Editorial year in review
Here is a look back at 2015 with excerpts from some of The Wichita Eagle’s editorials:
Private e-mails – Don’t use private e-mail accounts to conduct government business. And don’t give lobbyists insider access and information. State budget director Shawn Sullivan ignored both of these commonsense principles of open government when he sent a working version of the governor’s proposed state budget to several top administration officials and two lobbyists. (Jan. 29)
Block-grant bill – At least it wasn’t passed in the middle of the night. Otherwise, the block-grant education bill now bound for Gov. Sam Brownback’s desk has been a model of poor lawmaking. The bill certainly appears intended to cut off the Kansas courts at the pass, and to make it hard for judges to hold the state accountable for insufficiently funding public schools under a newly defunct formula. (March 18)
New mayor – Wichita voters favored the mayoral candidate who best understands City Hall and the challenges of governing, two-term City Council member Jeff Longwell. (April 8)
Brewer – Through his six years on the Wichita City Council and two terms as mayor, Carl Brewer has been a tireless promoter of his hometown. Many thanks are due Brewer for his long, faithful public service, and the tangible progress he oversaw amid tough times. (April 12)
Marijuana ordinance – Attorney General Derek Schmidt shouldn’t burn up a lot of tax dollars in his zeal to overturn the will of Wichita’s voters on marijuana. Nor should he and other state leaders miss the message of last week’s election: that thinking on pot is changing, even in conservative Kansas. (April 14)
Welfare law – Not only are many of the state’s new welfare regulations condescending, the limit on cash withdrawals may violate federal law. That’s what can happen when lawmakers ram through legislation without proper vetting, and based on ugly stereotypes. (May 21)
New terminal – Wichita deserved better than an airport with a secondhand name and needed better than a terminal built for the 1950s. So Wednesday’s opening of the new terminal at the newly named Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport will be a proud day of progress for the state’s largest city. (May 31)
Manager retires – Sedgwick County Manager William Buchanan is leaving his job this week, and leaving county government far better than he found it 24 years, 19 county commissioners and countless challenges ago. (June 12)
Session’s end – The most conservative Legislature the state has ever seen just passed the largest tax hike the state has ever seen. It also took a record-breaking 113 days to do 90 days’ worth of business and necessitated an overtime tab of nearly $1 million. The admittedly arduous process brought a number of leaders to tears, the governor included. But the real mourning started in 2012, when Kansas abandoned a balanced approach to taxation that had served it well for many decades. (June 14)
Confederate flag – However sensible the reasons for deciding in 1976 to include the Confederate battle flag in the historic flag pavilion at Wichita’s Veterans Memorial Park, they do not justify its continued display. None of that context is evident to Wichitans and visitors who drive or walk by the park in 2015. All they see is a recognized symbol of racial hate, violence and divisiveness accorded a place of honor in a city-owned park. (June 25)
Gay rights – Few would disagree with Gov. Sam Brownback that “religious liberty is at the heart of who we are as Kansans and Americans, and should be protected.” But so should what is now understood to be the constitutional right to marry, whether couples are heterosexual or homosexual. It’s time the governor and Legislature stopped picking battles over religious freedom and extended LGBT Kansans the full rights to which they are entitled. (July 9)
County budget – The buzzword at the rollout of Sedgwick County’s 2016 budget proposal was “transformational.” Unfortunately, the other words that fit just as well include adversarial, ideological and shortsighted. The majority commissioners seem hell-bent on veering the county off the course that has won it AAA bond ratings and an outstanding reputation for its role in promoting community health, economic development and quality of life. (July 21)
Chief search – Wichita has been without a permanent police chief for more than a year, which is frustrating. But City Manager Robert Layton was prudent to reopen the search. Speed is secondary to the necessity of finding the right person for the Police Department, community and moment. (Sept. 22)
Civic wake-up call – The Wichita depicted by economic and census numbers is a gloomy, unwelcoming place in serious decline. The dire portrayal offered as part of the Wichita Community Foundation's Focus Forward project constitutes an opportunity. More energy, ideas and visionary leadership are called for, especially from the young adults with the most to gain or lose as Wichita tries to change its trajectory. (Sept. 27)
More elephants – Confronted by new rules set by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, some zoos decided to give up their elephants. To the benefit of Wichita’s quality of life, and to the credit of area donors, the Sedgwick County Zoo now plans to acquire even more than the four it was talking about last fall and to take a leading role in conservation. (Oct. 2)
Royals – In winning the World Series, the Kansas City Royals demonstrated qualities of true champions. Most remarkable was the team’s resilience. (Nov. 3)
Garth Brooks – Wichita and Garth Brooks make a great team, showing a good time to more than 76,000 fans who attended his six sold-out Intrust Bank Arena concerts. Those wildly successful four days lifted spirits and business profits, while demonstrating what Wichita is capable of as a host and regional entertainment hub. (Dec. 9)
Shocker football? – There are compelling reasons for and against Wichita State University reviving football and switching conferences. It will be fun and productive just to imagine and debate the opportunities that big changes in WSU athletics might create. (Dec. 13)
This story was originally published December 30, 2015 at 6:05 PM with the headline "Editorial year in review."