“ I feel about the airplane as much as I do in regard to fire. That is, I regret all the terrible damage caused by fire. But I think it good for the human race that someone discovered how to start fires, and that it is possible to put fire to a thousands of important uses.”
Orville Wright asked during WW11 if he ever regretted being involved in the invention of the airplane.
I continue to receive requests for assistance from constituents in regard to dealing with the various agencies. I am happy to help and for the most part the differences are resolved favorably. In some instances the ruling by the agency is justified and the regulating statute offers little chance for variance.
This of course gives us an opportunity to offer a statutory change during the upcoming session. Multiply my efforts by 164, which is the number of other legislators and you begin to get an idea of the magnitude of the possibilities for change. The agency, industry and Governor can also request statute changes.
The June 2010 Labor Report from Jim Garner Secretary of the Kansas Dept. of Labor was recently released. According to June 2010 estimates, despite overall job losses of 3,400 from May to June, private sector businesses in Kansas added 9,900 jobs over the month, a stronger-than-average growth rate. Most of June’s job losses were in the government sector, where job losses exceeded typical declines for this time of year.
Kansas businesses lost 10,100 jobs over-the-year, a 0.7 percent decrease. While jobs losses continue, the level of over-the-year job loss has steadily declined over the past six months. That would appear to be the good news.
The June 2010 unemployment rate was 6.5 percent, up from 6.4 percent in May 2010 and down from 7.2 percent in June of last year. Still better than last year!
The states largest private sector industries that reported gains are trade, transportation, and utilities. Other industries that reported gains include; construction, education, health services, mining and logging. Leisure and hospitality gained 1,900 jobs for a 1.7 percent increase. The majority of jobs in this area were in the arts and entertainment
Seven major industries reported statewide losses; the highest was reported in manufacturing, professional and business services and government.
There were 15,551 initial claims (Regular, Extended Benefits (EB) and Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) for unemployment benefits in June, down from 20,200 last May and down from 30,072 in June of last year. The July 2010 Labor Report will be released August 20.
The cost of funerals could be going up in the ear future. The Board of Mortuary Arts has increased their fees that will have a direct impact on the operating costs of funeral homes. I was amazed at all the possible places where fees could be increased.
A short list includes: Embalmers Endorsement Application Fee, Embalmers Reciprocity Application Fee, both increased from $400.00 to $500.00, Funeral Directors Examination Fee, $300.00 to $400.00, and the license and renewal fee increases, Funeral establishment License Fee from $800.00 to $1,000.
Funeral establishment/Crematory Renewal fee was increased from $1,000 to $1,500.
The Board of Regents have increased some fees for schools and they will see their operating costs increase and in some cases where no fee existed before they have added fees for participating Universities.
I have told you about special use accounts in an agency that get their “earmarked money” swept into the State General Fund (SGF). Funds that are paid by taxes or a special use fee and are deposited into the agency account are not protected either.
The Kansas Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training had $200,000 “swept” away. That money comes from $19.00 assessed each case filed in municipal court other than moving traffic violations. Of this amount $2.50 is credited to the aforementioned training fund.
Kansas Department of Transportation receives Sales tax and compensating use tax money and their “sweep” amounted to $149,300,000.00. The Judicial Council receives money from publication fees and they lost $175,000 of their operating money to feed the SGF.
The Kansas Insurance Department had $5,000,000 removed from their Regulation Fund and the Securities Commissioner had $1,250,000 sucked out of the Investor Education Fund. These sweeps were all part of the Governor’s recommended budget and approved by the legislature.
The list continues but I think you get the idea, the money you send to a specific agency in the form of inspection or registration fees that is intended to fund the operations of the organization is always subject to raiding for other purposes by the State Government.
Election Campaigns are in full swing and I hope you exercise your right to vote. There seems to be a lot of negative campaigning this round and I hope that you all take time to verify what is being said. It is bad news that seems to sell; but if it sounds too good or too bad to be true, it probably is.
I suggest to contact the candidate individually before passing judgment on what “he said, she said”.
I consider it an honor and privilege to be your Representative in Topeka, if I can be of assistance please get in contact with me. Thanks to all of you who have recently contacted me with concerns and suggestions, I do want to know what you think.
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