L&T Publisher Earl Watt

Who do you trust more, the voting population of the entire State of Kansas or five lawyers appointed by the Kansas Bar Association?

That’s what will be on the primary ballot in August, and while online chatter is claiming that voting for Kansas Supreme Court justices would be politicized with an election, the fact is the process is already politicized. The only difference is whether you believe five hand-picked lawyers or the entire voting population of Kansas would better represent the public’s concerns for judicial issues.

The current system for selecting justices involves a nine-person panel with five chosen by the Kansas Bar Association and four by the current governor. That means the five lawyers will always be able to outvote any elected official on picking three nominees for an opening on the highest court in Kansas, and the governor then chooses from the three names presented by the panel.

GUEST COLUMN, Vance Ginn, Kansas Policy Institute

Kansas now has more rural hospitals at immediate risk of closure than any other state, according to KAKE News. That is serious. Rural healthcare access matters. Families should not have to drive for hours to access emergency care.

But if Kansas treats this only as a hospital funding problem, it will miss the real issue.

Rural hospitals are not failing in isolation. They are struggling because too many rural communities face the harsh reality of shrinking and aging populations. Both of these trends are results of and contributors to lost economic momentum.

Healthcare follows people.

MY PERSPECTIVE, Gary Damron

We will pause our series on the Declaration of Independence, to reflect on the loss of a friend we were privileged to honor last Saturday. Charlie Harper was a lifelong resident of the Woods community and had many friends in Seward and Stevens counties. His grandmother Hawk was a great influence in his life, and a charter member of Lone Star Friends. Two other pastors and nearly two hundred friends and relatives met to remember a life that spanned more than nine decades.

Death makes us think about life, and one thing comes to mind: it’s short. God who created us knows what’s best, and He is working all things for our good, even when He says no. Even though life is short, it’s preparation for eternity, so we should live keeping heaven in mind.

GUEST COLUMN, Dave Trabert, Kansas Policy Institute

Some Kansas legislators opposed property tax assessment limits because they believe there is nothing wrong with appraisals—even House Speaker Dan Hawkins said, “property appraisals are correct“—but Board of Tax Appeals (BOTA) resolutions reveal a massive problem.

Data we received from an Open Records request show that 87 percent of appeals over the last six years were granted or partially resolved in taxpayers’ favor. That’s a stunning rebuke of the accuracy of the property appraisal system, and it reflects the avalanche of anecdotal information shared with legislators by their constituents.