Category: Opinions

District attorney calls for public defender

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Opinion

by Murrel Bland

Wyandotte County needs a public defender.

That was the message that District Attorney Mark Dupree delivered to members of the Congressional Forum Friday, Oct. 15, at Children’s Mercy Park. The Forum is a division of the Kansas City, Kansas, Area Chamber Commerce.

Dupree said three other more populous Kansas counties—Johnson, Shawnee and Douglas– have public defenders. He said it is important to have such an office because there can be a delay—sometimes up to two months–before a Wyandotte County defendant is assigned legal counsel by a district judge. That can be expensive as it costs $95 a day to keep a prisoner in jail.

In addition, Dupree said not having legal representative quickly could lead to wrongful prosecution; this could lead to compensation from taxpayer funds.

Dupree, who has been District Attorney since early 2017, said his office is focused on a four-point plan for making Wyandotte County safer:

  • Smart prosecution
  • Community prosecution unit
  • Fiscal responsibility
  • Youth investment

Dupree heads a staff of more than 60 persons. He said his office is in the process of digitizing files in his office going back some 70 years.

Dupree received a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Kansas at Lawrence. His law degree is from Washburn University, Topeka. He and his wife Shanelle are the parents of two sons and two daughters. Shanelle, who is also a lawyer, is the regional director of the Kansas Department of Children and Families.

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

Piper district prepares for future jobs

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Opinions

by Murrel Bland

In 2033, half of the jobs that are available aren’t in existence today. It will be most important for students to be prepared to meet the challenge of these jobs.

That was the message from Dr. Jessica Dain, superintendent of the Piper School District, who was the keynote speaker at the Annual Membership Meeting of Business West Wednesday, Oct. 13 at Rowe Ridge Vineyard and Winery in the Piper community. A voluntary committee from the Piper community created a strategic plan so that students would have a competitive edge.

Dr. Dain said this plan has an emphasis on critical thinking and problem solving, cross-cultural skills, self-reliance, communication skills, social and emotional well-being and creativity and innovation.

Dr. Dain said a program of academies starts in the eighth grade. Students are exposed to various areas of business including design, production and repair, entrepreneurship, fine arts, aeronautics, digital communication and graphic design, animal and plant science, health and life sciences, public services and information technology. Internships at area businesses are an important part of this program. A plurality of students has expressed an interest in entrepreneurship.

Dr. Dain came to the Piper School District about two years ago from the Olathe School District where she was an assistant superintendent. She received her bachelor and master’s degrees from Emporia State University and a doctorate from St. Louis University. She and her husband, Dr. Todd Dain, are the parents of two daughters and a son.

The Piper District can trace its history to 1920 when it opened with 65 students. Today it has more than 2,500 students. The district plans to seek a bond issue next January to meet growing student enrollment.

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

Bank account monitoring proposal draws opposition

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by Murrel Bland

The Kansas City, Kansas, Area Chamber of Commerce is preparing its annual Legislative Agenda — something that traditionally takes a few months. (Its Legislative Committee met Friday, Oct. 8, via Zoom.)

But a proposal that would let the IRS monitor the inflow and outflow of money from bank accounts has caused the chamber to move much more quickly. The issue is the proposal that would allow the IRS the power to monitor individual and business accounts with transactions of $600 or more.

Craig Gaffney, a former Chamber of Commerce chairman of the board and a senior officer with Country Club Bank, urged the chamber to oppose the IRS proposal. The chamber’s Board of Directors would need to approve any such issue.

Gaffney said the proposal would force financial institutions to hire additional employees.

Gaffney cited an editorial published Oct. 4 in The Wall Street Journal. The editorial said the proposal is part of President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion spending bill. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen says the proposal will help catch tax cheats; yet there is little or no evidence that the plan will work.

There is also concern that the proposal is a very serious invasion of privacy. Critics say the reporting would be a dragnet on regular taxpayers, not a target on the rich, according to an article in marketwatch.com.

Trade associations including the American Bankers Association, the Kansas Bankers Association and the Community Bankers Association of Kansas have opposed the IRS proposal.

Once the chamber has prepared its resolution, it will be forwarded to U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids (D-3rd Dist.)

Murrel Bland is the former editor of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press. He is the executive director of Business West.
Opinions expressed here are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the publication.