Letters on county cuts, Westar rate increase, cancer funding, Korean War anniversary

Voice opposition to county cuts

Unlike three of our county commissioners (Richard Ranzau, Jim Howell and Karl Peterjohn), I believe it is the role of city, county and state governments to provide funds for the good of their citizens via public health and quality-of-life projects, such as the Arts Council, the Sedgwick County Zoo and Exploration Place (a few examples).

Sedgwick County has had the highest infant-mortality rate in Kansas, yet these commissioners want to reduce funds to Healthy Babies and similar organizations that promote prenatal exams and training to new parents. I think the pro-life organizations and church leaders should be leading the charge against these cuts.

Project Access has had a very positive impact on the health of our citizens, including many who do not qualify for health insurance and are not eligible for Medicaid because our governor will not expand Medicaid in Kansas. If the budget cuts are allowed and services are decreased, these neighbors of ours will not get preventive care or treatments. They will end up in the emergency rooms of our hospitals, causing an increase in financial costs that the hospitals will have to absorb.

The zoo and Exploration Place were given the impression that their funds would continue, and so started projects, scheduling exhibits. Now those promised funds will be cut.

All citizens of Sedgwick County need to voice their opposition to these draconian cuts. I wrote to each commissioner. Have you?

Can’t trust word

Sedgwick County Commissioners Richard Ranzau, Karl Peterjohn and Jim Howell are saying to us, their constituents, that we cannot trust their word of honor. The county had promised to help the Sedgwick County Zoo with the new elephant exhibit. There was a five-year agreement in place. Now these three commissioners want to renege on the agreement. If they have any decency, they will honor the commission’s agreement until the five years are up.

Censure Westar

Is the Kansas Corporation Commission in Westar Energy’s pocket or, at a minimum, too sympathetic toward Westar rate increases?

I am among the many Westar customers who feel this is a problem. I cannot remember when the KCC ever rejected a Westar rate increase outright. Many rate increases have been reduced, but none, to my recollection, has been turned down.

I feel that the KCC is being outsmarted, outnumbered and outmaneuvered by Westar, which likely has full-time staff dedicated to proposing, writing, submitting, justifying and defending rate hike requests.

We install high-efficiency air conditioners and furnaces and insulate our homes to the max to conserve electricity. But these efforts are negated by Westar’s incessant rate increases and its latest request to increase the monthly residential service charge by 25 percent. This request should be rejected outright.

I also question Westar’s request for a rate increase to pay for required environmental upgrades at the La Cygne power plant, in light of the recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court regarding Environmental Protection Agency mandates.

Westar needs to be cautioned and perhaps even censured for its unrelenting rate increase requests, and it is the KCC’s job to do it.

Voted for cures

I’d like to thank Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Wichita, for his recent vote in support of the 21st Century Cures Act. This bill will give a much-needed infusion of an additional $1.75 billion a year for five years to the National Institutes of Health for critical medical research.

The money we invest today will develop tomorrow’s new treatment or even the next cure. As a cancer survivor and caregiver, I credit my life and my loved one’s life to such critical investments and feel passionately that others’ lives will be saved, too, through this additional funding.

This bill had strong bipartisan support, passing the House by a vote of 344-77 – a true testament to the universal benefit of medical research. After all, cancer doesn’t care if you’re a Democrat or Republican.

Don’t forget us

A sad note about the 65th anniversary of the start of the Korean War, which was June 25: Never was it more evident that it is the forgotten war.

That day was special only for a few of us who live in the Wichita area and served and survived. We tried to notify the local TV stations, but not one person showed up at the memorial at Wichita’s Veterans Memorial Park.

It appears that the tens of thousands of lives lost, and more than 7,000 still missing, mean nothing.

But they mean a lot to us nine old soldiers, who stood as straight as we could, considering that the youngest is 80 years old, while we saluted the American flag.

We are proud of our country, and proud of our service defending it. We were 18- and 19-year-old kids, but we came back as men. I think we deserve a little recognition on special days.

July 27 is the 62nd anniversary of the signing of the Korean armistice. The Korean War veterans will hold a little observance at 11 a.m. Saturday at Veterans Memorial Park. We are doing it this Saturday in hopes of getting more people to attend.

We did not forget our country when we were needed. Please don’t forget us.

This story was originally published July 23, 2015 at 7:04 PM with the headline "Letters on county cuts, Westar rate increase, cancer funding, Korean War anniversary."