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Headlines for Wednesday, June 19, 2024

A graphic representation of eight radios of various vintages, underneath the words "Kansas Public Radio News Summary"
Emily DeMarchi
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KPR

Kansas Legislature Approves Tax Cut Package; Governor Will Sign It

TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – After nearly six months of on-and-off debate, Kansas lawmakers on Tuesday passed tax cuts amounting to nearly $400 million per year, and the governor says she will sign it. The Kansas News Service reports that the bill would combine the state’s three income tax brackets into two and lower the rates. It would also eliminate taxes on social security benefits. The bill lowers state property tax rates. Republican Representative William Clifford of Garden City voted for it, but argued that it does not cut property taxes enough, saying “...at worst, we are forcing seniors out of their homes, closing small businesses and strangling our producers’ ability to feed the world.” Tax cuts were a top priority for lawmakers during the special session because the state has a nearly $4 billion surplus.

(–Additional reporting–)

Kansas Will See Major Tax Cuts, but the Relief for Home Owners Isn't Seen as Sufficient

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators have approved major tax cuts and ended a political stalemate with Governor Laura Kelly. Yet some of them sounded frustrated as they were doing it.

The Republican-controlled Legislature approved a bill Tuesday to cut income and property taxes by a total of $1.23 billion over the next three years. The measure contains the exact terms of a compromise reached by the Democratic governor and the GOP leaders of the House and Senate, and Kelly promised to sign it.

But many lawmakers, particularly Republicans, said they'd wanted more for taxpayers, and legislators in both parties view its property tax relief as meager. The bill decreases what homeowners will pay to the state to help finance public schools, but the 15.6% cut in that tax for the owner of a $250,000 house amounts to $76 a year and is lower than previous plans lawmakers considered this year.

The bill cleared the Legislature with huge bipartisan majorities during a one-day special session called by Kelly after she vetoed three previous tax-cutting plans and lawmakers ended their regular annual session May 1. The GOP leaders who negotiated with her office warned colleagues that they risked another veto if they made any changes — and they didn't. They've worried that failing to cut taxes will anger voters in this year's elections.

“We can absolutely afford more tax cuts," said Senate tax committee Chair Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican. "I do support this legislation, but it is not the best we can get.”

The state's coffers have bulged with surplus revenue, but disagreements between Kelly and Republican leaders prevented Kansas from enacting major reductions.

Republican leaders wanted tax cuts worth at least $230 million more over three years, but Kelly argued that those larger cuts would lead to budget shortfalls in five years.

“Although this package is not perfect and emphasizes income tax reductions instead of property tax relief, it does provide significant relief,” she said in a statement.

Personal income tax cuts account for nearly 87% of the bill's relief, even though legislators repeatedly said their constituents' biggest concern is rising property taxes fueled in part by rising home values. But most property taxes are levied by local officials, and the state's school tax is a small portion of what people pay.

The bill moves Kansas from three personal income tax rates to two and cuts the highest rate from 5.7% to 5.58%. Other changes will increase the amount of income automatically exempted from taxes so that a married couple filing jointly will not pay any tax until they earn more than $25,000, whether they have children or not.

Kansas also will stop taxing retirees' Social Security benefits instead of taxing the entire amount once someone earns more than $75,000. The state also will double an income tax credit for child care expenses.

The measure also provides a 14% cut in the tax paid by banks, savings and loans and other financial institutions instead of the corporate income tax. That mirrors past cuts for other businesses.

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Kansas Plan to Draw Sports Teams Could Push STAR Bond Debt over $1 Billion

TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) – Kansas could soon issue about $700 million in STAR bonds for a new stadium. The state already has more than a half a billion dollars in STAR bond debt.
Kansas has issued STAR bonds for 23 projects since 1998. Those bonds are paid off with the sales tax revenue each project generates. Some lawmakers are concerned that a new stadium for the Chiefs or Royals would be much more costly than any existing project. Representative Henry Helgerson, a Democrat from Sedgwick County, commented that “...if we spend this money on the Chiefs, you will have a billion dollars less to spend for schools, or for property tax reduction.” Children’s Mercy Park is the biggest project so far, receiving $150 million in STAR bonds. State officials say 80% of its projects are on track to be paid off on time.

(–Additional reporting–)

Kansas Is Making a Big Run at Kansas City's Pro Teams with a Plan to Help Pay for New Stadiums

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas is making a serious run at becoming the new home for the reigning Super Bowl champions with legislators approving a plan Tuesday to lure the Chiefs and Major League Baseball’s Kansas City Royals away from Missouri.

Bipartisan legislative supermajorities OK'd the measure to authorize state bonds to help finance new stadiums and practice facilities for both teams on the Kansas side of the metropolitan area of 2.3 million residents, which is split by the border with Missouri. Three Super Bowl victories in five years — and player Travis Kelce’s romance with pop icon Taylor Swift — have made the Chiefs perhaps the area’s most celebrated civic asset.

The plan from the Republican-controlled Legislature goes next to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. While she stopped short of promising to sign it, she said in a statement that “Kansas now has the opportunity to become a professional sports powerhouse.”

Both the Chiefs and the Royals said they look forward to considering Kansas options. The lease on the Missouri complex with their side-by-side stadiums runs through January 2031, but both have said they already should have been planning for the future.

“We’re excited about what happened here today,” Korb Maxwell, an attorney for the Chiefs who lives on the Kansas side, said at the Statehouse after the bill cleared the Legislature. “This is incredibly real.”

The approval capped a two-month push to capitalize on the refusal in April by voters on the Missouri side to continue a local sales tax used to finance the upkeep of the teams' stadiums.

Backers of the plan brushed aside decades of research by economists concluding that government subsidies for professional sports stadiums are not worth the cost. They also overcame criticism that lawmakers were moving too quickly.

A spokeswoman for Missouri Gov. Mike Parson did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. But in Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas promised to “lay out a good offer” to keep both teams in town.

“Today was largely, in my opinion, about leverage,” Lucas said. “And the teams are in an exceptional leverage position.”

Some Kansas officials reached the same conclusion.

“I think the Chiefs and the Royals are using us,” said state Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Kansas City-area Democrat.

The votes on the Kansas stadium-financing plan were 84-38 in the state House and 27-8 in the Senate. Lawmakers from across the state — even western Kansas, far from any new stadium — supported the measure.

It would allow state bonds to cover up to 70% of each new stadium, paying them off over 30 years with revenues from sports betting, state lottery ticket sales and new sales and alcohol taxes collected from shopping and entertainment districts around the new stadiums.

House Commerce Committee Chair Sean Tarwater, a Kansas City-area Republican, said the Chiefs still are likely to spend $500 million to $700 million in private funds on a new stadium.

“There are no blank checks,” Tarwater told GOP colleagues during a briefing.

Legislators debated the plan during a one-day special session called by Kelly to have them consider reducing taxes after she vetoed three tax-cutting plans before legislators adjourned their regular annual session May 1.

Republican leaders had promised that the stadium proposal wouldn’t come up until the Legislature first approved a plan to cut income and property taxes by a total of $1.23 billion over the next three years. Many lawmakers argued that voters would be angry if the state helped finance new stadiums without cutting taxes.

With the tax bill passed, the stadium plan gained support even from lawmakers who saw it as a handout for wealthy team owners. Some said failing to act risked pushing the teams to leave the Kansas City area, and a few said they had wanted the Chiefs in Kansas since childhood.

“It is amazing to me the speed with which we can solve problems when they're oriented around wealth, when they’re oriented around business,” said state Rep. Jason Probst, a Democrat from central Kansas.

Yet Probst voted for the bill.

“This is the system that we’re stuck in, so if we choose to opt out of that system, we will lose every time,” he said.

Economists who study pro sports teams have concluded in dozens of studies that a new stadium and shopping-and-entertainment area merely takes existing economic activity away from elsewhere in a community, resulting in little or no net gain.

“It could still help Kansas and maybe hurt Missouri by the same amount,” said Andrew Zimbalist, an economics professor at Smith college in central Massachusetts who has written multiple books about sports. “It’s a zero-sum game.”

A skeptical state Sen. Molly Baumgardner, a Kansas City-area Republican, used a Christmas Eve metaphor to characterize supporters' excitement before she voted no.

"There are visions of sugar plums,” Baumgardner said.

(–Additional reporting–)

KCMO's Mayor Says a Fight over Jobs Is Resuming. Here Are the Things to Know About Kansas Wooing the Chiefs and Royals

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A plan in Kansas for luring the Kansas City's two major league sports franchises from Missouri has prompted their hometown's mayor to declare that the move ends a 5-year-old agreement by the states not to poach each other's jobs. The Kansas Legislature has approved a measure to allow the state to issue bonds to help the Super Bowl Champion Chiefs and Major League Baseball's Royals pay for new stadiums in Kansas. It goes next to Gov. Laura Kelly.

Here are a few things to know about the two states' contest for the teams.

Kansas is poised to make offers
While Kelly has not formally pledged to sign the stadium-financing bill, she issued a positive statement when it passed Tuesday, saying it could make Kansas “a professional sports powerhouse.” If she signs it, as many lawmakers expect, it would take effect July 1.

The state’s secretary of commerce, Lt. Gov. David Toland, would negotiate with one or both teams on a plan for a new stadium. Kelly and eight top legislative leaders would have to approve each deal with a vote in a public meeting.

A deal would draw the boundaries of a district around a stadium and possibly another around a separate practice facility, and new state sales and alcohol tax revenues generated by shops, restaurants, bars and hotels within that district would pay off the bonds over 30 years.

The city and county could pledge tax revenues as well but are not required to do so, and the state also could use revenues from sports betting and state lottery ticket sales to back bonds as well.

The bonds could cover up to 70% of the costs of the new stadiums, though supporters of the plan don't expect that, anticipating that two stadiums together could cost $4 billion.

There is talk of a renewed economic ‘border war’
The Kansas-Missouri border splits the 2.3 million-resident Kansas City area, and there's both Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas. Much of the border is the median of State Line Road, and about 60% of the area's residents live on the Missouri side.

A feud between the two states has existed for generations and most recently saw each state burning through tens of millions of dollars in subsides to pull existing businesses across the border. Officials on both sides came to see the contest as expensive and wasteful, and in 2019, Kelly, a Democrat, and Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, signed a truce.

Kansas City, Missouri Mayor Quinton Lucas told reporters that Kansas’ bid for the Chiefs and Royals restarted that economic “border war.”

“I do believe long-term that we’re one place and it’s better when we work together," he said during a news conference.

But Kelly doesn't agree that the states' truce has been violated, telling reporters this week that before the agreement, "We never discussed the teams.”

Kansas lawmakers tapped fears about the future
Kansas lawmakers acted after voters on the Missouri side refused in April to extend a local sales tax for keeping up the complex with the teams' side-by-side stadiums. Many Kansas lawmakers worried that if they didn't act, the teams might move out of the area altogether — mentioning Salt Lake City, San Antonio and Nashville.

Several economists who've studied professional sports were dubious that moving would make financial sense for either team — especially the Chiefs, who have a rabid fan base that could be hard to build quickly elsewhere. In addition, after pro football's Rams moved nearly a decade ago from St. Louis to Los Angeles, the team's owner and the National Football League paid $790 million to settle a lawsuit filed by St. Louis interests.

But Kansas lawmakers noted that the Royals' major-league predecessor, the Athletics, moved to Oakland, California, in 1968 and now plan to relocate to Las Vegas. Kansas City lost major-league professional teams to other cities in the 1970s and 1980s, and the Chiefs came to Kansas City in 1963 after starting as the Dallas Texans four years earlier.

“The state of Missouri is known for losing professional teams,” Kansas state Rep. Sean Tarwater, a Kansas City-area Republican, who helped lead the push for the stadium bill.

Kansas officials expect Missouri to respond
Missouri officials have pledged to do what it takes to keep the Chiefs and Royals in their state but have not outlined specific proposals. Lucas saw the April vote as a sign that area residents wanted officials to discuss options other than extending the sales tax.

Like their counterparts in Kansas, Missouri lawmakers have finished their annual regular session, but they are set to meet again Sept. 11 to consider vetoes by Parson.

Supporters of Kansas’ bid for the teams said it could spur an aggressive response from Missouri — and added that if the teams get offers they like and opt to stay there, at least they’re still in the Kansas City area.

Lucas said the teams now have “exceptional leverage.”

Kansas and Missouri describe the timeline differently
The lease on the complex with the Chiefs' and Royals' existing stadiums runs through January 2031, but the teams have said they must plan renovations or new stadiums years in advance for them to be ready on time. Both suggested that even seven years out, time for a decision is short.

Backers of the Kansas bid said such comments justified acting Tuesday, during a one-day special session that Kelly called to consider tax cuts after lawmakers adjourned their regular annual session May 1. Some critics argued that legislators should have waited until their regular 2025 session starts in January so a plan could be properly vetted.

But Parson and Lucas have said the contest for the teams is only in its “first quarter,” using a football metaphor.

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Governor Celebrates Juneteenth at Kansas Statehouse

TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Governor Laura Kelly joined the Kansas African American Affairs Commission this week to celebrate Juneteenth at the Statehouse. This marks the first year Juneteenth is observed as a state holiday. “Juneteenth is a time to celebrate the progress we have made and acknowledge the ongoing struggles for racial equality,” Kelly said Monday. The governor designated Juneteenth a state holiday in October 2023 and has issued proclamations recognizing Juneteenth every year since 2020.  In observance of the holiday, Wednesday, Executive Branch state offices will be closed.  Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day the last enslaved Americans received word that President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation to abolish slavery. Slaves in Texas received news about their freedom more than two months after the Civil War had ended.

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Kansas Board of Regents to Vote on Tuition Hikes

WICHITA, Kan. (KPR) – The Kansas Board of Regents will vote Thursday on plans to raise tuition at most state universities. The Kansas News Service reports that the price tag of a college education will go up for most Kansas students this year. Five of the six major state universities have proposed raising tuition. Plans range from a 2.8% increase at Kansas State University to 6% at Fort Hays State. Emporia State University wants to keep tuition flat and decrease some student fees. Leaders say they’ll use one-time state funding and cash reserves to balance their budget. Other university administrators say raising tuition will help offset inflation and make up for tuition freezes imposed during the pandemic.

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Oscar Winner Directs Documentary on KC Civil Rights Icon

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) - A new film about a local civil rights icon will get a Juneteenth premiere in Kansas City today (WED). “The Heroic True-Life Adventures of Alvin Brooks” comes from Oscar-winning screenwriter and KU film professor Kevin Willmott. His documentary follows Brooks at age 92 and examines his long life dedicated to community, and fighting violent crime. "There's a service element in that civil rights tradition and the belief that that you could call someone like Mr. Brooks and they were going to help you," Willmott said. The premiere is part of the second annual Juneteenth Film Festival, hosted at Screenland Armour theater.

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Heat-Related Emergency Room Visits on the Rise in Kansas

UNDATED (KNS) – Kansas health department data shows emergency department visits for heat-related illnesses have increased in the past week, nearing 20 per day statewide. The Kansas News Service reports that experts say most Kansans will see hot and humid weather continue this week and into next, with heat index readings approaching 100 this weekend. John Woynick, with the National Weather Service in Topeka, says daily highs are around 10 degrees above average for June. Woynick advises that “...the main thing is just to remain hydrated, limit your time outside especially if you have to work outside, get into a shady area or at least take frequent breaks."

People who are homeless and those with certain heart and respiratory conditions are at greater risk of heat-related illness. Officials say pets also need access to cool shelter and water. The city of Lawrence is offering cooling sites at parks and rec centers. Residents can also ride air-conditioned Lawrence Transit buses.

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Investigators Discover Cause of Garden City House Explosion

GARDEN CITY, Kan. (KSNW) — A house explosion that injured a person in Garden City last weeked was caused by a natural gas leak. Investigators say the leak was isolated to the gas line inside the home and that the gas was ignited when the victim turned on the stove. KSNW TV reports that the State Fire Marshal and the Garden City Fire Department continue to investigate. Saturday night's explosion (in the 800 block of West Fair Street) caused significant damage to the home and even caused minor damage to a nearby elementary school.

Black Hills Energy encourages customers to remember the following safety tips:

  • If you smell natural gas, leave the building or area immediately and tell others to leave, too. 
  • After you’re safely away from the area, call 911 and our emergency number at 888-890-5554.
  • Never assume someone else has reported a natural gas leak.
  • Alert your neighbors.  
  • Do not turn on lights, ignite a flame, use a cell phone, or use anything that might cause a spark, including a flashlight or a generator.   

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Group Seeks Provisions in Farm Bill for Abatement of "Forever Chemicals"

UNDATED (HPM) – A group worried about “forever chemicals” contaminating farmland wants to see money put into the Farm Bill. Harvest Public Media reports that the provision would support farmers whose land is affected by PFAS contamination. The U.S. Senate’s draft version of the Farm Bill includes a fund to help farmers recover from PFAS contamination. Two years ago, the state of Michigan shut down a farmer who used fertilizer tainted with PFAS, leaving the century farm on the brink of bankruptcy. In Maine, the state set up a fund to help more than 70 farms with contaminated land. Sarah Alexander leads the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association and wants to see a 500-million-dollar federal fund. “We're hopeful that having a safety net in place will allow states to start being a little more proactive,” she said. The current Farm Bill expires in September.

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Kansas Woman Wins Big on "The Price Is Right"

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - A Kansas woman had to keep a victory to herself for about three months. With the moment finally televised, the secret is out. Kansas native Gracen Truskett was a big winner on “The Price is Right.” The episode on which Truskett appeared aired Monday. She joined her family for a watch party to recapture the moments she was told to “Come on down.” KWCH TV reports that Truskett was on a Spring Break trip to California with a group of friends when they decided to attend a taping of the popular daytime game show. She won $1,000, some Coach purses, a hot tub, a car, a jukebox, a record player, a couch, and a trip to Nashville. Truskett had to keep her big win from being public knowledge until after the show aired on Monday, June 17.

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This summary of area news is curated by KPR news staffers. Our headlines are generally published by 10 am weekdays and are updated through 7 pm. This ad-free news summary is made possible by KPR members. Become one today. And follow KPR News on X (formerly Twitter,).