Month: April 2022

Rep. Davids backs attempt to lower gas prices

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist., continued her efforts Wednesday to get relief to Kansas residents by suspending the federal gas tax.

CEOs of oil and gas companies testified before Congress Wednesday, answering allegations of price gouging.

Rep. Davids has urged President Biden and Congress to move forward on long-term energy and inflation solutions, including fixing the supply chains, making more products in America, and investing in a clean energy economy.

Davids has been focused on lowering costs for Kansans, including gas prices:

• She urged her colleagues to investigate potential price gouging by oil and gas companies, who have made record profits despite rising gas prices.
• She introduced legislation to suspend the federal gas tax through the end of the year, saving Kansans 18 cents per gallon at a time when gas prices are reaching new highs.
• After voting for bipartisan sanctions against Russian oil, she called on President Biden to take immediate action to protect American consumers from uncertainty and rising prices during these extraordinary circumstances, including by temporarily suspending the federal gas tax.
• Following Rep. Davids’ calls to take action on rising gas prices last fall, President Biden released 50 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. He has now authorized the largest release in history, providing a bridge to increased supply.
• Rep. Davids remains committed to long-term energy and inflation solutions, urging the president to protect Kansans from being used for leverage by dictators in the future by investing in renewable and alternative fuels—a position shared by former Navy Secretary Ray Mabus.
• She met with the president and New Democrat Coalition leaders last week to continue pushing for bipartisan legislation to fix the supply chains and make more goods in America, not China.

  • Information from Rep. Davids’ office

Free tax preparation available

Free tax preparation is available for those whose annual income is below $55,000.

Wyandotte County K-State Research and Extension is partnering with KCKCC to offer the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.


This year, the service is virtual because of COVID-19.

Volunteers are certified by IRS to provide free basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing to eligible individuals. VITA staff are trained and certified in completing the federal tax returns, and state tax returns.

They are trained in special tax credits, including Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Credit for the Elderly or Disabled.

Those whose household income qualifies may have their state and federal income tax returns completed and e-filed free of charge. The service is first-come, first-served.

Taxpayers should provide:
• Photo identification
• Social Security cards for every member of the household
• Their income information (such as their W-2s and 1099s)
• Last year’s tax return
• Their bank routing number and account number (to take advantage of direct deposit for any refunds). Bring your checkbook.
• Taxpayers must provide documentation of health insurance for every family member.
• Health insurance must meet the Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC) requirements of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
• Proof of MEC may be found on a Form 1095-C if insurance was obtained through a large employer, or
• On a Form 1095-B if insurance is purchased through a small employer, purchased on the open market, or provided through Medicare or Medicaid, or
• On a Marketplace Form 1095-A, if insurance was purchased through the ACA Marketplace.

The VITA tax preparation service goes through April 14. This year, interested taxpayers should call before they go there, as appointments may be required.

For more information about VITA and how to connect, visit https://www.wycokck.org/Engage-With-Us/Calendar-of-Events/2022-VITA-Program

Call 913-299-9300, Ext 106, or see https://www.kckcc.edu/community/volunteer-income-tax-assistance-vita.html.

Other VITA resources are at https://www.elcentroinc.com/economic-empowerment/tax-assistance/

See AARP Tax-Aide locations at
https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/aarp_taxaide/locations.html?cmp=FDN-LOCATOR-BTN-LINK-2022
.

Kansas direct care workers, supervisors to receive $51 million bonus pay

by Noah Taborda, Kansas Reflector

Topeka — Gov. Laura Kelly announced Wednesday an infusion of $51 million for approximately 24,000 Medicaid home and community-based service workers across the state.

Provider agencies will receive a payment based on the number of direct care workers and immediate supervisors employed. All funds would go directly to the workers and supervisors, up to $2,000 per person.

Kelly tacked on an additional $1,500 bonus per staff member recruited to incentivize and bring more direct support workers to the field.

“Our direct care workers have worked tirelessly to provide exceptional care to vulnerable Kansans during the pandemic and beyond,” she said. “We recognize the hard work direct care workers do, and we’ll build on this opportunity as an incentive to recruit and retain qualified staff.”

The Kansas Department for Aging and Disabilities and the Department of Health and Environment will administer the distribution of funding with the intent of improving access to services and increasing capacity for Kansans. There will be a focus on those with disabilities and behavioral health challenges and ensuring they retain access to direct support workers and optimal levels of staffing.

The payments will be funded through the federal American Rescue Plan Act, signed in March 2021 to provide increased funding for Medicaid services through a one-year 10% increase in the state’s Federal Medical Assistance Percentages. These percentages are used to determine the federally matched funds allocated to the state annually for expenditures on social services.

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/briefs/kansas-direct-care-workers-supervisors-to-receive-51-million-bonus-pay/.