At a glance, Kansas appears to split taxes as a share of income more evenly than the national average. (See the Kansas fact sheet.) But low- and middle-income families are still seeing a greater percentage of their incomes go to the government than wealthy families.

Kansan families that make less than $19,000 a year pay about 9.2 percent of their income in taxes — the national average is 10.9 percent. More than 6 percent comes from sales and excise taxes and 3.5 percent comes from property taxes, the report shows. The richest families making more than $424,000 pay 7.1 percent of their incomes in taxes. Offset by federal deductions, the poorest pay the same share in taxes and the richest pay 5.9 percent in taxes — the national average is 5.2 percent. Ks Whopays Factsheet

The sadness came from council member Sue Schlapp: “I think we lost our focus someplace along here,” she said.

The plan evolved after The Lord’s Diner conducted studies that showed central-northeast Wichita had a population that likely includes many who can’t afford to feed their families every day. The nonprofit group, which feeds about 450 people a night at its downtown diner, began hunting for a second location months ago. It settled on the former Boys & Girls Club on the northeast corner of 21st Street and Grove. (See a map and street view of the intersection.)

But many around the location organized through neighborhood associations and said the move would conflict with investments the city and community have made to improve the 21st Street corridor. Much work remains — the area still has significant crime and blight.

Many said they don’t oppose the diner, they just want a less visible location. They said they felt lines of needy people who may have addictions could erode progress made on improving people’s perception of the area. Instead, they want more businesses and job training facilities.

Faced with such opposition, the Lord’s Diner announced Saturday that it was withdrawing its proposal.

Yet the hunger remains, council members, diner officials and those in opposition said.

“Today we turned our backs on those people,” Schlapp said. “And I am deeply sad.”

The disappointment came from council member Paul Gray.

“When it comes down to it, what did you really win?” he asked of some who had reportedly been celebrating the defeat of the diner proposal. “The kids that are hungry today will be hungry tomorrow.”

Gray said the building, which is valued at $150,000 and needs significant interior electrical work, will likely continue to decline and add to the blight in the area.

The diner had offered to pay market value for the building, fix it up, feed the hungry and not ask for any government assistance. Gray said he’ll have a hard time supporting any future proposals that ask for government subsidies. It’s unclear what may happen to the building next.

Lavonta Williams, who represents the district including 21st Street and Grove, said she heard a retaliatory tone in Gray’s voice, which Gray later said he didn’t intend.

Williams said the diner’s decision to pull its offer after community opposition was not a win-win for anyone.

“The winning part will be when we do take care of those who need these services,” she said. “And I have no doubt that will be done.”

She has pledged to meet with diner officials and others to find a solution.

The hope came from Mayor Carl Brewer who urged people in the community to keep meeting and to search for solutions to hunger with the same passion they had advocating for or opposing the diner.

Brewer, who grew up poor in that area of the city, said the diner proposal became one of the most complicated issues he has seen.

He said central northeast Wichita has to send a message by helping those in need without the diner’s help.

“It’s about helping people, helping the children and helping the community,” he said.

The diner’s withdrawal of its offer and the city’s vote to end the matter comes just a day after the Department of Agriculture reported that hunger nationwide has hit a 14-year high.

The report said the number of Americans that live in households that lacked consistent access to enough food reached 49 million.

So far, Brewer said one of the biggest messages he’s sending on Wichita’s behalf to President Obama’s representatives is that the aviation industry deserves the same government attention the ailing auto industry has gotten. He said that means providing tax breaks and other incentives to those buying planes. It also means federal funds to pay for training centers to not only train people how to work in aviation but to prepare them for work in similar fields when aviation companies layoff workers. That, he said, would also help Wichita diversify its economy. And, finally, he said he wants the federal government to do more to remove the negative stigma attached to corporate jets.

Asked how that message could be floated in the context of corporate executives getting fat cat bonuses even when stocks tank, he said that he understands that concern but also thinks people have to realize that those executives have valuable skill sets. “If you don’t keep them, somebody else will get them,” he said.

Mike Huckabee’s book signing is at 10:30 a.m. at Watermark Books & Cafe at the southwest corner of Douglas and Oliver. It’s the only Kansas stop on his 60-city tour. (See an interview with TIME magazine about his book tour.)

Huckabee is the former governor of Arkansas who has also been a pastor and is now a talk show host on Fox News Channel and ABC Radio Network.

Kansas was one of the eight states he captured in the 2008 presidential primaries. He took about 60 percent of the vote. He gave a roaring stump speech and played with his band in a hangar at Col. James Jabara Airport in February 2008 where he called himself a “Wal-Mart Republican” and signed hundreds of autographs after leaving the stage.

Wagle

State Sen. Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, plans to announce whether she’ll enter the expanding race for the 4th District Congressional seat today.

The announcement is at 2 p.m. at the Wichita Area Builders Association.

(Update: Wagle endorsed Mike Pompeo.)

After 7 years, the WaterWalk project still struggles to meet expectations

The Eagle’s Bill Wilson wrote today that:

Wichita city officials say they’re eager to see entrepreneur Jack DeBoer’s plans for WaterWalk, the embattled 7-year-old downtown development along the Arkansas River.

But they sent a message to DeBoer on Wednesday: There’s no more money available to help kick-start a mixed-use project bogged down from the beginning, first by city funding issues and more recently by the lack of credit available for business deals.

WaterWalk conceptual rendering

The big news circulating in City Hall today is the change in management at the WaterWalk. The slow-moving project with more than $36 million of you tax dollars invested is now under day-to-day control of Jack DeBoer’s Consolidated Holdings Inc.

The change is intended to speed up development. Whether that will turn the letters of intent project managers continually say they have in hand into reality is a big question. Sorry, no answers or predictions here. It’s too early to tell.

Of course, many things are to blame for the years that have passed without significant movement. The city bungled a deal to get Bass Pro Shops in, the site plan has undergone drastic changes from the days in which developers pitched a navigable waterway though the area, the Boathouse debacle, commercial lending dried up… and the reputation the project has garnered can’t help.

Meanwhile, the $1.5 million Waltzing Waters computerized water fountains that are supposed to give the project a Bellagio feel are gathering dust in a rather run-down building downtown. New plans approved by city council members a few months ago now put the fountains near the center of the site, which is now a parking lot. That was the fifth change in the project since the council approved the shopping, office and condo venture seven years ago.

What do you think should happen next?

Otherwise, council members Tuesday mostly voice support for an ambitious plan to turn about 420 acres of vacant city land into a sprawling park with a 215 acre lake. The plan is pretty complex. It involves a Cornejo & Sons-affiliated company mining tons of sand out to build the lake and extensive landscaping with the leftover top soil. Then it would be up to the city council to approve funding for roads, about 14 miles of trails, several large buildings, a cable system that tows waterskiers and wakeboarders and a swimming beach. Parks and Recreation Director Doug Kupper said it could cost $60 million to $100 million, depending on when things are built and how many donations/sponsorships they can secure from corporate partners.

(See conceptual renderings of the park.)

Mayor Carl Brewer and council members Janet Miller and Jeff Longwell gave the plan glowing remarks and support. All acknowledged the plan would probably have to happen in phases. Gray also said he likes the idea — despite the “grandiose” building designs. “I really do like this plan,” he said.

The park would be right next to the closed Brooks Landfill. Kupper said the city, state and consultants have done extensive research and found the landfill poses no environmental threat to the park plan.

Longwell

Wichita City Council member Jeff Longwell said he may try to table a planned Tuesday vote to support tax incentives for a proposed destination bowling center in west Wichita.

The move comes after confusion over whether the “Gordon Vadakin School of Bowling” is actually part of Jay Maxwell’s plan. Maxwell, an established Wichita developer, stressed to The Eagle last week that it’s only an idea and that he still needs to negotiate Vadakin’s involvement. Allen Bell, director of urban development, said that Vadakin asked the city to withdraw his name from publicity after it emerged in a story in Saturday’s Wichita Eagle. But, Bell said, developers still plan on a bowling training center of some kind.

Vadakin would be key to the project. That’s because Maxwell is seeking STAR bonds, which are rarely used sales tax incentives. The state would have to find the project is a major tourism draw that involves $50 million in development and would generate at least $50 million in sales. Vadakin, who coached Wichita State University’s bowling team to 14 national championships, seems to be one of the keys to becoming a regional attraction. But it’s unclear whether he’s agreed to the idea or even thought deeply about it. He couldn’t be reached for comment Friday or Monday evenings.

Bell said Maxwell’s group — Maize 54 LLC — included the Vadakin center in its business plan. It didn’t specify that the information should be private, so it was included on the city’s public agenda reports and posted online. It’s unlikely such information could be withheld anyway since developers have to show council members how their projects would qualify for STAR bonds. “It’s frankly one of the things that makes it a tourism destination,” Bell said Monday.

Bell said rigorous vetting of the project plan doesn’t begin until the city approves a resolution of support and sets a public hearing (tentatively set for Dec. 1). Then the city and state begin a thorough review of the project to see if it qualifies for tax breaks.