Month: January 2020

Letter to the editor

(Editor’s note: Rose Mulvany-Henry, newly elected member of the Board of Public Utilities, will take office on Wednesday, Jan. 8. The following is an open letter to Mulvany-Henry from her general election opponent, State Sen. David Haley, who lost the general election for the BPU at-large, position 3, seat by 37 votes.)

Dear editor,

With the nail-biting finish of November’s citywide general election decidedly in 2019’s rearview mirror (which asserted Rose Mulvany-Henry for BPU’s campaign bested David Haley for BPU’s campaign by a mere 37 votes; just ¼ of one percent of the 14,356 votes cast that were counted), many of us greet your new, never-before-elected service at BPU in 2020 with genuine optimism.

After all, six of us, including the one-term incumbent who was president of the Board of Public Utilities, vied in the at-large BPU August primary which resulted in my 1st place, your 2nd place and his 3rd place finishes. As you and I alone moved forward towards the general, an oft articulated awareness of public concerns for BPU’s policies and practices was regularly cited.

Your campaign, endorsed by a few of our fledgling primary opponents and generously funded by some of the same special interests that lost that incumbent in the primary, picked up major steam immediately. Bolstered too by public yard sign displays alongside a respected established candidate for another countywide office, the Mulvany-Henry campaign just ran a stellar race.

The muted Haley for BPU campaign had one mission alone; to provide one voice (ostensibly, my own) on the six-member board that’d put public concerns about BPU policies and practices back before the Board of Public Utilities. As a decades-long elected officeholder, I ran only on a well-established integrity for being ever accessible and of doing what I said I will once elected.

Constantly questioned, let me reiterate. Haley for BPU raised and spent less than $1,000. in both the primary and the general election. Though outspent 10-1 by your campaign, only low voter turnout, ironically 33 percent lower from precincts really needing a responsive voice before BPU’s syndicate, led to that 37-vote deficit and won the crucial race for you this time … instead.

Our campaigns expressed approaches to better, more transparent governance of the utility but differed. Mine, which I will continue to pursue in Topeka as a state senator, simply advocates comparing concerns and policies with opinions on other Kansas utilities issued by the Kansas Corporation Commission (kcc.ks.gov.) while yours purports to rely on internal drivers to change.

As you join the board, I for one take heart in believing you do hold the requisite skills, intellect and awareness to leverage influence on an established and entrenched machine; tone deaf to pleas for parity by the public due to senility, obliviousness and even corruption. Where so many others have understood, pledged, won and failed us, you, Rose Mulvany-Henry, can succeed.
Godspeed.

David Haley
35+ year ratepayer / consumer of the Kansas City, Kansas – Board of Public Utilities

Kansas Republicans in Congress support Trump decision on drone strike

by Tom Shine, Kansas News Service

Republican members of the Kansas Congressional delegation issued statements Friday supporting President Donald Trump’s decision to authorize a drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

Soleimani commanded Iran’s proxy forces in other Mideast countries. He was responsible for fighters in Syria backing President Bashar al-Assad and, officials say, for the deaths of American troops in Iraq.

Reps. Roger Marshall, Ron Estes and Steve Watkins all released statements in support of Trump, as did Sens. Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran.

Rep. Sharice Davids, the delegation’s lone Democrat, said she is concerned the attack will destabilize the region.

Rep. Roger Marshall, 1st District

“President Trump was completely and totally justified in carrying out this strike against General Soleimani, a terrorist and evil butcher responsible for the deaths of literally hundreds of Americans. This President is a decisive leader who puts America’s interests and her people first, not last. Instead of billions in cash payments, this administration will not bend the knee to thugs. Congratulations and thank you for a job well done to U.S. military personnel and the U.S. leadership team. America is safer today than yesterday.”

Rep. Steve Watkins, 2nd District

“From years spent in Iraq helping fight the War on Terror, I know the best way to deal with evil regimes like Iran and cruel men like Soleimani is a proportionate response and the reestablishment of deterrence. For years Iran did not see the United States as a credible threat because under President Obama — we weren’t. Now, we have a President who understands what so many service members know: actions run risks, but inaction returns more consequences in the long run.”

Rep. Sharice Davids, 3rd District

“Qassem Soleimani committed atrocious crimes against American troops and innocent people. But his killing will only serve to further destabilize an already dangerous region and put more American and civilian lives at risk. The American people deserve to know that this Administration has a strategy for how to deal with the aftermath of this major escalation. As someone who grew up in a military family, I know what it’s like to have those you care about serve overseas. My priority is ensuring this Administration has a plan to keep our service members, embassy personnel and U.S. citizens around the globe safe. I will continue to monitor and expect to be kept apprised of the situation, as is the responsibility of this Administration to Congress.”

Rep. Ron Estes, 4th District

“America and the world are undeniably better off without the terrorist Qassem Soleimani. I support President Trump, Secretary Pompeo and our armed forces for taking decisive action in response to Iran’s provocations of our national security, sending a strong message to anyone else seeking to harm Americans and our allies. I applaud this administration’s leadership and will continue to make sure our troops are prepared to respond to any threat around the world.”

Sen. Pat Roberts

“Qassem Soleimani was a brutal terrorist responsible for killing hundreds of our brave servicemen and women in the Middle East. I applaud the Trump Administration, the U.S. military and our intelligence community for taking action against the largest threat in the Middle East and protecting Americans overseas.”

Sen. Jerry Moran

“Qassem Soleimani was a perpetrator of death and directly responsible for thousands of deaths in the Middle East, including the lives of many American soldiers. This strike was based on intelligence indicating an imminent threat to American lives, and I applaud the work of our brave servicemembers and intelligence officers in carrying out this mission. The threat from Iran remains significant and it is imperative we ensure the safety of all Americans not just in Iraq, but in the Middle East and around the globe.”

Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished at no cost with proper attribution and a link back to kcur.org.
See more at https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-republicans-congress-support-trump-decision-drone-strike

Governor backs state debt reduction plan

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has announced details of a plan to stabilize the state budget and ensure long-term viability of the state employee pension system while protecting KPERS benefits.

Kansas accumulated a record level of debt under the previous administration, and the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) fund was shortchanged due to the failed tax policies of the past several years, according to a spokesman for the governor. The state skipped and greatly reduced its KPERS payments, which in turn caused the state’s annual contributions to KPERS to soar — a fiscal burden that is not sustainable moving forward, according to a statement from the governor.

The Kelly plan to restore fiscal responsibility includes paying over $500 million in debt off early and avoiding future principal and interest costs, according to the announcement. It will also include re-amortizing the legacy unfunded liability of the KPERS fund.

Re-amortization has been previously proposed by Republican state lawmakers to help ensure long-term viability of the state employee pension system.

“We must act decisively to meaningfully reduce state debt, rebuild the state savings account, and protect Kansas’ ability to pay its bills in the long term,” Gov. Kelly said in the statement.

Re-amortization — basically refinancing — will recalculate the annual payments required by the state, and greatly reduce the annual cost of KPERS while staying on track to fully fund KPERS. It’s a sound, fiscally prudent tool often used in other states, according to the governor’s office.

All retiree benefits of KPERS will remain safe and secure, and re-amortization will put Kansas in an even better position to protect retiree benefits by extending the timetable for covering the unfunded liability of the state pension system, according to the announcement.

“It’s important that we keep our promises to KPERS retirees,” Gov. Kelly said in the announcement. “KPERS re-amortization is a fiscally prudent way to ensure long-term stability of KPERS and the state budget.

“I’ve always said that no political party holds the monopoly on good ideas,” she said. “Key elements of my plan were initially offered by Republican leaders in the past, and after reviewing carefully, I concluded that their idea merits consideration. I look forward to working across the aisle in pursuit of our common goal to get Kansas’ fiscal house in order.”