Tagged: Kansas

Governor Sam Brownback’s budget proposal would reinstate some funding for arts programs, but would do away with the Kansas Arts Commission. The Kansas Film Commission and Arts Commission would be combined to become the Kansas Creative Industries Commission.

The governor’s budget would provide $200,000 to the new organization. State Budget Director Steve Anderson says that money would be available for arts programs that create economic development.

At his annual State of the State address on Wednesday night, Kansas Governor Sam Brownback advocated a plan to cut taxes for roughly 1.6 million Kansans. 

He also outlined a plan to change the way Kansas public schools are funded, and called for the Kansas Legislature to fix the Sunflower State's state employee pension plan.

Democrats in the Kansas Legislature have unveiled a school funding plan as an alternative to the one introduced by Governor Sam Brownback.

The Democratic plan would increase school funding with the goal of restoring some of the cuts made in recent years. It would also provide about $45 million to help reduce local property taxes.

Representative Paul Davis of Lawrence is the top Democrat in the House. He says budget cuts to education in recent years have had a significant impact on schools.

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback spelled out the details of his school finance overhaul Wednesday. It would allow local taxpayers to raise property taxes as high as they wanted for education. Currently, school districts can only raise  a limited amount of funding from property taxes: a maximum of 30 percent of the funding they receive from the state.

John McClure, the owner and executive chef at Starker's Restaurant on the Country Club Plaza, has died. McClure was 35.

By Laura Spencer

Kansas City, Mo. – John McClure, the owner and executive chef at Starker's Restaurant on the Country Club Plaza, has died. McClure was 35.

According to The Pitch's Fat City blog, McClure was found dead in his home Wednesday morning.

By Stephen Koranda, KPR

Topkea, KS – Kansas lawmakers are gearing up for the next session. House members met in Topeka yesterday to elect their leaders. They'll now begin the task of working to set their priorities. Stephen Koranda has more.