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Immigration – Somebody better give Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach a reality check, and legislators better get ready to yank the reins on him. After the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Arizona’s controversial illegal immigration law, Kobach said Kansas had just gotten a “green light” to proceed with its own legislation. That, even though the nation’s high court struck down three of the four provisions of the law that were challenged. The Arizona ruling hardly seems like a green light for anything in Kansas, and legislators will be wise to continue to balance the illegal immigration rhetoric with common sense.
Hutchinson News
Surplus property – Selling surplus property isn’t going to earn the state a bundle of money it can plug into future budgets or use to shore up the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System. Apparently, selling its surplus property wouldn’t make the state much money at all, simply because there isn’t much surplus worth very much money when you’re talking in terms of the state’s annual budget or the unfunded KPERS liability, estimated to be $8 billion. That’s not to say a recent scavenger hunt for surplus property was a waste of time and effort, however. A list of all state-owned property and how it’s being used has some value, if only to reassure taxpayers the state isn’t sitting on a treasure trove that could be put to better use.
Topeka Capital-Journal
NBAF – Kansas worked hard to become the new home of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility. Now, Kansas must fight hard to keep NBAF. An independent report mandated by Congress and prepared by the National Research Council contended that a favorable Homeland Security assessment in March was flawed and that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security still doesn’t have a good assessment of how it could operate the facility safely. Safety and security are critical issues, but initial work on the NBAF project should be allowed to proceed. There is still time to finalize the necessary security plans for the project, but Kansas officials are right to press federal authorities to keep this project moving forward.
Lawrence Journal-World
DMV – Registering vehicles in Kansas has been a joke for more than a month. But no one’s laughing. The state’s attempt to bring the Division of Motor Vehicles into the modern ages has come with some glitches that have frustrated customers, wasting their time and money.
Kansas City Star
Equality – In the city of Hays, municipal ordinance ensures citizens are not discriminated against on the basis of race, color, sex, age, handicap, familial status, national origin or ancestry, and religion. About the only category missing from the list is sexual orientation or gender identity. As other cities in Kansas already are headed in this direction, we can’t help but wonder when Hays will safeguard the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals. While we likely will never be able to claim we’re as progressive as Lawrence, surely Hays can hold its own when compared with Salina, Hutchinson, Pittsburg and Wichita.
Hays Daily News
Tuition – The latest round of tuition increases the Kansas Board of Regents approved has us wondering where the tipping point is. At what point will college in Kansas – a comparative bargain despite its rising cost – become too expensive for students and their families?
Manhattan Mercury
