“Wealth may be an excellent thing for it means power, and it means leisure, it means liberty”
James Russell Lowe
“Can anybody remember when the times were not tough and money scarce?” Ralph Waldo Emerson
As you all know the Kansas Legislature is on Spring break and are scheduled to return as the full body on April 28th, . The return is officially termed “Veto Session” and is used to do the final wrap-up of legislation and if desired to call for votes to override any governor veto.
In times past the wrap-up session lasted only a few days, this year we have about 14 days left of our authorized 90-day session. The majority of our time will be spent on “trailer bills” and in completing the operating budget so the state can conduct its business.
We did have some good news in that for the first time since November 2009 the state revenues were actually up in sales tax and personal income tax receipts. This time of year those that owe personal income tax are normally paying the balance of taxes they owe on their income. More importantly the sales tax receipts show that things are being purchased and that is good news!
For those of you that are experiencing difficulty getting through to the Department of Labor for unemployment insurance claims, the agency reports that they have initiated various ways to improve the customer service.
In February they initiated the Questions from Claimants podcast series. The podcasts are short audio clips designed to help claimants understand different aspects of the unemployment insurance program. Each week they release a new episode and they can be accessed on their Web site, www.GetKansasBenefits.com, and can be downloaded so you can listen to them at your convenience.
The backlog of those calling the hotline was a cause of concern and many of you reported delays in getting through to the agency. I personally intervened on the behalf of several dozen of you and as far as I know all issues have been addressed. In mid January, the average number of calls they were handling each day was around 1,300. For the week ending March 20, the average has climbed to close to 1,800.
Just so you know before you call you should have all pertinent information at hand, such as date of employment, name of employer with contact information, date of termination, and etc. Remember to keep good notes on the date and time you attempted to make contact, and when you get through make sure you get the name and contact information of whom you spoke with. You should provide a couple of ways you can be contacted. I cannot overstate the importance of accurate note taking.
In early March the DOL added a page to their Web site that helps individuals report instances of suspected fraud on the part of claimants or employers; www.dol.ks.gov/fraud/fraud.html. From this site, individuals can find information on what constitutes fraud in the unemployment insurance program and how to report fraud by phone, mail or e-mail.
There were a wide variety of bills introduced this past session and last week I provided you with a partial list of those bills that became law. Several reported back that you thought that update was boring and you would rather I spend less time providing a long list of legislation. The overwhelming support is the fact I provide them to you in common language and leave the legal language out.
We considered legislation about; water-rights, laboratory equipment, dairy operations, reservoir maintenance, employment security law, State University Surplus Property disposal, debit card, funeral directors, pre-planned funerals, smoking ban, addiction counseling licenses, automobile insurance, courthouse operations, court fees, parole services, drug code Recodification and electronic citations.
We cover every part of your life in our legislation and although we cannot make you all happy on every issue, we do listen to you and I do appreciate hearing from you, thus very little in the way of legislative history today. I report you decide.
I have several files dedicated to constitutent mail and other communications. Many have offered opinions on how to solve the state financial woes and I sometimes have a hard time deciding what is the proper course of action. I will receive a letter demanding “NO MORE TAXES” and along with it a recommendation to add 1 cent to our sales tax. I also hear about smoking, no-smoking, individual rights, personal issues and elimination of duplication of services.
The budget will be written; the solution will certainly make some upset, make others very happy, and the decision must be made by a dedicated group of 125 house members and 40 senators, which represent 2.7 million Kansans. Come up and watch us if you like, bring a sleeping bag or no-doze.
I have had a great time being host for those that chose to come and serve as a house page, job shadow for a day, or just drop in for an office visit. You and your ideas are always welcome, of course like most things the manner in which they are presented makes all the difference in how the recommendations are accepted.
In the next couple of updates I will provide several scenarios that are being contemplated to help with our budget for FY 2011. Remember before getting yourself all worked up with rumors you have heard from your sister-in-laws 2d cousin’s step brother’s aunt who heard it at the beauty shop from a sales person who had personal contact with a reporter from a newspaper and although they did not remember the name or exactly when they heard the facts, he was sure it was true, it probably isn’t.
I consider it an honor and privilege to be your Representative in Topeka and I want to know what you think.
Rep. John C. Grange
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