Opinion

Governor Kelly keeps moving goal posts when vetoing tax reform

GUEST COLUMN, Ganon Evans, Kansas Policy Institute

The writing was on the wall for weeks, so it wasn’t a surprise when Governor Kelly vetoed SB 37 on Thursday, the 2024 Legislature’s latest, and ultimately the last, tax reform bill to reach her desk. However, there will be a special session called in the near future to bring legislators back to sign off on a tax reform bill.

Her rhetoric has been the same as always: any opposing bills “[jeopardize] our state’s future fiscal stability” while her own proposals are conveniently the most secure. For instance, even though Governor Kelly’s plan differed from the earlier tax bill HB 2036 by $146.5 million over four years. The cost of $36.6 million is a meager 0.35% of the state’s $10.5 billion General budget average – it was radically different enough not to bankrupt the state and its $4.5 billion in savings.

The greatest promise

MY PERSPECTIVE, Gary Damron

This week was Pentecost Sunday. Since 2007, we have been privileged to submit weekly articles to this newspaper; following is one adapted from June 13, 2018.

We wrote a few years ago about appearing at the judgment seat of Christ, and about the fear of the Lord. But for those who know Christ, neither of these events is something to dread. Let’s look at examples of people in the Old Testament, as well as eleven men after Jesus came, who all staked their lives not on merit, but on faith alone.

Multiplication tables

THE POSTSCRIPT, Carrie Classon

I never learned my multiplication tables. Not really.

To this day, if you ask me, “What is six times nine?” out of the blue, with some urgency, I will panic. (Please don’t do this.)

The troubles started when I was transferred from one math class to another in the third grade. I now understand that this was some sort of promotion from lower math to higher math, but it did not feel like that at the time.

Let’s not assign an ethnicity to our community

L&T Publisher Earl Watt

Can someone help me with what it means to be a “caucasian” community or “Hispanic” community?

I was at a recent meeting where it was stated that Liberal is a “Hispanic” community.

It’s true that Hispanics make up a majority of Liberal’s population. But what exactly is a “Hispanic” community, and how does that differ from any other community?

Continuing education

GUEST COLUMN, Greg Doering, Kansas Farm Bureau

The middle of May has filled weekends with high school graduation ceremonies across the state. My calendar was no exception with a niece and nephew donning caps and gowns to cross a makeshift stage and receive their diplomas. I keep telling myself it wasn’t that long ago when I was in those same shoes. The reflection I see in the mirror is a reminder it has been that long.

One of the best things about graduations is they're one of the few events marking an end where everyone from the graduates to those in the audience is looking forward. Receiving a diploma is worth recognizing, but “What’s next?” is the only question anyone asks newly minted grads at the celebrations afterward.