On its face, Sedgwick County’s proposed 2007 budget does not look easy to cut, with its vital commitments to jail expansion, public safety, the aviation technical training center and low airfares. A tax increase would seem to be coming, if not this year, then next. But county commissioners are right to try to avoid the 12.2 percent property-tax hike that County Manager Bill Buchanan proposed Wednesday. That’s a lot for property owners to bear — especially business owners, and especially in light of the recent increases related to rising appraisals. For commissioners, the hard part will be to pare the budget further without breaking trust and shirking responsibilities. The situation also raises the pressure to secure state and federal funding for the tech center. And it’s fair for county officials to point to Topeka on this fiscal matter generally: If the state hadn’t balanced its budgets early in the decade by breaking its revenue-sharing commitments, local officials wouldn’t be so strapped for cash now.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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18 Comments
Time to make some hard decisions.
Why isn’t the tech training center for aviation companies being designed with their money involved? Have I missed something? County is footing the bills for the building on their own?
Jail expansion, sigh, too many criminals and more crimes putting people behind bars. I think jail is confiqured wrong and policy unsatisfying for the general good when the criminals get out.
Build more single jail cells and single time for individuals. Force prisoners to hear educational information, if they don’t want to do the homework by hand. No music, that’s a freedom in the beginning taken away. Just facts about life and data they don’t know. Piped in through speakers to every cell.
Less group time for months, if any for felony criminals. Repeat offenders should be upgraded to felony crimes for their continuing problems in society. More punishment taking freedoms away without physically damaging the criminal. Crimes in jail to other prisoners has to be stopped.
Less group time for all prisoners, jail should be a nearly solitary experience for the duration of their sentence. Unless they behave in jail and try to do the educational homework.
Expansion isn’t always the answer. Reducing people choosing jail should be the policy. The punishment is simply solitary confinement for months at a time for their crimes committed. Sentences could be shorter too because its more intensive.
For now, expand the jail but don’t pay for it long term. Get it paid for early. The County has future business oppurtunities, a facility to replace “dirt” events at the Coliseum, combining those events with a place so WSU can play football on the horizon. The County will own land where this facility would be but their money is needed in the bond plan financing. Star Bonds issued on land.
County EMS, fire stations and Sheriff requirements costs can’t hinder business in the future. The Downtown Arena isn’t designed to be “profitable” to help those costs.
Money made offsets tax increases on everyone. I don’t see the County needing to raise taxes participating in a new stadium.The city will participate without raising taxes. Investors will build the stadium. Wichita will have the facility to attract national events. The subsidy to the airport would be fixed by more people coming and going from Wichita by plane. Bringing college football teams and their fans could help end the airport subsidy. A casino could help too. The County should let us vote on it.
It’s why I believe the state of Kansas should have their stamp on the facility becuase its necessary to have in the borders to hold events. We’ll have NASCAR, this combined use Wichita facility, arena’s where ever they are to hold events.
Right now we don’t have that event fighter facility to compete with neighborhing states. The place just won’t be centered on success of WSU football. It will compete for the Big 12 Championship football game event in this regional market. It will do county “dirt” events much better.
Right now, that event skips Kansas completely is why its attractive. Wichita would then be a destination city if it holds a Chamionship event. The area hotels and amenities must be fun for fans coming to down. More business being done in the County helps their budget.
Actually Mrage. The Aviation Companies are dumping millions into the tech center. It’s going to cost about $40 million to build it. I believe the companies are going to chip in at least $10 million.
They’re doing their part.
“Why isn’t the tech training center for aviation companies being designed with their money involved? ”
Uh…because aviation companies provide jobs? If the city/county doesn’t do something, these companies will leave, just like all the other big employers have.
It’s really great that we have Mrage, who apparently knows things mere people don’t know, to tell us exactly what to do. Lord, save us from him and the other know-it-alls.
In the ten years I’ve lived in my house, the property taxes have more than doubled.
I know of apartments that rent for cheaper than what I pay every month in property taxes.
I’m going to have to sell and move primarly to avoid the tax load. I’ll probably move to Butler County where they don’t have an arena and a coliseum and a new arena and a stadium to fund.
Part of the rise in local taxes (not all but part) is a direct result of Bush’s cutting taxes for the rich and cutting funds for local programs.
His “tax breaks” were really a tax SHIFT to property taxes and sales taxes and state taxes.
Heh, nice cheap-shot, Kevin.
You don’t post under the name Original_Steve by any chance do you?
Oh yes, indeedy..let’s spend millions of tax dollars for a high tech training center..and then HOPE that the graduates stay in Wichita for a job? Is there any guarantee of that? No.
Lockheed builds planes in Ft. Worth. Boeing builds planes in Washington. Lockheed also has plants in Georgia, Alabama, Colorado, etc.
Any guarantees that once people are trained at a taxpayer financed facility they will STAY here and contribute to Wichita’s economy?
No. None. Nada. Sounds like someone (at a tech center) is going to make a pile of money at our expense.
Why do even need a tech training center? Don’t we already have WTI WSU and other places to learn these skills without spending Millions more.Low cost airfare There’s 5 million more in wasted spending since when is government funded corporate socialism a good economic sense?More jail-space, how much jail-space do they need, every time they build a new jail suddenly they need more space maybe less jail-time and more fines and community service would make more sense for petty criminals. Im sure there is plenty more wasteful spending that we dont even know about.
Thanks Kevin
I enjoy that comment, if I’m a know it all, we are in trouble like you can’t imagine yet.
I did miss aviation companies wanting to put money into the tech center somehow. Okay, but raptor is correct about workers trained might not stay in Wichita. Its like a college, no guarentee graduates stay to assist Wichita’s growth.
Something must done in the county to help aviation workers have some enjoyment in life after business hours, the county lacks facilities is the problem to enjoy events. Regionally Wichita falls behind other communities that way, its important.
Actually the people who will benefit from the training center will be employees who already work for the local aviation companies.
The companies will encourage and will pay their tuition to gain more skills and most will stay around here.
What prevents any of you guys who are naysayers from leaving?
Increase taxes and business will say goodbye from their new location – after they leave.
Break out your checkbooks.
(SIGH)
Joe…are you suggesting the “love it or leave it” mentality? I am not a naysayer, but I AM getting sick of back room deals that are making a very few people rich at taxpayer expense.
WATC used to have a fine A&P school. I went to WATC for Aircraft Instruments. But that ended when WATC ceased to be part of USD 259 and lost a lot of funding as a result. So they closed the aviation programs down.
I don’t know the complete details, but I think what happend with WATC is that the President or some other higher ups wanted to be seperate from the USD 259 for control purposes. Basically a power hungry thing.
Doesn’t serve any purpose to do that and they subjected a lot of potential techs out of getting the education they need with an afforadable tuition.
Now we are going to build a very expensive training center, ran by a private corporation that is going to cost us millions, when we used to have a training center already.
So I know this new training center deserves critisim.
Joe, it was probably because of Leftist Democrats.
The big aircraft companies talk and the county folds like a cheap suit. There is no reason to build a new facility. All we have to do is work with WSU and WATC. They have the staff (and can get more) and they have the facilities.
It appears that the aircraft companies want to control the school so they figure if they put a little of their money in then they should be able to control it and have a brand new facility. Get real county commissioners. You are not being reasonable here. Look at what you are doing and open up your ears.
NO NEW FACILITY! NO MORE TAX DOLLARS FOR PET PROJECTS!
“There is no reason to build a new facility. All we have to do is work with WSU and WATC.They have the staff (and can get more) and they have the facilities.”
That is a false statement, as anyone who has been around WSU and WATC would know.