Kansas Department of Commerce now accepting Online Community Development Block Grant applications for Housing, Sewer and Water

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Commerce is announcing today that Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program applications for Housing and Water and Sewer are now available online at kansascommerce.gov/cdbg.

The move to online-only applications is intended to simplify the process for applicant communities, as well as streamline the review and approval process for added efficiency. Applications for Housing and Water and Sewer are due September 25 and Community Facilities are due October 30.

The CDBG program supports communities by funding community development and infrastructure projects that meet one of three national objectives set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD):

• The project benefits low- and moderate-income individuals
• The project removes or prevents slum or blight condition
• The project eliminates an urgent need created by a disaster when local funds are unavailable.

With the due dates for these three programs approaching, the Kansas Department of Commerce is presenting webinars to assist with this transition to the online-only application system.

• Housing Webinar – Wednesday, September 2, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• Water and Sewer Webinar – Wednesday, September 2, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
• Community Facilities Webinar – Tuesday, September 15, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Pre-registration for these webinars can be done via the links above.

Communities looking for assistance in preparing and submitting online applications should contact the CDBG team at the Department of Commerce:

(785) 296-3004

[email protected]

TTY (Hearing Impaired) at 711

KansasCommerce.gov

State of Kansas Tax Collections $40.2 million Above Estimates

~Kansas total tax revenues show visible changes in consumer purchasing behaviors~

TOPEKA – Today Governor Laura Kelly announced that in its second month of Fiscal Year 2021, the State of Kansas continued to see total tax collections performing above estimates. Total tax collections for August were $543.5 million. That is $40.2 million, or 8.0%, more than the estimate. That is 9.3%, or $46.3 million, ahead of last August.

“While this news shows that the steps we have taken to protect our economy are working, we have to remain fiscally cautious,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “The state of Kansas is still recovering from COVID-19 and we have to stay vigilant. That means all Kansans should wear a mask, practice social distancing and avoid mass gatherings so we can keep our schools and our businesses open.”

August’s individual income tax collections were 12.9%, or $31.0 million, more than the estimate with $271.0 million collected. Compared to the same month last fiscal year, that is a 17.2%, or $39.7 million in growth. Corporate income tax collections were 10.5% more than August of last fiscal year with $7.3 million collected. That is $2.3 million, or 46.9%, more than the estimate.

Retail sales tax collections were 2.5%, or $5.1 million, more than the estimate with $207.1 million collected. That is a $1.8 million growth compared to the same month of last fiscal year. Compensating use tax collections were $12.7 million, or 38.9%, more than last August with $45.3 million collected. That is $9.3 million more than estimated.

So far, the state has collected $95.7 million in compensating use taxes for the fiscal year; a $24.0 million, or 33.6%, increase compared to the same two months of last fiscal year.

“The year-over-year increase in compensating use tax collections demonstrates the importance of increasing the number of registrations by remote sellers,” Secretary Mark Burghart said. “By increasing the number of out-of-state retailer registrations, we create fairness between out-of-state online retailers and main street Kansas.”

The state is $35.6 million, or 2.4%, ahead of projections for the year with $1.5 billion in total tax collections for the fiscal year. When comparing total tax collections over the same timeframe to the previous fiscal year, the State of Kansas is $531.0 million, or 53.5%, ahead of Fiscal Year 2020.

Governor Kelly and DCF Announce Additional Child Care Benefit; Expand Hero Relief Program

Agency takes steps to address child care needs during delayed school openings

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Department for Children and Families today announced an additional benefit in September for those receiving child care assistance to support families as they adapt to delayed school openings across the state.

“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our state, and many families and child care providers are in need of additional resources,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “As parents and kids adjust to virtual, remote, and hybrid learning environments, DCF is providing the support Kansas families need right now.”

“We know a large number of districts have moved the beginning of the school year to September,” DCF Secretary Laura Howard said. “This means many families are needing child care during a time when their kids would normally be in school.”

DCF is supplementing September child care plans to equal the benefit issued in August. In a typical year, the benefit would be reduced in September to account for children being in school. Those families eligible for the extra benefit include those with existing child care plans with DCF that have school-aged children. Additionally, families who apply by September 30, 2020 also will receive these additional September benefits, prorated based on the date of application.

DCF also is expanding eligibility criteria for its Hero Relief Program. The program expands DCF’s child care assistance subsidies for families by making them available to essential workers who financially qualify. Effective Sept. 1, school personnel will be added to the list of eligible workers.

The expansion will include:

• Educators and select other school personnel including teachers, para-professionals and their substitutes
• Workers providing bus or other transportation services, food services, and custodial services for public and private schools, including those employed by contractors
• Workers providing other essential services within public and private schools may be determined eligible with the approval of regional administrators

To qualify, families must have countable gross income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level. For an average family of four that equals a monthly income of $5,458. Families will receive the full DCF subsidy amount based on their family size, with no family-share deduction.

“We know teachers and other school personnel are dealing with difficult situations involving the care of their own children,” Howard said. “By expanding the Hero Relief Program, we hope to relieve some of the financial burden many of these families now face.”

For more information and for instructions on how to apply, visit ksherorelief.com.

A new Driver Education Reimbursement Grant Program has been established to provide financial assistance to driver’s education programs to help individuals who may not have been able to participate otherwise. The program is part of the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE) passed by the Kansas Legislature this spring.

“Young drivers are overrepresented in traffic crashes,” said Secretary Julie Lorenz. “This new IKE program provides increased resources to driver education programs so they can train new Kansas drivers to navigate roadways in a safer manner.”

The driver education provider will be reimbursed up to $200 per eligible student who completes the program. Some of the eligibility requirements include – the provider must have an approved driver education program or driver training school, maintain records on students for at least five years and certify all students meet the guidelines.

Students must be between the age of 14 and 29 and a resident of Kansas, has not had their driving privilege suspended in any way, demonstrate financial need and can obtain a certificate of completion by the instructor.

“Driver’s education has changed a lot over the years, and it is important for young drivers to be able to get to work and other places safely,” said Senator Carolyn McGinn. “This program can help them gain driving experience and skills.”

The deadline for driver education program providers to apply for the program is Oct. 9. Interested individual or student participants should contact their driver education program instructor for additional details. For more details on the reimbursement grant program and an application, go to https://www.ksdot.org/burTrafficSaf/default.asp.