Letters to the Editor (July 27)

Kansas’ spiking tax rates

As a young citizen entering the adult world, I have learned of Kansas’ spiking tax rates, and I think it’s time to set the record straight on the tax conversation. When the Legislature and governor cut taxes in 2012, it benefited taxpayers and the state’s economy. They forgot one thing: to cut wasteful spending.

Instead of fixing that mistake, they panicked, which led to a bigger mistake: a sales tax increase in 2015 and a retroactive income tax increase in 2017. They reached back into the past to raise taxes by $1.2 billion.

Now, we’re all paying more — a 26-percent increase over the original 2017 rate — but there’s little evidence we’re getting more for our money.

Topeka doesn’t have a revenue problem; it has a spending problem. We need legislators and a governor who will rein in wasteful government spending, not raise taxes to recklessly spend our hard-earned money on the wrong endeavors.

Kansas’ tax problem must be fixed before it cannot recover. This frightening reality is what many Kansans comply with without recognizing the failure of our government; legislators must change this so we can attract more business and young people like me to stay in Kansas.

Ranzau for County Commission

If it ain’t broke, why fix it? As far as I know, Sedgwick County Commissioner Richard Ranzau has fulfilled his promises to keep a lid on taxes, just as his longtime ally Karl Peterjohn did in the eight years he served on the Commission. I applaud that dedication to watching dollars and exhibiting common sense.

The Wichita Chamber of Commerce seems to want Hugh Nicks to come to the aid of the county — but at what cost? I like the fact that Ranzau has been a watchdog for frivolous spending and over regulation while at the same time tackling road and bridge projects that desperately need repair. How about that remodel of Park City’s EMS station, coming in under budget because Ranzau was looking out for our money?

I’m not a fan of anyone the Chamber puts up, as that organization lately is leaning just left of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Kelly for governor

I recently caught a 40-pound snapping turtle in my parent’s pond in Wichita. We knew there was one drowning the geese, but no one figured we had a veritable dinosaur lurking in the depths. As it hissed and lunged at us with its razor-sharp beak, I feared and admired its Cretaceous menace.

Winning the Democratic nomination for governor is like baiting a snapper without knowing what you’re up against. The Republican rival is often more aggressive and resourceful.

In the Legislature, Sen. Laura Kelly adapted to worsening conditions when Republicans gained control of the state government and abandoned reason for madness (the Brownback tax experiment). She grew a thicker shell and learned how to snap back. She will work with Republicans to improve our state, but, before being elected Kansas’ next governor, she won’t shy away from tracking down her veteran recipe for turtle (elephant) soup.

When I chaired the KU Young Democrats during the 2006 election — when Democrats won statewide positions — Kelly was one of our greatest allies. I trust Laura to wrangle November’s Leviathan (the general election) because she is a seasoned public servant whose experience only enhances her acute awareness of the struggles facing ordinary Kansans.

An option to follow Opinion Line

Though it may not seem like it, The Eagle’s Opinion Page is currently fairly well politically balanced. Cal Thomas and Deroy Murdock provide opinions from the right while Davis Merritt and Leonard Pitts provide the left’s perspective. Blake Shuart and Opinion page editor, Kirk Seminoff, provide fairly centrist local commentary and the other occasional guest opinions are fairly well-balanced, as well.

As caustic as it was, I really hate to see the anonymous Opinion Line go. There were good points as well as hilarious comments in the mix that helped to make one’s day. I would like to see it replaced with some sort of a “short letters” section. I’ll bet that people would be willing to have their name posted along with a good short comment – which is what you would likely then get more of. And they would probably enjoy their deserved recognition.