Julie Lorenz was confirmed by the Senate today as Secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT).  Lorenz was appointed by Gov. Laura Kelly in January 2019. In her capacity as Secretary of KDOT, Lorenz also serves as the Director of the Kansas Turnpike Authority.

“Secretary Lorenz is an expert in the area of transportation and understands just how critical it is to the future of our economy and our state,” Gov. Kelly said. “She has been a state and national leader in transportation for two decades and Kansas is lucky to have her leading KDOT.”

“I am honored to serve as the Secretary of Transportation,” Lorenz said. “I look forward to working collaboratively with communities and constituencies across our state to develop a supportable vision for transportation, complete T-WORKS and craft the next transportation plan for long-term, sustainable success for all Kansans.”

This is Lorenz’s second tour of duty for KDOT, serving as the Director of Public Affairs and Special Assistant from 2003 to 2011. During that time, she led the development of several efforts at the agency, including the development and eventual legislative passage of the $8.2 billion, 10-year T-WORKS funding program in spring 2010.

Data from the 2018 growing season on the KWO website

Technology and management tools keep evolving to help crop producers make every drop of water count on their fields. Water Technology Farms were developed four years ago as part of the Long-Term Vision for the Future of Water Supply in Kansas. They began as three-year pilot public-private partnerships to demonstrate the latest in crop irrigation technology and water conservation research on the field scale.

“I’m pleased to see the growing interest in Water Technology Farms across the state,” said Kansas Water Office Acting Director Earl Lewis. “We continue to see outcomes from these farms showing that water use reductions, coupled with irrigation technology adoption and water management improvements are leading to positive effects on the aquifer as well as the producer’s bottom line.”

Water Technology Farms have proven valuable in helping to expand the conversation and education of producers as well as decision makers on equipment and technology utilized in agricultural water conservation efforts.

“As one of the first three Tech Farms we have learned so much as far as water conservation production and how what we do affects the Ogallala Aquifer,” Dwane Roth, Garden City Company/Dwane Roth Farm near Holcomb, KS. “A fifth generation Kansan recently said to me that western Kansas is different compared to other parts of the world – our water problems are solvable! I now ask with what we know, do we become resilient? And in doing so have vibrant local communities or do we become just another page in the history books? I say we become resilient.”

The 2018 Growing Season Report shares information about each of the 10 farms including the crop or crops grown, technology utilized to manage water application, as well as harvest data and sponsors of each location.

“My goal as a first year Water Technology Farm was to increase the bushels per inch of irrigation we produced,” said Matt Long of Long Water Technology Farm near Marienthal, KS. “We really pushed our crop using different application technologies, soil moisture probes and a weather station to utilize our irrigation water efficiently which resulted in growing 34 bushels per inch of irrigation. As we start this spring with adequate profile moisture and more knowledge about the application technologies and soil probes, I am excited to see how much more progress we can achieve.”

It is anticipated up to five new farms will be added to the network in 2019, bringing the total number of Water Technology Farms up to 15 for the 2019 growing season.  Field days and other informational events in conjunction with the Water Technology Farm Program will take place later this summer. For more information and the complete 2018 Growing Season Report, visit www.kwo.ks.gov

The Water Technology Farms would not be possible without key public-private partnerships. More than 80 companies and organizations support this effort and sponsors for each farm are on the Water Tech Farm pages on the KWO website.

For more information visit: www.kwo.ks.gov or contact Armando Zarco, Water Resource Planner at (620) 276-2901.

Make a difference in your community and help the environment at the same time – join the Adopt-A-Highway program in Kansas.

The goal of the program is to clean along the roadways throughout the state to increase safety for motorists and pedestrians as well as improve the beauty of Kansas. This helps to raise awareness on the negative effects of pollution and the positive aspects of a clean community.

Any non-profit group that does not discriminate upon the basis of race, religion or gender can join and there is no cost to the group. Members must be at least 11 years old and have adequate adult supervision. Groups have clean-ups three times a year and are recognized for their efforts with signs marking their sections of highway.

Adopt-A-Highway groups are gearing up for the annual Clean Up Kansas Campaign which takes place during the month of April. This event, as well as the program, is sponsored by the Kansas Department of Transportation. All Adopt-A-Highway groups are encouraged but not required to participate in the statewide event.

Groups clean their sections of roadway three times a year at their convenience. Most choose to schedule a clean-up time in the spring, summer and fall.

For more information, contact the KDOT office in your area (listed below). Ask for the Adopt-A-Highway coordinator in the KDOT office located closest to you.

Northeast Kansas

Topeka, (785) 296-2291

Kansas City Area –

Bonner Springs, (913) 942-3040

Olathe, (913) 764-0987

North Central Kansas

Salina, (785) 823-3754

Northwest Kansas

Norton, (785) 877-3315

Southeast Kansas

Chanute, (620) 902-6400

South Central Kansas

Hutchinson, (620) 663-3361

Southwest Kansas

Garden City, (620) 765-7074

Governor Laura Kelly refuses to endorse another tax experiment, vetoes Senate Bill 22

The following message is from Governor Laura Kelly regarding the veto of Senate Bill 22:

Just two short years ago, the State of Kansas found itself on the brink of financial disaster. Even after depleting state savings and enduring multiple rounds of devastating budget cuts, unsustainable tax policy continued to perpetuate fiscal crisis. We saw schools close and class sizes grow. We saw an overwhelmed child welfare system let children fall through the cracks. And despite promises of immediate prosperity, Kansas routinely ranked among the nation’s worst in multiple economic indicators.

As the budget hole continued to grow, the legislature passed two sales tax increases, swept more than $2 billion from the state highway fund, delayed numerous payments to the state pension system, accumulated historic levels of debt, and raided every critical investment from early childhood education to public safety. But in the end, none of these short-term band aids could stem the bleeding caused by reckless tax policy. In November of 2016, Kansans called for change.

The very next year, the state hit “reset” in a historic act of bipartisanship with the passage of comprehensive tax reform. Our credit score improved within a week. The number of Kansans participating in the labor force increased for the first time since 2014. And we’ve finally begun to heal from the unprecedented devastation found in state agencies and state programs.

However, we have only just started the rebuilding process. Our recovery is tenuous; our budget is fragile. The State of Kansas cannot afford to make a U-turn.

Unfortunately, Senate Bill 22 would absolutely dismantle all the progress we’ve made. It would throw our state once again into a self-inflicted budget crisis, diminishing all the investments we’ve worked so hard to rebuild and restore. It would put our future at risk once again in order to give significant tax breaks to entities who need them the least, while continuing to leave working families behind.

Additionally, as noted by the Senate President during the floor debate, Senate Bill 22 will put Kansas out of compliance with the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement. This would potentially cost Kansas up to $18 million in lost revenue — on top of the bill’s already unaffordable $200 million price tag in the next fiscal year.

I look forward to working with the Kansas Legislature in the future to achieve our common goal of a reduced food sales tax. However, as I explained repeatedly — both as a candidate for governor and after I took office – we cannot responsibly enact a food sales tax cut until our state’s fiscal health stabilizes. This is not the time.

I share Kansas lawmakers’ desire to keep the state tax burden as low as possible and that will continue to be my priority. In January, I presented a structurally balanced budget to the Kansas Legislature that funded our schools and roads, reduced state debt, left Kansas with the largest ending balance in 20 years, and did so all without a tax increase.

The people of Kansas elected me to rebuild our state. They elected me to bring fiscally conservative and responsible principles back to our government. We must be patient, thoughtful, and prudent as we evaluate tax policy. And, when we move forward with commonsense tax relief, we must ensure that it benefits the Kansans who need it the most.

Therefore, under Article 2, Section 14(a) of the Constitution, I hereby veto Senate Bill 22.