Month: August 2016

Kansas tax collections continue to miss projections

by KHI News Service

Kansas tax collections are starting the new budget year the same way they ended the last: down.

July receipts missed projections by $12.8 million despite revisions made just three months ago that lowered the revenue target for the year by $134.7 million.

Sales tax receipts were $10.8 million less than expected. Corporate taxes were down by $5.9 million. Individual income taxes beat the estimates, though only by $1.1 million.

“We are pleased to start the new fiscal year with positive individual income tax growth, but concerned with the continued weak corporate tax receipts, which many states in our region are experiencing. Sales tax receipts remain weak in counties with significant agriculture and oil economies,” Nick Jordan, secretary of the Kansas Department of Revenue, said in a news release Monday.

Democrats and some moderate Republicans say the income tax cuts pushed through by Gov. Sam Brownback in 2012 are the primary cause of the state’s ongoing budget problems.

They also are criticizing Department of Revenue officials for releasing the latest numbers after 5 p.m. Monday.

“I think this is being done on purpose because we must remember this is the eve of the primary election,” said Sen. Laura Kelly, of Topeka, the top Democrat on the Senate’s budget-writing committee.

A spokesperson for the agency said internal scheduling issues led to late release of the numbers.

— Stephen Koranda of Kansas Public Radio contributed to this story.

The nonprofit KHI News Service is an editorially independent initiative of the Kansas Health Institute and a partner in the Heartland Health Monitor reporting collaboration. All stories and photos may be republished at no cost with proper attribution and a link back to KHI.org when a story is reposted online.

– See more at http://www.khi.org/news/article/kansas-tax-collections-continue-to-miss-projections#sthash.NR0cCYNz.dpuf

Heat advisory in effect this afternoon

A heat advisory goes into effect at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2, and will continue until 8 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.

Hazardous heat returns to the area through Thursday, the weather service said.

Highs are expected to be in the mid to upper 90s with heat index values between 100 and 107, according to the weather service.

There is a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms today and Wednesday, but they are not expected to be severe or produce heavy rain, the weather service said.

Today, expect temperatures to reach a high near 97, with a heat index as high as 107, the weather service said. A west northwest wind of 6 to 10 mph will become south in the afternoon.

Tonight, there is a 20 percent chance of showers and storms, with a lot of 75, according to the weather service.

Wednesday, there is a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a high near 95, the weather service said. The heat index will be as high as 103. There will be a calm wind, becoming south 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon.

Wednesday night, the low will be around 76, with a south southeast wind of 7 mph, according to the weather service.

Thursday, the high will be near 96 with a south southwest wind of 6 to 10 mph, the weather service said.

Thursday night, the low will be around 75, according to the weather service.

Friday, there is a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, according to the weather service. The high will be near 90.

Candidates on the ballot for primary election Aug. 2

Voters will go to the polls from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2, to vote in the primary election.

To find out where you vote, visit the Voter View website at https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/VoterView/Home.do%3bjsessionid=kCezSOV8g-OVOrJMETmpTZ3eCCA7MSkfjtA_tOMK.prim-ksvoterview1, or visit http://www.wycovotes.org/.

Voters also may call the election commissioner’s office at 913-573-8500.

A candidate forum is on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCul-c8sQuNfAeHcvQnnxReA.

Candidates on the primary ballot will include:

U.S. Senate:
Republican:
Jerry Moran, incumbent, Republican, Hays.
D.J. Smith, Republican, Osawatomie.
Democrat:
Monique Singh, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.
Patrick Wiesner, Democrat, Lawrence.

U.S. House of Representatives, 3rd District:
Republicans:
Kevin Yoder, incumbent, Republican, Overland Park.
Greg Goode, Republican, Louisburg.

Democrats:
Reggie Marselus, Democrat, Lenexa.
Nathaniel McLaughlin, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.
Jay Sidie, Democrat, Mission Woods.

https://wyandotteonline.com/candidates-hold-widely-varying-views-in-3rd-district-u-s-house-contest/

https://wyandotteonline.com/two-federal-seats-on-ballot/

Kansas Senate, 4th District:
David Haley, incumbent, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.

Kansas Senate, 5th District:
Republican:
Steve Fitzgerald, incumbent, Republican, Leavenworth.
Democrats:
Bill Hutton, Democrat, Basehor.
Donald G. Terrien, Democrat, Lansing.
https://wyandotteonline.com/two-candidates-vie-for-democratic-nomination-for-5th-district-state-senate/

Kansas Senate, 6th District:
Pat Pettey, incumbent, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.

Kansas House of Representatives, 31st Dist.:
Louis E. Ruiz, incumbent, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.

Kansas House of Representatives, 32nd Dist.:
Pam Curtis, incumbent, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.

Kansas House of Representatives, 33rd Dist.:
Tom Burroughs, incumbent, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.

Kansas House of Representatives, 34th Dist.:
Valdenia Winn, incumbent, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.

Kansas House of Representatives, 35th Dist.:
Broderick Henderson, incumbent, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.
Kimberly L. Lampkin, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.

https://wyandotteonline.com/in-35th-district-primary-challenger-takes-on-21-year-incumbent/

Kansas House of Representatives, 36th Dist.:
Democrats:
Kathy Wolfe Moore, incumbent, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.
Gwendolyn S. Thomas, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.
https://wyandotteonline.com/incumbent-faces-challenge-in-36th-district-democratic-primary/

Republican:
Kevin Braun, Republican, Kansas City, Kan.

Kansas House of Representatives, 37th Dist.:
Stan Frownfelter, incumbent, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.

District Court Judge, 29th District, Division 1
Robert P. Burns, incumbent, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.

District Court Judge, 29th District, Division 2
Michael A. Russell, incumbent, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.

District Court Judge, 29th District, Division 7
Vicki Meyer, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.
Courtney Mikesic, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.

https://wyandotteonline.com/two-democrats-running-for-open-district-court-judge-position-in-division-7/

District Court Judge, 29th District, Division 8
R. Wayne Lampson, incumbent, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.

District Court Judge, 29th District, Division 9
Daniel Cahill, incumbent, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.

District Court Judge, 29th District, Division 13:
Renee S. Henry, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.
Tony Martinez, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.
Deryl W. Wynn, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.

https://wyandotteonline.com/three-candidates-running-for-district-court-judge-division-13/

District Court Judge, 29th District, Division 14:
Jennifer Orth Myers, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.

District Court Judge, 29th District, Division 16:
Constance M. Alvey, incumbent, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.

Wyandotte County District Attorney, 29th District
Jerome Gorman, incumbent, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.
Mark Dupree, Democrat, Kansas City, Kan.

https://wyandotteonline.com/campaign-heats-up-for-district-attorney-position/

Some Libertarian candidates have filed, who will not appear on the primary election ballot, but who will be on the general election ballot Nov. 8.