Opinion Line (Feb. 15)

Before we force the layoff of one more teacher, before we consolidate schools and before we downsize one more public service department, let’s consolidate the state’s legislative districts. There are too many legislators feeding at the public trough.

Kansans, unite. Do not pay taxes or fees. You can get a discount from the bankruptcy trustee assigned to handle the first state default in history.

With a dysfunctional governor, an inept Legislature living in denial and a delusional secretary of state, why would any business think twice about relocating to Kansas?

So Brian Williams was suspended six months without pay for “misleading the public.” Just imagine if Kansas held its public officials to the same standard. Without all the Republicans this would affect, Topeka would be a ghost town.

I am tired of hearing how Gov. Sam Brownback has cut the budget to schools. What he did was reduce the planned spending increase. The bottom line is the schools will receive more state dollars in 2015 versus 2014. If you receive more, that is not a cut.

The “technology director” for the Maize school district was being paid $101,000 a year. I’m curious to know exactly what he did for that salary. How about some accountability before people whine about cutting school finances?

Would someone mind hanging up the big picture where Brownback can see it better?

The Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce talks of the need for a well-educated workforce but must have known when backing Brownback what his tax policies, which benefit the chamber, would do to education funding.

Yes, Sedgwick County Commission Chairman Richard Ranzau knows that socialism – along with liberalism, progressivism and communism – is collectivism, otherwise known as big government or Big Brother. Thanks, Lord, for allowing the people to speak in the last election to give us a clear-thinking chairman.

So when exactly will Jim Howell start the “independent thinking” he claimed he would employ on the Sedgwick County Commission when he was running for office? Or was that just another one of his false campaign promises?

Commissioners Karl Peterjohn and Jim Howell quoting Eisenhower (Feb. 13 Opinion). Will the hypocrisy ever end?

Whereas I believe that using a safety belt is a good idea, I also believe that as long as you’re not harming others against their knowledge or will, and as long as it’s your property, it shouldn’t be within the law’s power to dictate its use.

According to Kansas law, I pay personal property tax on my car. So how can you legally tell me to use my seat belt or get a ticket? How about publishing some statistics about how many people are trapped and killed by seat belts in crashes?

Many of you could save yourself the cost of a gym membership if you bought a big mirror.

This story was originally published February 14, 2015 at 6:03 PM with the headline "Opinion Line (Feb. 15)."