Letters on claiming bonds, Russia, Trump
No deadline for claiming bonds
The Kansas Unclaimed Property Department, which I oversee, is specifically designed to help people find their missing or unknown property. Currently, the U.S. Treasury possesses more than $19 billion in matured, unredeemed U.S. savings bonds, and it is doing little if anything to reunite owners with their lost bonds.
An estimated $151 million of those bonds are owned by Kansans. This money belongs to Kansans and should be returned to Kansans.
As state treasurer, I sued the federal government to require Treasury to turn over these bonds so we can match them with their legal owners.
A Nov. 29 Eagle article suggested that should the money come back to Kansas, owners would only have one year to claim it before it would become property of the state. That’s incorrect, because our department will pay owners or heirs whenever they claim the bonds.
The article also suggested that Treasury’s regulations, changed after we filed suit, would affect our ability to recover bonds issued to Kansans. That’s also incorrect. As we have with all unclaimed property, we’ll keep working to return the $151 million in unclaimed bonds and match Kansans with their lost property.
Ron Estes, Wichita
Kansas State Treasurer
Russia as ally
“Putin and Trump talk, agree to improve ties” (Nov. 15 Eagle) focused on plans by President-elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to develop trade and economic cooperation. I am very pleased with Trump’s attempt to work things out with Russia.
Russia has more nuclear warheads than the United States. I feel more secure knowing we are fostering Russia as an ally now. If one of our enemies were to try to pull any more terrorism stunts in the future, we could have Russia there to back us up.
Plenty of Democrats don’t want Trump as our new president. However, Hillary Clinton would not have fixed our country’s relationship with Russia.
Heather Sanchez, Hutchinson
What’s happened?
Something is terribly wrong with American when the man who is poised to become our president has bragged about grabbing women by their private parts. What has happened to our wonderful country?
Nancy A. Myers, Wichita
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This story was originally published December 6, 2016 at 5:02 AM with the headline "Letters on claiming bonds, Russia, Trump."