Kansas views on block-grant bill, renewable energy standard, Iran letter, GOP economics
Block-grant bill – Supporters of the block-grant school-funding bill couch it as a move toward simplicity. In reality, it is a way to fund schools on the cheap for two years while lawmakers attempt to make that situation permanent. The current finance formula represents an intricate effort to equalize funding among the state’s diverse collection of school districts. Any crisis in school financing lies not so much with the formula, but in the Legislature’s failure to adequately fund it.
After withholding the details of their funding plan for K-12 public schools until halfway through the legislative session, leaders in the Kansas House and Senate now are eager to push this plan into law within days of its introduction. Such quick action on such a complex and important issue is a disservice to Kansas. On behalf of schoolchildren and taxpayers across the state, legislators shouldn’t let this bill slide through without a vigorous examination of its provisions and its impact on Kansas school districts.
This “reform” will separate even further rich from poor, will encourage an even speedier exodus of our brightest young people, and will act as a roadblock for any businesses looking to relocate to Kansas. If left unchecked, the dismantling of public education is about to go into overdrive in order to sustain unnecessary tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy.
Renewable energy – Once again, the renewable portfolio standard is being targeted in the Statehouse by oil-and-gas conglomerate Koch Industries through Americans for Prosperity, the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and the American Legislative Exchange Council, which follow a national blueprint for state lawmakers to erase renewable energy standards. Kansas’ potential for wind growth is a natural path to more jobs, which the state needs, considering Gov. Sam Brownback’s reckless income tax-cut policy failed to generate the significant job growth and economic gains he promised. It’s time to focus on real problems in state government instead of meddling with a proven success story in the RPS.
Iran letter – Our two U.S. senators are off base. The letter to Iran they signed is illegitimate. The letter does not tell Iranian leaders anything they did not know. Of course Congress can pass resolutions approving or disapproving executive agreements. The question is whether Congress should interfere in negotiations with a foreign power. The answer is “no.”
Sens. Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran should be ashamed. The letter that GOP senators sent to the leaders of Iran was nothing more than a political stunt, which is fine – albeit immature – with domestic issues but was recklessly stupid in this case.
GOP economics – Kansas Republicans have earned the right to take November’s election as a mandate to continue the path of slashing taxes despite the harm it is doing to education, social services, prisons, courts and infrastructure. To regroup, Democrats should target their efforts on middle-class voters and how they are getting the shaft. The GOP mantra that benefits to the wealthy trickle down to middle- and low-income workers and help spur spending has more holes than Swiss cheese as evidenced by our budget shortfall.
This story was originally published March 15, 2015 at 7:07 PM with the headline "Kansas views on block-grant bill, renewable energy standard, Iran letter, GOP economics."