Some GOP governors blasted health care reform last week, saying that it would result in crippling costs to states. But an analysis released last week by the Kansas Health Policy Authority concluded that the proposed reforms could save Kansas up to $50 million per year. The net savings would come in part from shifting some Kansans out of Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and into a private insurance market. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the reform bills could extend coverage to up to 240,000 uninsured Kansans.
Overall, Kansans seem to approve of how Republican Sens. Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts are doing in the Democratic-controlled Congress. In the latest SurveyUSA poll, co-sponsored by KWCH, Channel 12, Brownback had a 52 percent approval rating, up 4 percentage points from September, and 54 percent approved of the job Roberts is doing (equal to his September rating). Meanwhile, Democratic Gov. Mark Parkinson’s approval dropped from 53 to 44 percent in the same poll — suggesting that even if he had decided to run against Brownback next year in an effort to stay at Cedar Crest, Parkinson could face an uphill fight.
Good for Sedgwick County Commissioner Dave Unruh for continuing to question the wisdom of giving an out-of-state consulting firm another 18 months and $228,000 to do the work it has yet to do under an earlier 10-month, $124,616 contract — reduce the Sedgwick County Jail’s population by 25 percent. Jail overcrowding is a hard problem to fix, especially when so many inmates are in the jail for reasons the county can’t control. But if commissioners decide next month to give Justice Concepts Inc. another chance, they need to better explain to the public why this isn’t throwing good taxpayer money after bad.
“What we do as Kansans when we struggle is that we pull together and we work through our challenges. We don’t typically sue each other.” — Gov. Mark Parkinson, to KSN, Channel 3, calling a possible schools lawsuit unproductive
“When you’re half the budget and the budget goes to hell, you’ll get your share.” — Sen. Pete Brungardt, R-Salina, on the necessity of K-12 cuts
“What happened to the money and where did it go? We’ve given it away. That’s the short answer.” — Revenue Secretary Joan Wagnon, partly blaming tax breaks and incentives for the state’s fiscal problems
“Good luck to the Jayhawks. I say that having gone to the Duke Law School. Please don’t boo too loudly, because it will be misinterpreted.” — Former Clinton independent counsel Ken Starr, speaking at KU
