Month: February 2019

Legislative update from Rep. Pam Curtis, D-32nd Dist.

Rep. Pam Curtis

by Rep. Pam Curtis

It was great to see so many visitors this week who braved the weather to attend various activities, meetings, and events in Topeka and at the Capitol.

The Tuesday Lunch and Learn for the Wyandotte County and Leavenworth County Delegation included a very informative presentation from Goodwill. We appreciated the opportunity to learn more about Goodwill, the partnerships they are building and the work they are doing for the betterment of our communities particularly in the area of workforce development.

There was a great turnout for the annual AFL-CIO barbecue on Tuesday evening. It was my pleasure to join Gov. Laura Kelly, Lt. Gov. Lynn Rogers and members of the Kansas Legislature for this annual gathering with members of organized labor. These events provide an opportunity for lawmakers to listen and discuss matters before the Kansas Legislature.

On Wednesday, Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Lawton Nuss delivered the State of the Judiciary Address. In his address, the chief justice emphasized the importance to invest in judicial pay to maintain the quality our citizens deserve. An estimated 25 to 30 percent of our judicial employees work a second job and as Chief Justice Nuss stated: “For our 167 district court judges, in pay, they now rank dead last.” He also spoke about the efficiencies in the judicial branch that have been realized with electronic filing, 24-hour access to court information and job-sharing capabilities.

This week tourism professionals from around the state were in Topeka for the annual TIAK events. It was a lot of fun attending the Destination Statehouse Legislative Reception where various tourism organizations showcase attractions in Kansas as well as provide information about the economic impact of tourism in Kansas. Bridgette Jobe and her team from the KCK CVB participated in the event – it is always special to see people from home when we are in Topeka.

It is a special honor to serve as your state representative. I value and appreciate your input on issues facing state government. Please feel free to contact me with your comments and questions. My office address at the Statehouse is: Room 452-S, 300 SW 10th, Topeka, KS 66612. You can reach me at 785-296-7430 or call the legislative hotline at 1-800-432-3924 to leave a message for me. You can also email me at [email protected]

Celebrating Native American Day at the Capitol

In honor of Native America Day at the Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 7, Rep. Ponka-We Victors introduced guests from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation to members of the Kansas Legislature.

Since 2013, the first Wednesday of every February is designated as Native American Legislative Day at the Capitol. The guests were able to hear two bills being worked pertaining to tribal issues – recognition of tribal court judgments, and a bill in House Federal and State Affairs committee to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples day.

They testified that because Columbus never made it to continental North America, or Kansas, that the day should be used as an opportunity to celebrate Indigenous peoples’ rich history and deep contributions to our state. It would also serve as an educational opportunity and strengthen the relationship between State and tribal governments.

Non-discrimination bill

On Monday, Feb. 4, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers introduced a proposal to ban discrimination against LGBTQ individuals. Kansas employers would add sexual orientation and gender identity as a protected class in state law- prohibiting on-the-job discrimination.

It also broadens the scope to include housing and public accommodations. Currently, the House bill has 36 sponsors and the Senate version has 17 co-sponsors. In addition to keeping with civil rights, it also will attract businesses as some have previously blacklisted Kansas because of our previous discriminatory laws.

Gov. Laura Kelly reinstated the executive order to protect LGBTQ Kansans on her first day in office. If the legislation passes, the protections would be established in Kansas law and not an order that can simply be rescinded.

The Brownback tax plan returns

On Thursday, Feb. 7, the Senate voted 26-14 to pass Senate Bill 22. This bill provides an estimated $154 million in tax breaks to giant multinational corporations.

At a minimum, this bill is estimated to cost Kansas $191 million, however, estimates could be much more. This would take more money out of our state, local economies, and Kansan’s pockets.

This is a repeat of the failed Brownback tax plan that was repealed less than two years ago. House Democrats reject any legislation that doesn’t put Kansas on a path to fiscal responsibility and that will harm hardworking Kansans. We’ve only just begun to stabilize our economy after the failed Brownback tax plan and cannot go backwards.

This week on the floor
 This week, the House worked several bills on the floor. All of these bills passed through the chamber. They are as follows:
HB 2001: This bill extends the sunset date for remediation linked deposit loan program, the remediation reimbursement program, and the Kansas agricultural remediation fund. It also amends the annual assessment rates.
HB 2038: This bill revokes spousal inheritance rights upon divorce.
HB 2039: This bill extends recognition of tribal court judgments pursuant to supreme court rules.
HB 2033: This bill provides sales tax authority for Dickinson, Russell and Thomas counties.
HB 2034: This bill enacted the supported decision-making agreements act to provide a statutory framework for adults who want decision-making assistance.

Resources
My Legislative Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/PamCurtisKCK.
My Twitter account, https://twitter.com/pcurtiskck
My website, https://www.curtisforkck.com/
Kansas Legislature website, http://kslegislature.org/

Downtown KCK grocery store to be on city planning agenda tonight

The Unified Government has posted this drawing of the proposed grocery store for 5th and Minnesota Avenue.

A downtown Kansas City, Kansas, grocery store is on the agenda tonight of the Kansas City, Kansas, City Planning Commission.

The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 11, at the Commission Chambers, lobby level, City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas.

The item to come before the City Planning Commission tonight is conformation to the master plan for the downtown grocery store redevelopment district. The Unified Government staff has recommended approval of the item.

The grocery store would be located at 5th and Minnesota on the east side of a parking lot across from the Reardon Center, and it would be operated by the Merc, a Lawrence grocery. The Unified Government would build the store.

The downtown grocery redevelopment plan, contained in the agenda for the City Planning Commission meeting, says the 14,000-square-foot grocery store would have an anticipated cost of $6,697,946, and that project costs would be paid from incremental property tax revenues generated within project area 1, where the grocery store is located, and from other available UG funds.

The plan estimated that the tax increment financing would generate revenues of about $1.9 million from the project area.

According to the plan, only $882,693 of total project costs would be estimated to qualify under the TIF act as redevelopment project costs. The rest of the funding would have to come from other sources.

The plan stated that the UG anticipates funding the rest of the project costs from revenue sharing and lease payments made by the operator of the grocery store, from local sales tax revenues generated from the grocery store, financing obtained by the UG through the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, New Market tax credits and other available UG funds.

At the UG Economic Development and Finance Committee meeting on Feb. 4, the action to set a public hearing on the downtown grocery redevelopment district, project area 1, was pushed back another month. This had previously been delayed a month. The public hearing now might take place sometime in April, according to UG officials.

Katherine Carttar, Unified Government interim economic development director, explained at the meeting that there are different meetings currently underway on different aspects of this project. The design is on one path, while meetings on tax increment financing are on another path, she said.

Community meetings will focus on what products are inside the store and what people can purchase, according to the UG.

Carttar said at the meeting that thousands of community residents are receiving postcards about upcoming community meetings, scheduled Wednesday, Feb. 13, and Thursday, Feb. 21, at Memorial Hall. The meetings will be at noon and 5:30 p.m. each day. She said the Merc also is holding other listening sessions with different community groups.

Carttar said the UG has a special asset fund that came from the sale of the downtown hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn, that is located across the street from the proposed grocery store. While this money is available for the new grocery store, she said the UG wants to make sure it leverages funds so that more funds would be available for other projects in the area.

She said the UG has engaged Sunflower Development to help with a New Market tax credit program, which essentially will get investors to pay for projects in low-income areas.

Also, LISC of Kansas City has a pre-development fund that could be available for Wyandotte County, she said. Currently under discussion is a $1.2 million loan at a 3 percent interest rate, which would be a lower rate than issuing general obligation bonds, she said.

Commissioner Ann Brandau Murguia asked at the committee meeting if the grant money that was talked about with the former downtown healthy campus project is still available.

Kathleen VonAchen, UG chief financial officer, said at the meeting that a small portion of those grant funds was spent on preliminary expenses with that project, and then it was decided to return all the rest of those funds to the foundation when the decision was made to separate the grocery store project from the YMCA project.

The City Planning Commission agenda is online at

http://public.wycokck.org/sites/planning-agendas-minutes-staffreports/Agendas/February%202019%20CPC%20Agenda.pdf

Fire Department is recruiting for fire trainee program

The Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Department is currently recruiting for its fire trainee program.

According to Assistant Chief James “Morris” Letcher, fire trainees are like cadets.

The EMT classes at KCKCC are paid for and funded through the Unified Government, including book costs. They include Firefighter I and II positions, and EMT transitioning to paramedic.

Trainees are Wyandotte County residents who are 18 to 30 years old, go to school for three months and are paid $2,100 a month while in school, he said. Trainees will have to pass tests to advance.

Some of the trainee requirements are a high school diploma or GED; pass a written and agility test; vision with at least 20/100 correctable to 20/30; pass CVSA truth verification test and background; psychological assessment; and NFPA physical and drug screen.

The positions include paid holidays, vacations, medical, vision, retirement program, full-time, 40-hour week, and $2,100 monthly pay for the firefighter trainees.

The department’s next trainee program will start soon.

For more information, visit www.kckfd.org/index.php/careers/ or contact Assistant Chief Letcher at [email protected].