2017 in Eagle editorials
A look back at 2017 with excerpts from some of The Eagle’s editorials:
Tax increase — The Kansas House and Senate acted responsibly last week in addressing the state’s ongoing budget shortfall. Now Gov. Sam Brownback should do the same. Lawmakers approved a bill that reverses some of the tax cuts that created most of the budget problems. The bill eliminates the tax exemption on pass-through business income. It also increases some personal income tax rates, including restoring a third tax bracket. (Feb. 19)
Wildfires — Kansans witnessed the force and fury of wildfires this week — but also the bravery and dedication of first responders, many of whom are volunteers. Now we should do what we can to help and support those who suffered losses. (March 9)
Shockers a source of pride — Like many of you, we were saddened Sunday to see Wichita State fall short of a trip to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. But we want to make sure that defeat doesn’t overshadow all the good that surrounds the Shockers, their accomplishments this season and what they do for this city. (March 22)
Lawmakers side with Brownback — It is disheartening that the Kansas House failed by three votes Monday to override Gov. Sam Brownback’s veto of Medicaid expansion. It’s also disappointing — but not surprising — that more than a dozen Wichita-area GOP lawmakers were among the 44 House members who voted to sustain Brownback’s veto. (April 4)
Session heads in right direction — Gains by moderate Republicans in last August’s primaries were combined with nine seats picked up by Democrats in the November general election. It created three blocks of legislators: conservative Republicans, moderate Republicans and Democrats. Five months later, after many tries and a Brownback veto, both houses found enough votes for an override and an end to the governor’s experiment. The override became the defining moment of the 2017 session. (June 28)
Problems mount at El Dorado prison — The prison’s population swelled to almost 1,900 this summer with more maximum-security prisoners being transferred from prisons in Hutchinson and Lansing. Add to that a shortage of prison guards — more than 90 vacancies were reported this month. Officers are sometimes working 16-hour shifts, which the officers’ union said in a grievance violates an employment agreement and raises concerns about inmate and guard safety. (July 26)
WSU dorm decisions — Transparency and proper procedures are especially important for this project, given that one of the apartment complex developers, David Murfin, is chairman of the Board of Regents. The potential for a conflict of interest is real, which is why Murfin abstained from a June 2016 Board of Regents vote approving the WSU Innovation Alliance, the nonprofit overseeing the Innovation Campus, to lease property for private housing. (Aug. 6)
Back to school — It’s wise to get the wide and varied pulse of the district early in Wichita superintendent Alicia Thompson’s tenure. Being heard and understood is a common issue within such a large district. Teacher and parent views will be broad and may lack consensus. Except for one item: Everyone wants improvement. Thompson begins her tenure with that clear goal. (Aug. 20)
Dismiss longer school days — School buses began weaving around the city last week, a reminder to Wichitans without school-age children that another academic year has begun. Extreme bus times such as those are proof it’s time to end the district’s two-year use of a longer school day and shorter school year. It’s not in the best interest of students. (Aug. 27)
Police transparency — If chief Gordon Ramsay truly wants to build trust and be transparent, he should provide details when officers’ actions are called into question. He should release reports to the public on internal investigations when they are complete. He should reevaluate plans for the citizen review board to make its work more public. (Oct. 15)
Kansas foster care — The state’s foster-care system is competing for Kansans’ attention with a beleaguered prison system and an ongoing school-funding dilemma. All we’d like the agency to do is take care of our most neglected children - and that’s not happening like it should under secretary Phyllis Gilmore’s leadership. (Oct. 18)
School board transparency — Let’s be clear with what’s happening within the Wichita school board. One of its seven members, frustrated for years by other members’ willingness to conduct business out of the public eye and with demands of unanimity in decision making, feels the only way she can be heard is to write a letter to the newspaper. She uses a word chosen presumably with a lot of thought: bullying. (Oct. 22)
Tyson — In the week since the revelation that Sedgwick County is one of three candidates for the Tyson Foods poultry processing plant that Tonganoxie punted, we’ve seen the gamut of opinions on locating a plant here. Jobs! Economic development! Smell! Polluted water! And somewhere in the wide middle, where most of us live, there are many Sedgwick County residents who have feelings in both camps. (Oct. 29)
Spirit’s future — Which number from Spirit AeroSystems’ big announcement Wednesday is the most impressive? The 1,000 new jobs? The $1 billion investment in its factory? That the average yearly salary for the new jobs is $56,000? That one new job at Spirit historically creates three new jobs elsewhere in the community? (Dec. 8)
This story was originally published December 31, 2017 at 4:26 AM with the headline "2017 in Eagle editorials."