It’s not quite like former Vice President Dick Cheney’s secret energy task force, but the lack of openness about who is helping craft Gov. Sam Brownback’s plan to reduce state income taxes is raising concerns. Kansas Secretary of Revenue Nick Jordan is spearheading the effort, but the meetings have been closed. When the Lawrence Journal-World asked Jordan’s office to provide names of those involved in the effort and other details, the office provided little information. The office did say that Arthur Laffer, one of the architects of President Ronald Reagan’s supply-side economics, is being paid $75,000 to consult on the project. In response to this secretive process, Senate President Steve Morris, R-Hugoton, is forming a bipartisan group, headed by Sen. Les Donovan, R-Wichita, to study possible tax changes and seek citizen input. As Morris said: “This isn’t something that should be done behind closed doors by a bunch of bureaucrats.”
It’s OK that Vice Mayor Lavonta Williams wants to hear what her constituents think about young people wearing pants or skirts that droop below their waists. But the Wichita City Council should not follow in the footsteps of Albany, Ga., which passed an ordinance banning saggy pants. The fashion fad is not the City Council’s problem to solve. Williams agrees. Meanwhile, young people should realize that, instead of looking cool, they are “lookin’ like a fool” with their pants on the ground.
Billionaire Warren Buffett responded to the recent call by Rep. Tim Huelskamp (in photo), R-Fowler, that Buffett release his tax returns, saying he’ll do so if Rupert Murdoch does. Murdoch chairs News Corp., whose Wall Street Journal also called for Buffett to show his returns. Buffett’s taxes have become a political issue since Buffett’s anecdote about his tax rate versus his secretary’s tax rate inspired President Obama to propose a “Buffett rule” taxing the wealthy more heavily. Huelskamp also has told Fox News he’ll produce his tax returns if Buffett does.
It’s not quite like former Vice President Dick Cheney’s secret energy task force, but the lack of openness about who is helping craft Gov. Sam Brownback’s plan to reduce state income taxes is raising concerns. Kansas Secretary of Revenue Nick Jordan is spearheading the effort, but the meetings have been closed. When the Lawrence Journal-World asked Jordan’s office to provide names of those involved in the effort and other details, the office provided little information. The office did say that Arthur Laffer, one of the architects of President Ronald Reagan’s supply-side economics, is being paid $75,000 to consult on the project. In response to this secretive process, Senate President Steve Morris, R-Hugoton, is forming a bipartisan group, headed by Sen. Les Donovan, R-Wichita, to study possible tax changes and seek citizen input. As Morris said: “This isn’t something that should be done behind closed doors by a bunch of bureaucrats.”
