Letters on asset forfeiture, religious test, meals for vet, offender mentors

Change law on asset forfeiture

Rep. Gail Finney, D-Wichita, has been trying to get a hearing for a bill that would change civil asset forfeiture to criminal asset forfeiture. This means people would have to be convicted of a crime before losing their property. Those dollars would no longer go to law enforcement agency coffers, but be deposited into the state’s general fund.

She is going to introduce her bill next session; I asked Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, to write a similar bill so that the Senate could mull a concern.

The Legislative Division of Post Audit recently completed a report on asset forfeiture. Our Kansas Highway Patrol has been using these dollars for payroll, even though they were not to be used for normal operations. Auditors also identified a conflict of interest with one county attorney, and reported that important controls were ignored.

As budgets tighten, there is a potential for the forfeiture process to be abused, and I’m frightened for disabled property owners who might fall on hard times.

Missouri uses criminal convictions with forfeiture, and it chose to fund education. We could use those dollars to plug holes in public safety. I plan to help Finney with her bill.

No religious test

This letter is for those (mostly Republican conservatives) who claim to be strict constitutionalists but forever insist on questioning whether President Obama is Christian or Muslim, if Donald Trump is religious, or if a candidate is an atheist. For the purpose of holding any government office, the answer to such questions is irrelevant. Please read Article VI of the U.S. Constitution, which says that “no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.”

Thanks for meals

I served in Italy during World War II, earning the Combat Infantry Badge, the Bronze Star and other honors.

I want to thank the many people who have honored my wife and me by paying for our meals at various restaurants, even though we didn’t know who they were.

Changed lives

Tina Gilmore-Williams, the lead chaplain and mentoring coordinator of Christian Ministries to Offenders at the Sedgwick County Detention Facility, recently was interviewed by KAKE News, Channel 10, about the mentorship program that helps inmates become productive citizens of our community. I am a success story as well.

Gilmore-Williams has been both a mentor and my pastor since 2005. The church she pastors recently reached capacity. I am reaching out in hopes of getting our story out and letting others know of the desperate need for a larger church or building where we can meet.

We have people from all walks of life, but mostly those who have been incarcerated or been in treatment facilities. Their lives are being transformed. I believe if others hear our story, this will help with our situation. We are in partnership with Nu Heart - Nu Start Ministries.

This story was originally published August 6, 2016 at 12:05 AM with the headline "Letters on asset forfeiture, religious test, meals for vet, offender mentors."