Letters on failed tax program, drug war, Iran prisoners, Wichita motto, ‘sensory sensitive’ movies, state mentoring

Paying for Brownback’s failed tax program

We have been itemizing on our federal taxes for many years, which allows us to itemize on the Kansas return. Last year our state itemized deduction was $11,379. If we use the same figures for this year’s deduction, it will be $4,900. We will have lost $6,479 in deductions because the state no longer allows medical deductions and only 50 percent of your real estate and personal property taxes. You still can deduct your gifts to charity.

The state also raised the sales tax, so it costs us more for everything we purchase to live on. This makes it harder for people on fixed incomes and those with low incomes to make ends meet. Why do we have to support the 330,000 business owners who are exempt from state income taxes?

Gov. Sam Brownback said, “The sun is shining in Kansas and don’t let anyone tell you different.” Maybe for those who aren’t paying for his failed tax program. Where are the jobs and the income they were supposed to make for the state? Tax revenue doesn’t seem to indicate it’s working.

The Legislature can tell the governor “no” on some of his demands. If lawmakers don’t find solutions to the problems they created, we need to find some who will in the elections this fall. Let your legislative representatives know how you feel. We do.

Patience, diplomacy

The American prisoners held in Iran are free. President Obama has shown well the wisdom of using patience and diplomacy to handle tough international problems. It would behoove the saber rattlers of our nation to sit up and take notice.

Don’t want to leave

Thank you for the Together Wichita special section in the Sunday Eagle. It is encouraging that many Wichita leaders have a positive sense of the things that make Wichita a great place to live while also understanding the need for improvement.

Their responses reinforced my long-held belief that Wichita’s motto should be: “Wichita – the place nobody wants to come to and nobody wants to leave.”

Drug war wastes money

As a former resident of Wichita, I occasionally visit The Eagle’s website, Kansas.com, to check in on my hometown. I was curious recently and scrolled through Sedgwick County’s most-wanted criminals. I was surprised that 21 of the 56 individuals listed were wanted for minor drug crimes.

It really is a shame that time, taxpayer money and other resources are being wasted on some guy or gal because they had a little weed on them. I wonder how many millions of dollars have been wasted in the past 10 years alone.

The drug war is oppressive and unjust. There are too many incarcerated in Kansas for victimless drug crimes. If we want to talk about fiscal responsibility, it costs more than $25,000 a year to house and feed these people.

I know Kansans love their temperance and forcing their puritanical views on others, but prohibition is a failure. It failed with booze and it has failed with drugs.

Kansas politicians need to wake up and realize the potential for legalizing and taxing recreational drugs.

Thoughtful screenings

I would like to thank Bill Warren for his attention to people with special needs and his theater’s accommodation (“‘Sensory sensitive’ movies on Saturday,” Jan. 15 Eagle). My eldest granddaughter has a sensory-processing disorder and is also on the autism spectrum. I wish she lived here to take advantage of Warren’s thoughtful screenings. I hope other theater owners around the nation will follow his example.

Be a mentor

Gov. Sam Brownback recently announced the creation of a new mentoring program to provide guidance and encouragement to low-income Kansas families and to youths in foster care (Jan. 7 Eagle). The HOPE Mentoring program will make a difference in people’s lives.

I know, because I’ve seen firsthand how it can work. I’ve mentored, both formally and informally, several inmates in the Kansas Department of Corrections. Since its inception in 2011, KDOC’s Mentoring 4 Success program has helped more than 6,500 mentees transition back into our communities. The recidivism rate for those with a mentor is less than half the rate for those without a mentor.

The goal of the Kansas Department for Children and Families HOPE Mentoring program is to assist welfare recipients in their transition from state assistance to self-reliance. Getting a job, keeping a job and managing the resources that are derived from a job are not easy tasks. We all benefit from having good advice, positive reinforcement and accountability.

In July, DCF will officially roll out HOPE Mentoring for youths aging out of foster care. Each year about 330 Kansas teens exit the system with little to no family support. Many of these young people would love to have a mentor help them make the transition to adulthood.

Learn more about how to volunteer at Hopementoring.dcf.ks.gov.

This story was originally published January 19, 2016 at 6:04 PM with the headline "Letters on failed tax program, drug war, Iran prisoners, Wichita motto, ‘sensory sensitive’ movies, state mentoring."