 Ellis County population increased from 28,452 in 2010 to 28,934 in 2020, 482 people. This represents a .17 percent per year annual growth rate. Over that same period, our “trade area” experienced a 3.5 percent loss in population-over 3,500 people. Furthermore, the projections for future population trends in our trade area are bleak. Aging populations, automation of farming operations, and difficulty in retaining youth are all contributing to population loss. What this means for Ellis County is a shrinking population of people who shop, attend events, see health care professionals, go to school here, and the list goes on.Shrinking population is never good for economic conditions in communities and it ultimately leads to business closures, shrinking tax bases, and increasing property taxes. As property values drop there are fewer resources to share in the costs. It also creates an environment where it is very difficult to attract new businesses and people to our community.While this may sound like doom and gloom, we have been provided with an opportunity through of all things, the pandemic. People are fleeing urban areas in record numbers. Remote workers can work from virtually anywhere and millions are looking to relocate to places without the crowds, the traffic, and the high costs associated with urban life. If our community can resolve the primary challenges we face-those being affordable housing, childcare, antiquated school facilities-and attract a workforce, we can draw in our fair share of this highly desirable demographic.In a recent interview, Karen Kimbrough, chief economist for LinkedIn, commented that pre-pandemic 1 in 67 of the millions of jobs posted on Linkedin were for remote workers. Today, that number has changed to 1 in 7. That is a stunning statistic! Today, job searchers have more flexibility than ever before as to how and where they work and live. Many are choosing to look for a better way of life in rural areas. We are already seeing this migration taking place in Ellis County. Consider this. Two years ago the local MLS had more than 100 homes available. Early this week, there were 9. Over that same time frame, apartment vacancy rates have hit historic lows and on-campus FHSU enrollment has declined. The only explanation for this combination is that we have had an influx of people and it will continue if we resolve the challenges before us.The real question is: are we willing to make the investments in housing, schools, and childcare to make sure we take advantage of this unprecedented opportunity. I have great confidence that our community can, and will, do what we must to make sure that we “Grow to stay the same.”Doug Williams is the executive director of Grow Hays.

LETTER: Ellis County must grow to stay the same

Proposed legislation to allow state tax dollars for parents to send at risk students to private schools is a disaster trying to happen.

Enacting the Student Empowerment Act would shift the foundation of Kansas public education. If parents were allowed to claim the per-pupil base state aid and use it for private school tuition, textbooks and other educational expenses then private citizens could direct use of public tax dollars for their private desires.&nbsp;

Parents who see the SEA as an off ramp from declining statewide student achievement scores have little conception of what could happen if this ill-conceived legislation becomes law. While there are strong private schools in Kansas, the SEA would hinder K-12 education and violate three basic purposes of American public education.

The first is protection for free, public education. SEA, would set up a second school system and the state would pay to administer the program.&nbsp;

State funding this year is set at $4, 846 per student. High school tuition plus fees at private schools range from $9,000 to near $20,000. Families reaping the most benefits of the bill would be those who can afford tuition or are near that level. Per student funding could cover tuition at many private elementary schools although some charge as much as $10,000 per year. With SEA most families would need some supplemental out-of-pocket funds for private schooling.

Judging by similar programs in other states, Kansas management costs could run as much as $2 million per year; moreover, the state treasurer’s office predicts costs to implement the act at more than $1 million.&nbsp;

A second purpose of public schools is to provide equal opportunity for all students. Private schools, by definition, do not operate for the common good.&nbsp; Only those students chosen are admitted. Private schools are not required to undergo state accreditation or inform parents of data they collect.

A third purpose of public education is to bring together a diverse population of students and prepare them for democratic citizenship. Multiple private schools that teach numerous, dissimilar ideologies and religious beliefs may fulfill parents’ desires for their children’s education, but the public school is the single, significant force in American society inspiring respect for others, citizenship responsibilities and unity.

Parents receive countless, unreplicated research reports showing that students in private schools achieve at higher rates than public schools.&nbsp;

More conclusive research was conducted by Martin Carnoy of Stanford University who studied 25 years of research projects and found that voucher programs, which are nearly identical to the SEA, do not significantly improve test scores.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Brookings Institution compared voucher programs in Indiana and Louisiana using rigorous research designs. Data collected show private school students scored lower on reading and math compared to similar students in public schools.

Parents already have the right to be heard, the right to know what’s being taught, the right to protect their child’s privacy and the right to request opt-out of classes or services.&nbsp;&nbsp;

There is an enormous difference between parental rights and parental control of education tax dollars.&nbsp;

In a democracy, representatives of the public oversee public dollars, in this case the representatives are educators.

It is deeply disturbing that a vital safeguard of democracy might decline if education shifts from public to private institutions. The goal should be to improve public education, not weaken it.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593719779701.jpeg" alt="Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education." />
 <figcaption>Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education.</figcaption>
 </figure>Proposed legislation to allow state tax dollars for parents to send at risk students to private schools is a disaster trying to happen.Enacting the Student Empowerment Act would shift the foundation of Kansas public education. If parents were allowed to claim the per-pupil base state aid and use it for private school tuition, textbooks and other educational expenses then private citizens could direct use of public tax dollars for their private desires.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Parents who see the SEA as an off ramp from declining statewide student achievement scores have little conception of what could happen if this ill-conceived legislation becomes law. While there are strong private schools in Kansas, the SEA would hinder K-12 education and violate three basic purposes of American public education.The first is protection for free, public education. SEA, would set up a second school system and the state would pay to administer the program.&nbsp;State funding this year is set at $4, 846 per student. High school tuition plus fees at private schools range from $9,000 to near $20,000. Families reaping the most benefits of the bill would be those who can afford tuition or are near that level. Per student funding could cover tuition at many private elementary schools although some charge as much as $10,000 per year. With SEA most families would need some supplemental out-of-pocket funds for private schooling.Judging by similar programs in other states, Kansas management costs could run as much as $2 million per year; moreover, the state treasurer’s office predicts costs to implement the act at more than $1 million.&nbsp;A second purpose of public schools is to provide equal opportunity for all students. Private schools, by definition, do not operate for the common good.&nbsp; Only those students chosen are admitted. Private schools are not required to undergo state accreditation or inform parents of data they collect.A third purpose of public education is to bring together a diverse population of students and prepare them for democratic citizenship. Multiple private schools that teach numerous, dissimilar ideologies and religious beliefs may fulfill parents’ desires for their children’s education, but the public school is the single, significant force in American society inspiring respect for others, citizenship responsibilities and unity.Parents receive countless, unreplicated research reports showing that students in private schools achieve at higher rates than public schools.&nbsp;More conclusive research was conducted by Martin Carnoy of Stanford University who studied 25 years of research projects and found that voucher programs, which are nearly identical to the SEA, do not significantly improve test scores.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Brookings Institution compared voucher programs in Indiana and Louisiana using rigorous research designs. Data collected show private school students scored lower on reading and math compared to similar students in public schools.Parents already have the right to be heard, the right to know what’s being taught, the right to protect their child’s privacy and the right to request opt-out of classes or services.&nbsp;&nbsp;There is an enormous difference between parental rights and parental control of education tax dollars.&nbsp;In a democracy, representatives of the public oversee public dollars, in this case the representatives are educators.It is deeply disturbing that a vital safeguard of democracy might decline if education shifts from public to private institutions. The goal should be to improve public education, not weaken it.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Sending public funds to private schools would harm Kan.

TOPEKA February 11, 2022

On Tuesday, February 8, the House debated and passed House Substitute for Senate Bill 347. This bill is called the “Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion” Program, also referred to as APEX. This bill was needed to be passed in order for a major company to move into the state of Kansas that could produce 4,000 jobs.

This bill, which has been somewhat controversial, would provide tax incentives to qualified firms who agree to invest at least $1 billion in the state of Kansas within a five-year period. Please keep in mind that bill is a new economic development program and not a deal for one company.

This APEX bill will generate projects that have the potential to provide billions of dollars in ancillary economic benefits for the state. The House version requires a measured and prudent reduction of corporate taxes for all of Kansas corporations when an APEX project comes to Kansas. The reduction is a 0.5% one time for each such project.

This bill also promotes qualified suppliers where they can receive incentives as well. It also creates a $10 million matching fund for qualified firms to provide relocation incentives and help with expenses for employees who will move to Kansas and make Kansas their primary residence.

I voted “yes,” and the Senate debated and concurred on the bill that passed the House late Wednesday afternoon. Now that this legislation is law an offer will now be reaching out to the company.

The House Appropriations Committee was busy this week with budgets and bill hearings. The budgets that we heard were Kansas Lottery, Kansas Racing and Gaming, the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts, Office of the State Bank Commissioner, State Historical Society, Kansas Bureau of Investigations and many more. We also conducted two bill hearings this week. House Bill 2591 is a technical clean up bill that is needed for a bill that passed last year regarding the combination of funds for abandoned oil and gas wells in Kansas. We then worked HB 2591 on Thursday and passed it out of committee for a debate on the House floor. The second is House Bill 2541, which credits the docket and other fees to the state general fund instead of the Judicial Branch docket fee fund.

Aside from the APEX bill, there were other bills that we debated and passed on the House floor this week. Here are the details of those bills:

The House debated House Concurrent Resolution 5023 which states that the state of Kansas denounces instances of price gouging and market manipulation involving natural gas. It also states that it supports state efforts by the Office of the Attorney General and federal efforts by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to investigate increases in natural gas prices during the extreme cold weather event of February 2021.

We also debated House Bill 2473 which amends current law governing the composition of the Board of Trustees of the Douglas County Law Library.

The last bill that we debated this week is House Bill 2490 which makes changes to the Kansas Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) savings program. The state of Kansas must make changes to our current ABLE program to comply with federal rules that were put into place in November 2020. Due to these rule changes, we needed to alter our current program or we could find the Kansas program noncompliant and no longer a federally qualified program.

I voted in favor of the resolution and both bills.

After the Senate passed the override from the veto by Governor Kelly regarding the Congressional maps, the House then took the override to a vote. Since the new map has no population deviation, meaning that all four districts have the exact same population numbers, I voted to override the veto.

Anytime that one would like to participate and listen to the developments of committee hearings or discussion on the House floor, one can tune in by listening to the audio footage at www.kslegislature.org.

As always, if you have any concerns, feel free to contact me (785) 296-7672, follow on twitter at @waymaster4house, or email me at troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov. Please contact me regarding any issues and legislation that we are discussing during session.

It is a distinct honor to serve as your representative for the 109th Kansas House District and the state of Kansas. Please contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and questions. I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.

Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, is the Kansas House&nbsp;Appropriations Chairman and 109th District state representative which includes:

* Osborne, Russell, and Smith Counties * Barton County: Cities: Albert, Claflin, Galatia, Odin, Olmitz and Susank; Townships: Beaver, Cheyenne, Clarence, Cleveland, Fairview, Grant, Independent, Logan, Union, Walnut and Wheatland * Jewell County: Cities:Burr Oak, Esbon and Mankato; Townships: Athens,Browns Creek, Burr Oak, Calvin, Center,Erving, Esbon, Harrison, Highland, Holmwood, Ionia, Limestone, Odessa,Walnut and White Mound * Lincoln County: Cities: Lincoln Center(part) and Sylvan Grove; Townships: Battle Creek, Beaver(part), Cedron, Elkhorn(part), Golden Belt, Grant, Hanover, Highland, Indiana, Marion, Orange, Pleasant, Valley and Vesper * Rush County: Cities: Bison, Otis, Rush Center and Timken; Townships: Banner,Center,Garfield, Illinois, Lone Star, Pioneer and Pleasantdale

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633970422056.jpeg" alt="State Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, 109th District" />
 <figcaption>State Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, 109th District</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA February 11, 2022APEX BillOn Tuesday, February 8, the House debated and passed House Substitute for Senate Bill 347. This bill is called the “Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion” Program, also referred to as APEX. This bill was needed to be passed in order for a major company to move into the state of Kansas that could produce 4,000 jobs.This bill, which has been somewhat controversial, would provide tax incentives to qualified firms who agree to invest at least $1 billion in the state of Kansas within a five-year period. Please keep in mind that bill is a new economic development program and not a deal for one company.This APEX bill will generate projects that have the potential to provide billions of dollars in ancillary economic benefits for the state. The House version requires a measured and prudent reduction of corporate taxes for all of Kansas corporations when an APEX project comes to Kansas. The reduction is a 0.5% one time for each such project.This bill also promotes qualified suppliers where they can receive incentives as well. It also creates a $10 million matching fund for qualified firms to provide relocation incentives and help with expenses for employees who will move to Kansas and make Kansas their primary residence.I voted “yes,” and the Senate debated and concurred on the bill that passed the House late Wednesday afternoon. Now that this legislation is law an offer will now be reaching out to the company.Appropriations CommitteeThe House Appropriations Committee was busy this week with budgets and bill hearings. The budgets that we heard were Kansas Lottery, Kansas Racing and Gaming, the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts, Office of the State Bank Commissioner, State Historical Society, Kansas Bureau of Investigations and many more. We also conducted two bill hearings this week. House Bill 2591 is a technical clean up bill that is needed for a bill that passed last year regarding the combination of funds for abandoned oil and gas wells in Kansas. We then worked HB 2591 on Thursday and passed it out of committee for a debate on the House floor. The second is House Bill 2541, which credits the docket and other fees to the state general fund instead of the Judicial Branch docket fee fund.Bill Activity in the HouseAside from the APEX bill, there were other bills that we debated and passed on the House floor this week. Here are the details of those bills:The House debated House Concurrent Resolution 5023 which states that the state of Kansas denounces instances of price gouging and market manipulation involving natural gas. It also states that it supports state efforts by the Office of the Attorney General and federal efforts by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to investigate increases in natural gas prices during the extreme cold weather event of February 2021.We also debated House Bill 2473 which amends current law governing the composition of the Board of Trustees of the Douglas County Law Library.The last bill that we debated this week is House Bill 2490 which makes changes to the Kansas Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) savings program. The state of Kansas must make changes to our current ABLE program to comply with federal rules that were put into place in November 2020. Due to these rule changes, we needed to alter our current program or we could find the Kansas program noncompliant and no longer a federally qualified program.I voted in favor of the resolution and both bills.After the Senate passed the override from the veto by Governor Kelly regarding the Congressional maps, the House then took the override to a vote. Since the new map has no population deviation, meaning that all four districts have the exact same population numbers, I voted to override the veto.Contact InformationAnytime that one would like to participate and listen to the developments of committee hearings or discussion on the House floor, one can tune in by listening to the audio footage at www.kslegislature.org.As always, if you have any concerns, feel free to contact me (785) 296-7672, follow on twitter at @waymaster4house, or email me at troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov. Please contact me regarding any issues and legislation that we are discussing during session.It is a distinct honor to serve as your representative for the 109th Kansas House District and the state of Kansas. Please contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and questions. I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, is the Kansas House&nbsp;Appropriations Chairman and 109th District state representative which includes: * Osborne, Russell, and Smith Counties * Barton County: Cities: Albert, Claflin, Galatia, Odin, Olmitz and Susank; Townships: Beaver, Cheyenne, Clarence, Cleveland, Fairview, Grant, Independent, Logan, Union, Walnut and Wheatland * Jewell County: Cities:Burr Oak, Esbon and Mankato; Townships: Athens,Browns Creek, Burr Oak, Calvin, Center,Erving, Esbon, Harrison, Highland, Holmwood, Ionia, Limestone, Odessa,Walnut and White Mound * Lincoln County: Cities: Lincoln Center(part) and Sylvan Grove; Townships: Battle Creek, Beaver(part), Cedron, Elkhorn(part), Golden Belt, Grant, Hanover, Highland, Indiana, Marion, Orange, Pleasant, Valley and Vesper * Rush County: Cities: Bison, Otis, Rush Center and Timken; Townships: Banner,Center,Garfield, Illinois, Lone Star, Pioneer and Pleasantdale

WAYMASTER: From the Dome to Home, Feb. 11

Fort Hays State University exists to improve lives. Every day, I witness our relentless focus on excellence and the unwavering resilience of my Fort Hays State colleagues. We work hard at supporting our students, faculty, and staff. We are responsible to one another and for one another. Together, we build a better world.

On Monday, Feb.&nbsp;7, we welcomed two new Tigers to Fort Hays State, ones who will join us in our journey to build a better world. It is my pleasure to introduce to the community the newest members of our senior leadership team: Wesley&nbsp;Wintch, vice president for Administration and Finance, and Ginger Williams, dean of Library Services.

Wesley is relocating from Valley City, North Dakota, where he and his family have lived for almost seven years. Wesley has been serving as the vice president for Business Affairs at Valley City State University. He and his wife, Natalie have three children: Daniel (a college student), Anne (a&nbsp;ninth-grader), and David (a fifth-grader).&nbsp;

Wesley likes to play basketball (although he claims he is not very good anymore – sounds like a challenge to me), piano, and guitar. He also likes dad jokes. I, too, love dad jokes and am a loyal follower of @Dadsaysjokes on Instagram.

Wesley said that he and his youngest son are excited about FHSU’s Sternberg Museum of Natural History.

“For certain, we are going to have to visit soon after we arrive,” Wesley said.&nbsp;

I know David will enjoy his visit to the museum, and I am betting he will want to enroll in some of Sternberg’s great summer camps. &nbsp;

“We are excited to move to Hays and become part of the community,” Wesley said. “It is my hope that I can join the FHSU team, learn a lot from my colleagues&nbsp;and also&nbsp;make a positive difference to the campus and larger Hays community. I was very impressed by the warmth I felt from the employees and students at FHSU and their passion for the campus.”

Wesley shared his start day with our new dean of Library Services. Ginger is relocating from Wichita, where she has served as the associate dean for Academic Engagement and Public Services for the University Libraries at Wichita State University. She was born and raised in Norman, Oklahoma.

After Ginger’s young sons finish their school year in Wichita, she be joined in Hays by her husband, Brent, and two energetic boys (second-grader Nigel and kindergartner Damian). Like Wesley, Brent likes dad jokes, basketball, and music.&nbsp;

Ginger and her husband are both musicians. Ginger plays viola and has played with professional symphonies in Georgia, Oklahoma, Florida, and Colorado. Brent has&nbsp;played all over the world with symphonies and his quartet,&nbsp;enhake,&nbsp;and has a DMA in violin. They have also played with rock bands at SXSW and the Troubadour (California). Brent is planning to start a studio to teach violin and viola lessons in Hays.

The Williams family will fit in well with their love for music and our love for the song “In Heaven There is No Beer,” as they are also homebrewers. They started brewing about 12 years ago.

Much like Wesley, Ginger said she felt welcomed at Fort Hays State from the start.

“I also was really impressed during my interview by how much the Fort Hays State folks loved the university,” she said. “I'm excited to get to know the library's needs and help shape its transformation during the upcoming renovation.”

I am very excited to welcome our newest senior leaders, Wesley and Ginger, and their families, to Fort Hays State University as well as to our wonderful Ellis&nbsp;County neighborhood. I know they will love our close-knit community, where people smile, and their welcome is genuine and inclusive.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575301942236.jpeg" alt="Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president</figcaption>
 </figure>Fort Hays State University exists to improve lives. Every day, I witness our relentless focus on excellence and the unwavering resilience of my Fort Hays State colleagues. We work hard at supporting our students, faculty, and staff. We are responsible to one another and for one another. Together, we build a better world.On Monday, Feb.&nbsp;7, we welcomed two new Tigers to Fort Hays State, ones who will join us in our journey to build a better world. It is my pleasure to introduce to the community the newest members of our senior leadership team: Wesley&nbsp;Wintch, vice president for Administration and Finance, and Ginger Williams, dean of Library Services.Wesley is relocating from Valley City, North Dakota, where he and his family have lived for almost seven years. Wesley has been serving as the vice president for Business Affairs at Valley City State University. He and his wife, Natalie have three children: Daniel (a college student), Anne (a&nbsp;ninth-grader), and David (a fifth-grader).&nbsp;Wesley likes to play basketball (although he claims he is not very good anymore – sounds like a challenge to me), piano, and guitar. He also likes dad jokes. I, too, love dad jokes and am a loyal follower of @Dadsaysjokes on Instagram.Wesley said that he and his youngest son are excited about FHSU’s Sternberg Museum of Natural History.“For certain, we are going to have to visit soon after we arrive,” Wesley said.&nbsp;I know David will enjoy his visit to the museum, and I am betting he will want to enroll in some of Sternberg’s great summer camps. &nbsp;“We are excited to move to Hays and become part of the community,” Wesley said. “It is my hope that I can join the FHSU team, learn a lot from my colleagues&nbsp;and also&nbsp;make a positive difference to the campus and larger Hays community. I was very impressed by the warmth I felt from the employees and students at FHSU and their passion for the campus.”Wesley shared his start day with our new dean of Library Services. Ginger is relocating from Wichita, where she has served as the associate dean for Academic Engagement and Public Services for the University Libraries at Wichita State University. She was born and raised in Norman, Oklahoma.After Ginger’s young sons finish their school year in Wichita, she be joined in Hays by her husband, Brent, and two energetic boys (second-grader Nigel and kindergartner Damian). Like Wesley, Brent likes dad jokes, basketball, and music.&nbsp;Ginger and her husband are both musicians. Ginger plays viola and has played with professional symphonies in Georgia, Oklahoma, Florida, and Colorado. Brent has&nbsp;played all over the world with symphonies and his quartet,&nbsp;enhake,&nbsp;and has a DMA in violin. They have also played with rock bands at SXSW and the Troubadour (California). Brent is planning to start a studio to teach violin and viola lessons in Hays.The Williams family will fit in well with their love for music and our love for the song “In Heaven There is No Beer,” as they are also homebrewers. They started brewing about 12 years ago.Much like Wesley, Ginger said she felt welcomed at Fort Hays State from the start.“I also was really impressed during my interview by how much the Fort Hays State folks loved the university,” she said. “I'm excited to get to know the library's needs and help shape its transformation during the upcoming renovation.”I am very excited to welcome our newest senior leaders, Wesley and Ginger, and their families, to Fort Hays State University as well as to our wonderful Ellis&nbsp;County neighborhood. I know they will love our close-knit community, where people smile, and their welcome is genuine and inclusive.

Opinion