Guest column

Sen. Kelly Kultala, D-5th Dist.

Feb. 17, 2012
In this issue:

· Turnaround schedule announced
· District happenings
· Tax hearings begin
· House GOP tax plan defunds transportation projects, jobs
· NBAF funding
· New grandparent bill introduced
· Tax rebates for inmates
· Rainy Day Fund
· KDOT explains road and ice operations
· Important state numbers

   My visitors from back home this week included the Sisters of St. Mary’s Civil Justice Committee, Sister Diane Steele, president of Saint Mary College, Leavenworth; Steven LaNasa, president of Donnelly College; Keith Rickard, executive director of The Guidance Center in Leavenworth; and Mark Wiebe with the Wyandot Center, Inc. in Kansas City, Kan.

   On Wednesday there was a lot of action here at the capitol, most of it unbeknownst to the legislators. Several homemade bombs were found in a pickup truck parked illegally next to the Justice Center across the street from the capitol and the Capitol Police arrested someone in the underground tunnel to the Docking Building, who allegedly phoned in a threat to Gov. Sam Brownback’s office. There were also about 300 people attending a rally at the Statehouse that were protesting policies pursued by Brownback, Secretary of State Kobach and other Republican officials.


Turnaround schedule announced

   As we approach Feb. 24 turnaround – the deadline for most bills to clear their house of origin – Senators will be working longer hours on the Senate floor in addition to our regular committee meetings.

   This is an exciting time of year, and I encourage each of you to take an active role in the legislative process. All House and Senate sessions are open to the public. And live broadcasts of Senate and House proceedings can be found at www.kslegislature.org.
  
   I am honored to serve as your Senator. My office is located in room 124-E. Please feel free to visit or contact me at 785-296-7357, if you should have any questions.


District happenings

· Congratulations to the Immaculata High School girls’ basketball team for defeating Pleasant Ridge at home. The final score was 45-19.

· Congratulations to United Way of Leavenworth County which reached its goal of raising $375,000. Contributions for this year now total $377,000.

· Leavenworth Assistant Fire Chief Mike Lingenfelser was recently recognized as Leavenworth’s Firefighter of the Year.

· Taste of Leavenworth is Sat. Feb. 25 from 5-10 pm in the Old Sears Building at the Leavenworth Plaza, 3400 S. 4th St., Leavenworth, Kan.


Tax hearings begin

   Gov. Bownback’s tax plan had its first round of hearings this week in the Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee. Because so many people wanted to testify, the hearing was broken up over two days, with supporters testifying on Tuesday and opponents testifying Wednesday.

   I continue to believe that the governor’s proposal is bad for our state. His own administration acknowledges that if his tax plan is enacted, it would raise taxes on the poorest Kansas residents by more than 5,100 percent. Meanwhile, it would decrease taxes for the wealthiest Kansans by
18.5 percent.

   I am also opposed to the governor’s plan because it will eliminate dozens of tax credits and exemptions used primarily by low-income working Kansans. Eliminating these credits, such as the home mortgage deduction and the Earned Income Tax Credit, will only make it harder to own a home, will increase childhood poverty, and create further disparity between rich and
poor Kansans.

   I cannot in good conscience support any tax proposal that makes the gap between the rich and the middle class even wider.

   Just as with many issues this legislative session, more than one proposal has been introduced. In this case, House Republican Leaders and Democratic Leaders have also introduced their own tax plans. These plans should receive hearings in the next couple of weeks. Those that are approved by the committee will be sent to the floor for a full debate.


House GOP tax plan defunds transportation projects, jobs

   Last Friday, members of the House Republican Caucus introduced an alternative to the administration’s proposed tax plan. Unfortunately, this plan would cut $350 million from the Highway Fund over the next two years. The Highway Fund is the main source of revenue for our current comprehensive transportation plan (T-Works), which would create a projected 175,000 new jobs.

   The comprehensive transportation plan is the state’s biggest-ever jobs creating package. We need to find a way to responsibly reform our tax system without eliminating thousands of jobs for middle class families.


NBAF funding

   This week, the Department of Homeland Security announced that $40 million in federal funding has been eliminated from the national bio- and agriculture- (NBAF) facility planned for Manhattan, Kan. $10 million dollars will remain for continued research at Kansas State and a New York-based facility.

   While I certainly understand the financial crunch our federal government is in, this decision is a devastating blow to the state of Kansas.

   Once completed, NBAF’s 500,000 square foot laboratory would help answer a national challenge by ensuring public health and the safety and security of our country’s food supply. The construction phase would provide an estimated 1,500 jobs, with even more jobs being created as a result of NBAF research and innovations. In total, the facility would bring an estimated
$3.5 billion in revenue to the state.

   I’m hopeful that this decision can be reversed in next year’s federal budget. This endeavor is far too important for the future safety of our state and our nation.


New Grandparent Bill introduced

   Senators are considering a new bill that would require courts to consider a grandparent’s home when evaluating custody and living arrangements for a child who has been removed from their parent’s custody. Under current law, grandparents are not required to be considered by our court system.

   The bill (Senate Bill 262) corresponds to legislation signed into law last year allowing grandparents to serve as interested parties in court proceedings regarding children in need of care.

   Once an unusual circumstance, it is becoming more and more common for a grandchild to live in a grandparent’s home. According to a study conducted by Kansas State University, 29,000 Kansas children currently live in grandparent-headed households. In the last decade, this number has increased 43 percent, making Kansas one of the most likely states in the nation for a child to live with their grandparent.

   More than ever, grandparents are playing a critical role in their grandchildren’s lives. SB 262 will not only further recognize the rights of grandparents, it will save the state money in the long run. For every child living with a grandparent, the state of Kansas saves $25,000 per year in foster care costs.

   When the court considers the wishes of the parents, child, and grandparents,
it sets up a system where Kansas families can stay together during a time of
crisis and puts a child’s best interest at the heart of every court
decision.


Tax rebates for inmates

   Incarcerated inmates will no longer be eligible to receive certain tax rebates, if a bill approved by the Kansas Senate this week is signed into law. Senate Bill 369 clarifies current law, stating that incarcerated persons are not eligible for either the food sales tax rebate of the homestead refund.

   I brought this issue to the legislature’s attention and the Department of Revenue introduced the bill after an inmate at the Lansing Correctional Facility filed and was awarded a $90 refund. The case made it all the way to the Court of Tax Appeals, which declared that current law allowed the inmate to rightfully receive the refund.


Rainy Day Fund

   Last week, members of the Senate Ways and Means Committee held a hearing on Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 1611, this session's version of the Rainy Day Fund.

   The resolution would establish in the Kansas Constitution a requirement that whenever state general fund revenues exceed the previous year's net by 3 percent, the next 1 percent be set aside in an reserve fund. Funds could be drawn from the fund only when general fund revenues fall below the previous year's net. The Legislature would be required to continue to add to the fund until it reached 15 percent of the annual general fund revenues.

   While Kansas currently has a statutory requirement to maintain a 7.5 percent ending balance, the fact is the Legislature regularly overlooks that requirement. We cannot ignore the Constitution.

   If SCR 1611 passes the House and the Senate by 2/3 majorities, it will appear on the November 2012 ballot where Kansans will have the opportunity to vote on it


KDOT explains road and ice operations

   Four million gallons of salt brine, 103,000 tons of salt and 574 snow plows
are just a part of what it takes to keep the Kansas highway system safe and
open for travel during an average winter season. This information and more
was posted on the Kansas Department of Transportation’s web site this week,
detailing how the state keeps nearly 10,000 miles of roadway safe during
snow and ice season.

   The guide also includes information about which roads are plowed most
frequently during a storm, considerations that can result in closing a road
and the many other non-winter activities that occupy road crews throughout
the year.

   The document can be found at www.ksdot.org under the link “Managing Snow
and Ice.” 

Important state phone numbers

   Here is a list of numbers I often receive requests for during session. I
hope you will find this information helpful.

Attorney General
(888) 428-8436

Child Abuse Hotline
(800) 922-5330

Crime Tip Hotline
(800) 572-7463

Crime Victim Referral
(800) 828-9745

Driver’s License Bureau
(785) 296-3963

KPERS
(888) 275-5737

Governor’s Office
(877) 579-6757
Highway Conditions
(800) 585-7623

Housing Hotline
(800) 752-4422

Department on Aging
(800) 432-3535

Kansas Jobs
(785) 235-5627

Kansas Lottery
(785) 296-5700

Legislative Hotline
(800) 432-3924

School Safety Hotline
(877) 626-8203

Social Security
(800) 772-1213

SRS
(785) 296-1491

Tax Refund Status Info
(800) 894-0318

Taxpayer Assistance
(785) 368-8222

Unclaimed Property
(800) 432-0386

Vital Statistics
(785) 296-1400

Our mailing address:

Sen. Kelly Kultala
Kansas Statehouse Rm 124 - E
Topeka, KS 66612