Monthly Archives: April 2023
Legislative Update by State Senator Caryn Tyson
March 31, 2023
Too many bills to mention Last week the Senate worked over 75 bills in three days. It was a grueling schedule. All of the bills can be found at www.KSLegislature.org Below are a few highlights from the marathon of legislation.
Property Tax was discussed in some detail on the Senate floor regarding a proposed constitutional amendment that I requested, Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 1610. It would limit property valuations to a maximum 3% increase each year. According the Revisors office (lawyers), this change must be made in the Constitution. It was modeled after Oklahoma and Oregon, states that use fair market value systems, similar to Kansas. A couple of Senators argued that it would take us out of compliance of fair market value and some owners would be paying more because they remodeled or sold their home. However, the more important argument in support of the 3% limit is why should you be paying higher property taxes if your neighbor sells or remodels their home? Oklahoma and Oregon have had valuation limits for over 25 years. It will not break the Kansas system, but it will keep property owners from these massive property tax valuation increases in one year. It does not stop local governments and schools from increasing your property taxes, via mil levy increases, but it does stop these super-inflated valuation increases and the burden of contesting them. The SCR must pass both chambers by 2/3 majority. It failed in the Senate on a vote of 26 to 14. If one Senator who voted no, will change their vote Monday 4/3/23, it would go to the House for a vote. It is a step in the right direction for limiting these massive property valuation increases.
Freedom from Government Competition is the intent of Senate Bill (SB) 252. Businesses should not have to compete against their government. There are government ran businesses in Kansas, creating an unfair advantage and SB 252 would help level the playing field. If the Department of Revenue decides that your business is competing against a government business in your city then sales and property tax for your business would be exempt. It passed the Senate 24 to 16. I voted Yes.
Environmental Social Governance (ESG) is a rating system established to encourage politically charged investments, such as stopping investments in the oil and gas industry. The Kansas Senate took a major step in prohibiting state agencies and other political subdivisions from giving preferential treatment to or discriminating against companies based on ESG criteria. I offered an amendment that would prohibit state investments in countries that are known foreign advisories to the U.S., such as China and others. All investments must be divested within 18 months. We should have never been invested in these countries. The amendment passed. The bill passed the Senate 29 to 11. I voted Yes.
It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your 12th District State Senator.
Caryn
Via Christi’s Program To Increase Breastfeeding/Duration Rates Earns Recognition
Pittsburg’s Ascension Via Christi Hospital
earns High 5 for Mom & Baby recognition
Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg has once again earned recognition by High 5 for Mom & Baby, a program developed by the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund to increase breastfeeding initiation and duration rates in Kansas.
“I’m very proud of our team and the work they do to continue to promote breastfeeding for our moms and babies,” says Janelle Wade, director of Inpatient Services, which includes Women’s Health. “They understand the importance and the health benefits that breastfeeding provides newborns.”
Ascension Via Christi in Pittsburg first received High 5 recognition in 2018 and has maintained it each year since that time. High 5 for Mom & Baby provides resources and a framework to help Kansas hospitals implement 10 evidence-based practices proven to support successful breastfeeding, improve maternal and infant health outcomes and reduce racial and ethnic health disparities.
To obtain recognition, each facility must complete a voluntary and self-reported evaluation and demonstrate that it follows at least five of its 10 evidence-based practices:
- Have a written maternity care and infant feeding policy that addresses all 10 High 5 for Mom & Baby practices supporting breastfeeding
- Maintain staff competency in lactation support
- Provide all expectant mothers with information and instruction on breastfeeding
- Assure immediate and sustained skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby after birth
- Provide all families individualized infant feeding counseling
- Give no food or drink to newborns other than breast milk unless medically indicated
- Allow mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day
- Encourage feeding whenever the baby exhibits feeding cues, regardless of feeding methods
- Give no pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding infants
- Provide mothers with information about community resources for breastfeeding support following their discharge from the hospital
These steps are designed to increase breastfeeding initiation and duration rates in the state of Kansas. Factors that influence how long or if a baby is breastfed include hospital practices, education and encouragement, policies or support in the workplace, and access to community support.
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, six out of 10 mothers stopped breastfeeding sooner than they had planned.
“Our goal is to provide the support that mothers and babies need to be successful at breastfeeding,” says Miranda Caskey, RN, the certified lactation consultant who led the hospital’s High 5 for Mom & Baby efforts.
That support is critical, which is why Ascension Via Christi converted its lactation and childbirth education classes to virtual offerings led by a registered nurse and offer them at no cost to parents. Breastfeeding mothers also can schedule in-person follow-up appointments and weight checks with Caskey to help ensure a successful breastfeeding experience.
Learn more about Labor and Delivery or sign up for a class at Ascension Via Christi by visiting viachristibaby.com.
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About Ascension Via Christi
In Kansas, Ascension Via Christi operates seven hospitals and 75 other sites of care and employs nearly 6,400 associates. Across the state, Ascension Via Christi provided nearly $89 million in community benefit and care of persons living in poverty in fiscal year 2021. Serving Kansas for more than 135 years, Ascension is a faith-based healthcare organization committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. Ascension is the leading non-profit and Catholic health system in the U.S., operating more than 2,600 sites of care – including 145 hospitals and more than 40 senior living facilities – in 19 states and the District of Columbia. Visit www.ascension.org.
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports April 4
U.S. Senator Jerry Moran Newsletter
America Needs a Fair & Transparent Organ Transplant System
For years, Senator Roy Blunt and I raised the alarm about the nation’s fundamentally unfair and biased organ transplant system. Our warnings were heeded when the Department of Health and Human Services announced its intent to overhaul the organ transplant system.
Breaking up the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) contract and adding transparency to the process are good first steps to rectify the fundamental bias in the system dominated by a monopolistic contractor. Getting the organ transplant and donation system right is a matter of life and death. There is no room for bias, reckless mistakes or an opaque process. It is important to continue oversight and make certain the organ donation process is transparent and fair so that more organs can be donated and more lives saved.
Chamber Coffee hosted by Woodland Hills Golf Course on April 6
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members and guests to the Chamber Coffee this Thursday, April 6th at 8am. This week’s coffee will be hosted by Woodland Hills Golf Course located at 2414 Horton St. Coffee and light refreshments will be served.
Fort Scott’s Woodland Hills Golf Course was named a Top 10 golf course in Kansas by Best Things Kansas and number 6 in the entire state. Woodland Hills has also been named one of the best municipal courses in Kansas. Woodland Hills is an 18-hole park-style course, winding through beautiful scenery, with elevation changes and some of the best views in Bourbon County. Come enjoy one of Southeast Kansas’s hidden treasures at the Woodland Hills Golf Course.
Contact the Chamber of Commerce at (620) 223-3566 for more information.
KS March Taxes Surpass Estimate
Governor Kelly Announces March Total Tax Collections Surpass Estimate by Nearly $65 Million
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced today that total tax collections for March 2023 were $758.3 million. That is $64.9 million, or 9.4%, more than the monthly estimate. That is also $78.7 million, or 11.6%, more than March 2022.
“Time and again, we have exceeded our estimated tax collections, providing further proof that we can responsibly axe taxes on groceries, retirement, and property for Kansans,” said Governor Laura Kelly.
Individual income tax collections were $314.6 million. That is $438,000 less than the estimate but $16.4 million, or 5.5%, more than March 2022. Corporate income tax collections were $102.6 million, which is $75.6 million, or 279.9%, more than the estimate and $74.9 million, or 271.1%, more than March 2022.
Combined sales and compensating use tax receipts were $275.4 million, which is $422,000 more than the estimate and $4.9 million, or 1.7%, less than March 2022. The reduced year-over-year receipts for March from these tax sources are due in part to the reduction of state sales tax on food and food ingredients.
The Consensus Revenue Estimating Group, comprised of the Kansas Department of Revenue, Division of Budget, Legislative Research Department, and economists from the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and Wichita State University, will meet on April 20. The Group will review the fall estimate and make any revisions it may consider necessary.
Quarterly Downtown Meet & Greet scheduled for April 4th!
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Bourbon County Offices Closed for Good Friday, April 7
The Bourbon County courthouse and transfer station will be closed Friday, April 7, 2023 in observance of Good Friday. The transfer station will be open 8:00-12:00 on Saturday.
Brody Johnson Arrested on Assault & Firearm Charges, Middle School Was Placed in Lockdown
Today, April 3, 2023 at 11:05 hrs, officers from the Fort Scott Police Department (FSPD) and deputies from the Bourbon County Sheriff’s office (BBSO) responded to a 911 call of a gun shot in the area of the Highland Apartments on Shepherd Street, in Fort Scott.
Due to the close proximity of the incident to Fort Scott Middle School, SRO’s had the middle school placed into lockdown status.
When officers arrived on scene at the apartment complex, they learned information about a firearm being discharged. There were no reported injuries as a result of this incident.
Officers & deputies established a perimeter around the building in question, then went about evacuating that building.
During the initial on-scene investigation, officers were able to determine which residence the alleged shooter resided in. Once this information was established, officers used a PA system to call out to the occupants of the residence, and have them exit.
FSPD officers successfully called out the male resident of 802 Shepherd St, #14, who was taken into custody without incident. This individual was identified as being Brody Johnson, 22.
Mr. Johnson was transported to the Bourbon County Jail where he was booked on the following charges:
Aggravated Assault
Criminal Discharge of Firearm
Mr. Johnson is presumed innocent until proven otherwise in a court of law. If you have information that you believe will help our investigation, please contact us at: 620-223-1700
Bill Downey Jr, Administrative Sergeant / Public Information Officer
Fort Scott Police Department
New Windows For the Kress Building
The Kress Building, an historic building at 17 S. Main St. got new windows on the second floor both front and rear of the building last week.
“When Kim and I bought the the building there were 10 new windows uninstalled,” said Robert Coon.
The Kress is owned by Robert and Kimberly Coon, Coon Rentals LLC who are continuing the effort ” to help revitalize the downtown area of Fort Scott,” Coon said.
Also helping in the installation was an Amish group of workers, and Dakota Garcia LLC, Coon said.
Coon said a retail business will open on the second floor of the building sometime this summer.
“They were waiting for us to install the windows,” he said. “The front 2,500 feet will be retail, the back 2,500 feet will be storage for the retail space.”
To see a recent history of the building;
Coon Rentals Purchases 17 S. Main
The building known for years as the Kress Building was sold to Coon Rentals LLC in 2021.
The building housed a grocery store on the first floor for a brief period in the COVID 19 Pandemic and also a sushi restaurant for a brief period.
The second floor was an office for the Bourbon County Workforce and Entrepreneur Resource Center at this time frame, organized by the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, which later moved to a different location.
Community Connection Panelist Luncheon April 5
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