Daily Archives: Jan. 28, 2007

Open thread

Jan. 28, 20071:04 a.m.

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Open thread | Comments (69)

Locals rewriting concealed-carry?

Jan. 28, 20071:03 a.m.

Even before Kansas had a concealed-carry law, the 2005 Legislature tried to ensure that locals couldn’t restrict gun rights more tightly than the state. Now, though, some cities are putting their own spin on concealed-carry, following the League of Kansas Municipalities’ view that cities, like other property owners, can opt not to allow concealed handguns in their workplaces and on their property. Wichita “makes the carrying of a concealed weapon by any of its nonpolice employees while in the course of city duties a violation, continuing the long-standing city policy,” according to its legal department. And Hutchinson decided to bar concealed handguns in city-owned buildings or parks. Not surprisingly, all this municipal second-guessing has state Sen. Phil Journey, R-Haysville, promising more legislative action. “It sets hundreds of legal traps for permit holders across the state,” he told The Eagle editorial board.
Meanwhile, concealed-carry supporters are pointing to a recent robbery attempt of a Topeka convenience store that was thwarted by an Oklahoma permit holder as evidence of the law’s positive impact.
Posted by Rhonda Holman

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Current Affairs | Comments (107)

Moving beyond Bush’s energy speech

Jan. 28, 20071:02 a.m.

On energy and climate change, President Bush’s team hinted at bold proposals in the State of the Union Speech. They didn’t materialize.
The president emphasized developing fuel alternatives such as ethanol, but noticeably missing was what many in industry and business see as inevitable: mandatory caps on carbon emissions.
A Wall Street Journal front-page article reported that many utilities see the writing on the wall in Congress for some kind of “cap and trade” carbon emissions system and want to be at the table for the regulatory overhaul.
Look for Congress to lead on this issue this year — Bush continues to follow events, not lead them.
Posted by Randy Scholfield

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under President Bush | Comments (105)

Does U.S. farm policy need to change?

Jan. 28, 20071:01 a.m.

We asked some stakeholders to give us their thoughts on the upcoming farm bill debate. Their short responses are on today’s Opinion pages. For example, Jim French, a Reno County farmer and rancher, and lead organizer for Oxfam America’s farm bill campaign, argues that “current crop subsidies have actually contributed to farm consolidation, rural decline and economic stagnation while distorting international markets and hurting our global trade interests.” Larry Steckline of Mid-America Ag Network/KSN, Channel 3, argues that “tweaking and not a major rewrite of the 2002 farm bill will result in a 2007 farm bill to meet the needs of Midwestern farmers.”
Posted by Phillip Brownlee

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under U.S. politics | Comments (7)

Shouldn’t a $632 million tax cut be hard to miss?

Jan. 28, 20071:00 a.m.

State lawmakers last week learned that in a Kansas Chamber of Commerce survey of 300 business owners and leaders, a startling 46 percent overall and 32 percent of those in manufacturing said they were unaware that the state eliminated the property tax on new business equipment and machinery last year. Yet 31 percent of those surveyed cited too much taxation as a prime concern. The good news: 77 percent of the businesses that knew about the tax cut said it had encouraged new investment. For one, as Gov. Kathleen Sebelius noted in her State of the State speech: General Motors is making a $200 million investment in its Fairfax plant in Kansas City, Kan., “thanks in large part to the elimination of this tax.”
Maybe business owners are too busy running their businesses to keep up with business news.
Posted by Rhonda Holman

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Kansas government | Comments (14)