Category: Opinions

Former newspaper colleague remembered

by Murrel Bland

I first met Bob Sigman in 1964 when I went to work for The Kansas City Star. I was one of a group of journalism rookies who was fresh out of college. Bob became the newspaper’s Jefferson City correspondent in 1965. He was an excellent writer, highly respected among his peers and a professional that youngsters like me tried to emulate.

I was saddened to read that Bob died Aug. 11 after being diagnosed with cancer. He was 88. I had last seen Bob last spring at the annual meeting of the William Allen White Board of Trustees at the University of Kansas, Lawrence.

Bob became a member of The Star’s editorial board in 1971; Bob wrote many of the editorials concerning Wyandotte County. He also was a staunch advocate for open government and the First Amendment. I recall working with Bob on such issues when I was active with the Kansas Press Association. I also recall attending a workshop for editorial writers in Wichita with Bob.

Bob was recognized for his editorials with the Silver Gavel award from the American Bar Association and the Emery A. Brownell award from the National Legal Aid and Defender Association.

After retiring from The Star in 2001, he became opinion page editor for The Johnson County Sun. He won several awards from the Kansas Press Association for excellent editorials he wrote for The Star and The Sun.

Sigman was a past president of the Kansas City Press Club and was a board member at the time of his death.

Bob was born in rural Johnson County on Nov. 28, 1927. His parents were Ernest and Edith Sigman. Bob served in the U.S. Army in Korea. He graduated from KU in 1951 with a degree in journalism. He worked for a short time as a reporter for The Kansas City Kansan.

Bob married Frances Marie Watts on June 28, 1953. The couple lived in Leawood. She died in 1997.The couple had two daughters—Anne O’Brien of Silverdale, Wash., and Amy Sigman of Olympia, Wash.

A service for Robert Parker Sigman will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, at Unity Church, 10300 Antioch Road, Overland Park. His family has suggested that memorial contributions be made to Kansas City Public Television or the Robert P. Sigman Family Scholarship at KU.

Murrel Bland is the former editor of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press.

Saying goodbye to one of the Greatest Generation

Window on the West

by Mary Rupert

I was saddened last Tuesday, Aug. 11, at the news that my uncle, Bob Winsky Sr., had died. He was 93. Services were last weekend.

He was the oldest of three siblings who were born in Kansas City, Kan., to parents who were from Croatia, and he was the longest lived of the three. Survivors included his wife, Betty, and his son, Robert Winsky Jr.

Truly a member of the Greatest Generation, Uncle Bob served in the U.S. armed forces during World War II in the Philippines.

Growing up in a family where Croatian, the language of the old country, was often spoken at home, Uncle Bob graduated from Bishop Ward High School in 1939.

After the war, he started his own trucking company. He was able to attend college on the G.I. Bill, and he studied business at Rockhurst College, where he graduated in 1953. He was one of the hardest workers I have ever met.

He raised his family in a couple of different cities in the metropolitan area. He could be an authoritarian, and also the life of the party. He had an infectious laugh and loved to tell jokes, while being very serious at other times.

He was uniquely able to help send relief items to Croatia during a time of desperate need. He provided for the shipping, in the United States segment of the trip, of clothing and other items that had been donated by a company for an orphanage in Croatia. He was very generous in many other ways, as well. He will be missed.

To reach Mary Rupert, editor, email [email protected].

Unified Government, state budgets considered

Views

by Murrel Bland

Budgets—both local and state—were the topics at the Legislative Committee meeting at the Chamber of Commerce office Friday, Aug. 14.

Mike Taylor, a spokesman for the Unified Government, said the city and county governments were able to hold the tax rate at 82 mills for 2016—the same rate as it has been for 2015.

The good news is that the assessed valuation in Wyandotte County is finally seeing an increase—about 4.5 percent. What that should mean to a typical taxpayer will be that property taxes should not increase in 2016.

The Unified Government’s portion of a typical tax bill is about 49 percent. The Kansas City, Kan., School District is not increasing its mill rate; the Kansas City Kansas Community College is increasing its mill rate slightly.

Although property taxes should not increase for most people in Wyandotte County, it is significant that the Unified Government’s 2016 budget, in dollars, is $323,879,585 compared to $295,617,522 for 2015. That’s an increase of nearly $28 million or nearly 9 percent.

In defense of the proposed increase in spending is the Unified Government’s plan finally to spend in areas that have been neglected during the past several years including parks and recreation, capital equipment, buildings and public safety. All Unified Government employees will receive pay raises. Taylor also said that fund balances will be rebuilt, which should help the Unified Government’s bond rating—what it pays when it borrows money.

Greg Kindle, the president of the Wyandotte Economic Development Council, said that the increase in assessed valuation shows that various economic development activities are paying off with an increased tax base. He pointed to a report from the Mid America Regional Council that claims, for the first time ever, more than 100,000 persons are employed in Wyandotte County. That ranks Kansas City, Kan., as 28th among 339 of the largest U.S. cities in job growth at 4.3 percent. Kindle said he hopes that 2015 will see more than $1 billion in new business development.

The news about the state budget–at $14.6 billion–is not nearly as good. That budget took effect July 1 and is the largest in state history, thanks to a massive shift from income to sales tax. Consumers will pay 6.5 percent sales tax while more than 300,000 professionals will get a substantial tax decrease. The governor has said that this tax decrease should spur the state economy with increased employment. Critics say this is false economy that hurts the broad middle class and those who can least afford to pay for such necessities as food.

Cathy Damron, the lobbyist for the Kansas City, Kan., Area Chamber of Commerce, said many of the financial issues will still face the Legislature when it meets early next year.

This tax shift forced Gov. Sam Brownback to rob other funds to balance his budget. More than $400 million was taken from the Kansas Department of Transportation. That is bad public policy; transportation funds should be used to build and repair roads and not used to play political games.

And the unknown factor in state finances continues to be funding education. The Kansas Supreme Court has yet to rule on the latest school finance case. If the court rules in favor of the plaintiff, it could mean the Legislature would have to come up with more money for schools.

Murrel Bland is the former editor of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press. He is the executive director of Business West.