GUEST COLUMN, J. Basil Dannebohm

The seven Democrats running against Roger Marshall combined have raised under a quarter of a million dollars. Political analysts estimate that whoever gets the nomination will need $32 million to even stand a chance. By the time the primary is over, having been campaigning against each other, those seven Democrats will have exhausted what little they raised. 

The race against Ron Estes will be no different. Analysts estimate that race will cost somewhere around $11 million.

GUEST COLUMN, Shannon Francis, 125th District Representative

Last week, I met Alexander Tah-ray Yui, who serves as ambassador from Taiwan to the United States. Ambassador Yui spoke with me briefly about the estimated $20 million investment Apogee Power, a Taiwan-based energy technology company, is making in Liberal by establishing its first U.S. battery manufacturing plant here. We also talked about the possibility of future complimentary investments by other Taiwanese companies in Liberal. Taiwan is very interested in expanding on their investments in the United States. Eli Svaty and the Seward County Development Corporation have done a great job building this relationship. Hopefully, there will be more new manufacturing businesses locating here in the near future as Taiwan expands investments in our country.

RYCKMAN RECAP, Ron Ryckman, 38th District Senator

The “hot and cold” unpredictability of things during Week 11 of the Legislature was a lot like the weather, as we had the highest March temperature on record in more than a century (95 degrees) one day, followed by a drop to half that the next. Inside the Statehouse, there were similar periods of intense “heated” action, with intervening “lulls” that had us feeling like we were supposed to be someplace, but just weren’t sure where. It kind of reminded me of the story my staff assistant told me from his days on Capitol Hill in Washington about running into a Congressman between evening receptions in the Rayburn House Office Building elevator. Noticing that the Representative was looking at one of those scheduling cards we used to carry around before the days of cell phones, he asked “Looking to see where you’re going next, Mr. Chairman?” to which the Member replied, “No, I’m trying to figure out where the hell I am.”

L&T Publisher Earl Watt

In a very close vote, The Kansas Legislature passed local limits on tax increases which would not allow increases above 3 percent per year. If a taxing entity wanted to go above 3 percent they could, but they would have to make their case to the public to justify the increase. If the people agree, the increase will go through without a problem.

But if the people disagree, they will have a tool they never had before.

The bill states that a petition must be available in the county clerk’s office ready to protest any increase above the 3 percent limit.