Month: January 2022

House Speaker Ryckman denounces Kansas governor on tax, spending, policy fronts

GOP leader eager for sales tax rate cut, Rainy Day Fund and pension investment

by Tim Carpenter, Kansas Reflector

Topeka — Kansas House Speaker Ron Ryckman’s rebuttal to the Democratic governor’s speech Tuesday highlighted the quest of Republicans to reduce the state’s sales tax rate, invest rather than spend one-time federal stimulus funding and create a Rainy Day Fund to help avoid tax hikes during economic fluctuations.

Ryckman, an Olathe Republican, said Kansans were weary of Gov. Laura Kelly’s inability to deliver meaningful tax cuts, savvy economic reform and consistent, steady leadership. Kelly addressed a joint session of the Kansas Legislature in the annual State of the State presentation.

“Many Kansans say they have grown tired of broken promises,” Ryckman said. “Listening to your concerns, your priorities, Republicans are focused on a different approach.”

He said the GOP-led Legislature would use the state’s tax revenue growth to responsibly reduce the 6.5% sales tax rate applicable to all purchases. The governor proposed elimination of the state’s sales tax on groceries.

The state government also needs to build a financial reserve fund capable of nimbly responding to inevitable revenue shortfalls, Ryckman said. The fund can help the state avoid tax hikes, he said.

Ryckman said the Legislature should invest federal stimulus funding in the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System, which has a long-term unfunded liability of $5 billion.

“Stabilize the KPERS retirement fund so that our teachers, our firefighters and other public employees know it will be there for them when they need it,” Ryckman said.

Ryckman said the state had a duty to “preserve the Kansas culture of life so that common sense protections like parental notification and safety requirements remain in place” to control access to abortion. He objected to Kelly’s opposition to proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution — on statewide ballots in August — declaring the Bill of Rights didn’t guarantee women bodily autonomy and a right to abortion.

He said Kansas government should improve delivery of mental health services so veterans, children and families. Kansas lawmakers must work to protect access to safe, reliable water for agricultural, industrial and residential consumption while also addressing contamination issues and declines in water supplies, the House speaker said.

Republicans, he said, pledged to keep the American dream alive in Kansas through clever economic decisions, lasting tax cuts instead of one-time handouts, and steady leadership.

He referenced Kelly’s veto of income, property and sales tax legislation approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature and her recommendation for a $250 tax rebate to more than 1 million Kansas taxpayers at a cost of $455 million.

In addition, Ryckman was critical of Kelly’s decision at outset of the pandemic to temporarily close some businesses, impose mask and social distancing mandates. He also faulted her for failing to thwart unemployment insurance fraud.

Kansas Reflector stories, www.kansasreflector.com, may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
See more at https://kansasreflector.com/2022/01/11/house-speaker-ron-ryckman-denounces-governor-on-tax-spending-policy-fronts-1/.

Quiet weather in forecast Wednesday and Thursday

There is a 31 percent chance that Wyandotte County will receive at least 2 inches of snow on Friday night and Saturday. There is a 66 percent chance that Wyandotte County will receive at least 1 inch of snow during the same period, the National Weather Service said. (National Weather Service graphic)

Quiet weather with above normal temperatures is in the forecast for Wednesday and Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

Accumulating snow will be more likely Friday night through midday Saturday, the weather service said.

The greatest potential for at least 2 inches of snow is to the north, near the St. Joseph, Missouri, area and north of Highway 36, according to the weather service.

Lesser amounts are more likely along and south of Interstate 70, the weather service said.

At this time, it appears that an inch or less of snow is in the Wyandotte County forecast. There is still uncertainty with storm track and timing, affecting potential snow amounts, according to the weather service.

Today, it will be mostly cloudy, then becoming sunny during the afternoon, with a high near 52, the weather service said. A south southwest wind of 5 to 10 mph will become west northwest in the afternoon, and winds may gust as high as 20 mph.

Tonight, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 34, according to the weather service, with a west southwest wind of 5 to 7 mph.

Thursday, it will be sunny, with a high near 52, the weather service said. A west wind of 5 to 13 mph will become north northwest in the afternoon, and winds may gust as high as 22 mph.

Thursday night, there will be increasing clouds, with a low around 30, according to the weather service. A north northwest wind of 5 mph will become light and variable.

Friday, there is a 30 percent chance of rain after noon, with a high near 43, the weather service said. An east southeast wind of 5 to 9 mph will gust as high as 18 mph. Less than a tenth of an inch of precipitation is in the forecast.

Friday night, there is a 70 percent chance of precipitation, with rain likely before 10 p.m., then snow and rain likely between 10 p.m. and midnight, followed by snow after midnight, according to the weather service. The low will be around 24. Between a quarter and half-inch of precipitation is possible.

Saturday, there is a 40 percent chance of snow before noon, the weather service said. The high will be near 31.

Saturday night, it will be mostly cloudy, with a low of 15, according to the weather service.

Sunday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 38, the weather service said.

Sunday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 23, according to the weather service.

Monday, Martin Luther King Day, it will be sunny with a high near 41, the weather service said.

Monday, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 26, according to the weather service.

Tuesday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 49, the weather service said.

KCK schools begin COVID testing program

The Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools have officially started a district COVID testing program.

Dr. Anna Stubblefield, superintendent, reported at the Tuesday night school board meeting that employees officially started COVID testing on Monday. Students returned to school from the winter break on Jan. 4.

The COVID tests are required for district employees who have not been fully vaccinated.

COVID case numbers have been spiking in Wyandotte County over the past week, and on Tuesday, the Health Department reported 478 new COVID cases since Monday.

Dr. Stubblefield said 70 percent of the school district’s employees have uploaded proof of vaccination. Volunteers also are required to have vaccinations or be tested.

The district’s testing providers currently offer a PCR test, but they have no access to a saliva COVID test until Feb. 1, as there is a nationwide shortage of tests, she said.

“We are asking those who need a test to be patient and work with us,” Dr. Stubblefield said. “We are working to find alternatives in the meantime.”

They also are asking staff, students and the community to show some grace with one another as things change, she said.

All staff and families have now received updated CDC guidance on changes in quarantine and isolation periods, she said.

On Tuesday night, the school board did not consider any changes to its testing policy or to its masking policy. Board policy requires a mask to be worn at all times on district property, Dr. Stubblefield said.

There are masks available for all staff members and students if they don’t have them, she said. Dr. Stubblefield also said the Unified Government Health Department has donated 24,000 KN95 masks to the school district, and the masks are available to staff use. They are not the correct size for students, and are not available to students, she added.

Dr. Stubblefield said they have had several questions about why the school district has not gone back to remote learning. She said remote learning is limited to 40 hours, according to a law passed by the Kansas Legislature. No district can provide more than 40 hours of remote learning for any student, unless there are extraordinary circumstances such as illness where they cannot attend in person, she said.

The school district has partnered with the Health Department and the Royals to “Strike Out Covid,” holding vaccination events at local schools.

One event was held on Monday at Grant Elementary School, where 116 children ages 5 to 11 received a first dose of the vaccine, and 57 a second dose, for a total of 173 vaccinations on Monday, she said.

The next vaccination event will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, at Gloria Willis Middle School, 1735 N. 64th Terrace, Kansas City, Kansas. The vaccinations will be for ages 5 to 11. Food trucks and giveaways will be available, while supplies last, for those who receive their first or second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Parents or guardians must be present.

Dr. Stubblefield said that so far, more than 1,000 individuals have received vaccinations through the district’s partnership with the Health Department.

The school board did not consider any changes to the COVID testing or masking policy at the Tuesday night meeting. The board did hear a community comment from David Seume asking the board to end the mask mandate in schools. He said mask-wearing is causing damage to students. He also said Mayor Tyrone Garner and the Unified Government Commission repealed the mask mandate in the community last month, so the KCK school board should address the mask mandate for students.

More vaccines and tests available


Free COVID tests and vaccines are available from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 12, at Oak Ridge Baptist Church, 9301 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas. The tests are through Vibrant Health. Appointments are not required.


The Unified Government’s Kmart facility at 7836 State is on a new schedule, and is open for testing from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

The Kmart facility is open for free vaccines from noon to 6 p.m. on Fridays. Walk-ins are welcome. For more information, see WycoVaccines.org.

Free COVID vaccines also are available by appointment only at the Health Department building at 6th and Ann Avenue from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Free COVID testing also is available from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays at the Kansas National Guard Armory, 18th and Ridge.

There also are vaccines and tests available at mobile events.

The vaccines.gov website shows some other vaccination sites open in Wyandotte County.

COVID case numbers

On Tuesday, the University of Kansas Health System reported 119 active COVID inpatients, the same as Monday, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control. Only 13 of the current 119 COVID inpatients are fully vaccinated. Two patients died since Monday, and the number of deaths in the first 10 days of January was 15. There were 23 COVID patients in the intensive care unit, an increase of five since Monday. Sixteen patients were on ventilators, an increase of three from Monday. Another 45 patients were hospitalized because of COVID but were out of the acute infection phase, an increase of two since Monday. There was a total of 164 COVID patients at the hospital, an increase of two from Monday.


On Tuesday, the Unified Government Health Department COVID information website reported 31,575 total cumulative COVID cases, an increase of 478 cases since Monday, and a cumulative total of 421 deaths, the same as Monday.

The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID information dashboard on Tuesday reported 228 daily new hospitalizations in the nine-county Kansas City area. There were 6,482 newly reported cases, and 18 newly reported deaths.