May Total Tax Collections at $658.9 Million; 22.7% Below the Estimate
TOPEKA – The State of Kansas ended May with total tax collections at $658.9 million. That is $193.0 million, or 22.7%, below the estimate. Total tax collections are down 23.1% from May 2023.
“The expected shortfall in May individual income tax collections can be largely attributed to the two additional processing days in April.” Secretary of Revenue Mark Burghart said. “Combined with more efficient payment processing, the Department of Revenue was able to process significantly more payments in April which would have typically been processed in May.”
Individual income tax collections were $305.2 million. That is $144.8 million, or 32.2% below the estimate, and down 30.6% from May 2023. Corporate income tax collections were $39.8 million. That is $53.2 million, or 57.2% below the estimate and down 56.3% from May 2023.
Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $281.9 million, which is $4.2 million, or 1.5% above the estimate, and down $7.7 million, or 2.7%, from May 2023.
Total tax collections for FY 2024 through May are $8.977 billion which is $92.0 million or 1.0% below the estimate.
Please nominate a Young Entrepreneur for this series, a youth under 18 years old.
The Needham brothers with their first customers of the day on May 25, Dad, Seth, is in the background middle.
Robert Needham, 10, and his brother, John, 6, with the guided help of their father, Seth, have developed homemade food products.
They started working on recipes several weeks ago.
On May 25, they set up shop at Gunn Park, south of the first playground area, near where cars are leaving the park.
Robert and John Needham at their pop-up business in Gunn Park on May 25.
“They were open for about an hour and 45 minutes,” Seth said. “Around 2:45, I could tell they were getting worn out, so we shut down. They had been working on set-up, signs, and getting supplies loaded since about 10 AM that morning, so it was a long day for them. But they had around $75 in sales between the two of them.”
Robert
Robert is the creator of Robert’s Famous Lemonade.
The logo that Robert, with computer help from his Dad, made for his business.
Robert said he named his business “because it’s famous and also lemonade.”
Robert sells his lemonade in red Solo cup at Gunn Park at his pop-up shop.
With supervision, Robert buys the lemons, “juices them out” and then makes a simple syrup, then adds extra sugar, “because it was too sour,” he said.
“It’s super good, costs $2, and you get a red Solo cup with a straw,” Robert said. If you bring your own cup, you save 25 cents.”
Robert is saving up his money for something special.
John
John’s product is homemade popsicles.
John created the logo for his business with computer help from his father.
He explained how to make the product: “You take blue gelatin, sugar, a Kool-Aid packet, water and a secret ingredient, Blue Hawaiian Punch and heat it up. You cool it. Then you pour it into popsicle molds. You put sticks in before juice. Then Dad puts it in the freezer. It takes 10 hours to freeze.”
They will be making different flavors through the summer, Seth said.
John shows his product Blue Raspberry Starburst Popsicles.
Seth said his boys always taste-test the products before selling them.
The best part of his business, for John, is “You get a bunch of money.”
Marketing Lessons
Their Dad helped them with the marketing of their product.
“We found an online design tool, and then they did all the work themselves,” Seth said. “The websites had some basic templates made up that they customized with their names, choice of colors, choice of fonts, and images.”
They have also learned how to make a marketing video, Seth said.
Applications for Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative’s Concern for Community program, which provides grants of up to $5,000 for capital improvement projects throughout the Heartland service area, will be accepted June 1—July 31.
To qualify for a grant, a project must fit within one of the following categories:
County fairs: Projects related to county fairs in the Heartland service area, with a focus on infrastructure projects and other projects that are not supported by normal fair sponsorships.
Schools: Schools within the cooperative’s service area that have capital campaigns for facilities that would positively impact Heartland members.
Non-profit organizations: Non-profit organizations undergoing capital campaigns with facilities that focus on education, environment, culture and the arts, and civic and community development that would positively impact Heartland members.
Other: Other projects that better the communities in or surrounding the cooperative’s service area, as authorized by the board.
In keeping with Heartland’s goal of encouraging sustainable development, preference will be given to collaborative projects receiving support from other sources. Awardees will be selected by the Heartland Board of Directors in August, and funds will be distributed in September.
Funds for Heartland’s Concern for Community Grants come from the cooperative’s unclaimed capital credit retirement checks. Because that money was intended to support the local community, Heartland’s Board of Directors has decided to use those funds for community grants.
Grant money does not come from cooperative revenues and the issuing of grants will not impact future rates or capital credit allocations.
Bourbon County Democrats will hold a working meeting on Sunday June 9th from 2 – 4 p.m.
We will meet in Zimmerman Hall of the First Presbyterian Church in Fort Scott. Please enter using the south doors.
The meeting will consist of an overview of the field plan for this election year as well as the assignment of voter lists and preparation of mailings. Please come ready to work–and to have fun. We have enough of both for all of you!
For information, contact chair Carol MacArthur by text or phone call at 620 215 1505.
I was praying early one morning while it was still dark outside. I was talking to God and sharing the desire of my heart to know Him better, climb up higher in my spiritual walk, and to lean on His grace to beat down occasional anxiety. The Lord reminded me that I don’t have to be perfect and always have it all together in order to help and encourage others. My personal experience with struggles and triumphs enables me to gently empathize and pray fervently for others who are in the same boat. This concept rings true for any follower of Christ.
I have walked barefoot through rocky places of loss and sorrow, but I’ve also experienced the supernatural grace and peace that comes from my heavenly Father. God carried me with unseen arms through the gut-wrenching journey of grief. God’s Word communicates to us that Jesus experienced everything we experience in our lives. “For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet He did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15 NIV). This passage gives us hope to not drop anchor, but to set our sails for a perfect docking when our journey is completed.
As long as mankind resides on planet earth, we will have both rough and smooth sailing experiences. Heaven is perfect; earth is not. When Jesus was with the Father in heaven, everything was perfect for Him. But when He came to earth as a babe and grew to be a man, His life changed dramatically. “He [Jesus] was despised and rejected — a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care” (Isaiah 53:3 NLT).
Perhaps believers should ask ourselves if we’re guilty of turning and looking the other way when we are aware that someone is going through stormy winds. I know many of us have good intentions to reach out and make the call, send the card, or drop by for a quick visit. Many roads are paved with good intentions. Sadly, I’ve been guilty of procrastination and it was disappointing for both parties. Learning the hard way is a hard way to learn. Learning to practice prompt obedience to God’s leading is the better way.
Jesus was in the same boat with His disciples when a raging storm hit the lake. They called out for help, so Jesus rebuked the storm and it instantly became calm. If Jesus has ever calmed your personal storm, you can “pay it forward.” “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of sympathy (pity and mercy) and the God (Who is the Source of every comfort, consolation and encouragement) Who comforts (consoles and encourages) me in every trouble (calamity and affliction) so that I may also be able to comfort those who are in any kind of trouble or distress, with the comfort with which I myself am comforted by God“ (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 AMP). In becoming more like Christ, believers will naturally turn our attention to the needs of others. May our empathy run deep so we can weep with hurting people and gently guide them back to their place of joy and trust in God.
The Key: Let’s carry loved ones (in the same boat with us) until they find their sea legs.
Carl Brenner, Fort Scott National Historic Site, introduces the Oklahoma Fancy Dancers to the audience on the fort’s grounds on June 1. To the right is the singer/drummer for the troupe.
As part of the Good Ol’ Days event, Native American dancers entertained the audience on the grounds of the Fort Scott National Historic Site.
The Oklahoma Fancy Dancers, a professional Native American dance troupe from Norman, displayed song, dance, and storytelling on June 1 at the site.
A young audience member converses during the dance troupe performance.
The Oklahoma Fancy Dancers are a group of powwow champions that formed a professional Native American dance troupe. All the dancers are enrolled tribal members, most full-blood, representing various tribes. The dance regalia worn by each dancer is brilliantly colorful, traditional, and representative of the dancer’s tribe and dance performed, according to: https://www.arts.ok.gov/Oklahoma_Performing_Artists/Oklahoma_Fancy_Dancers.html?
The audience is asked to join the dance troupe in a social dance.
The dance show was educational, informational, and entertaining, showcasing various traditional American Indian tribal dances and storytelling.
The Oklahoma Fancy Dancers in their dance regalia.
The day also included an artillery demonstration/discussion, some ranger-guided site tours, the Windy Hollow Folk Music group, and the dancers.
Fort Scott National Historic Site, of the National Park Service, has exhibit areas and a visitor center currently open Friday through Tuesday from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Park grounds are open daily from a half hour before sunrise until a half hour after sunset. To learn more or become involved in activities at the Fort, please get in touch with the park at 620-223-0310 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/fosc.
Extension has been helping people for over 100 years. A lot has changed since the Extension service was created in 1914, but the one thing that remains the same is the mission of Extension. Extension means “reaching out.” Extension agents reach out and extend their knowledge and resources to the public. Extension is for everyone to use!
The Extension philosophy is to help people help themselves by taking university knowledge to where people live, work and play. We strive to be very attentive to the needs of the people and provide quality information and problem-solving tactics for everyday concerns.
In recent years with literally everything being on the internet, people might say we don’t need Extension anymore because I can get all the information I need on the internet. Although you can find tons of information on the internet, it is often difficult to determine what is true and what is not. Many times we get calls from people that have found information on-line, tried it and it actually made things worse. The growing environment in southeast Kansas is much different than is in say Ohio, but your internet search isn’t going to know that. It’s kind of like searching symptoms of bodily pains. If you search long enough, you will be convinced you are dying because your big toe hurts! We offer that human interaction that you just can’t get with a computer.
Anyone that has a lawn or landscape can benefit from the local Extension office. The weeds you try to keep from growing in your lawn, or the tree that has holes in the trunk, or the spots on your tomato leaves, are all areas Extension offers advice.
Your local Extension office is here to help you with problem solving tactics specific to your needs and to give you the tools to improve the situation. On the horticulture side, you can obtain information on trees, turf, flowers, insects, gardens, soils and other related topics. The office can assist you with any specific plant or insect problem you may have encountered. Home evaluations are even offered when necessary to gather additional information about a specific horticulture problem.
Many times when I take a call, the person on the other ends starts the conversation by saying “I have a dumb question.” My response is always this – “There are never any dumb questions when you call the Extension office.” My job is to help the public with whatever question or issue they may have and to try to educate them. I may not always have the answer they are looking for immediately, but 99% of the time I can find an answer.
We often hear that Extension is the best kept secret. Many folks don’t know what we do or what we have to offer. I want you to know that we are your source for all things horticulture! You can always reach me by e-mailing [email protected] or call 620-244-3826.
Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Horticulture agent assigned to Southwind District.
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Request to Pay – Skitch’s Hauling & Excavation, Inc. – Invoice #7615 – Demolition of 10 S. National Ave. – $94,396.00
VII. New Business
Action Items:
Consideration of Letters of Interest for City Commissioner
Oath of Office for new Commissioner
Selection of President of Commission
Consideration to purchase mower for the airport – Coffman
Consideration to Purchase Jet-Foamer System – Wastewater Collections – Key Equipment & Supply Co. – $45,363.13 – Lemke
Consideration to Purchase 2022 Ford F350 Service Truck – Water Distribution – Olathe Ford Commercial Sales Center – $65,350.00 – Lemke
Consideration of bids for 2024 Hay Rights at Fort Scott Municipal Airport
Certificate of Appropriateness for 124 E. Wall Street – Hole in the Wall Liquor
Certificate of Appropriateness for 110 South Main LLC – 110 S. Main Street
Consideration of Request for a New City License to Serve Alcoholic Liquor andCereal Malt Beverages for Consumption On The Premises – Mi Ranchito – 17 S. Main Street
VIII. Public Comment – Sign up required before the beginning of the meeting on register at the entrance of the Commission Room. Public Comments are for any topic not on the agenda and limited to five (5) minutes per person, at the Commission’s discretion.
Appearances – Must be scheduled with the City Clerk at least (1) week prior to the meeting
you wish to address the Commission. You will be scheduled on the agenda to speak on your topic.
Amanda Lancaster/Diehl, Banwart & Bolton – Audit expectations and Single Audit vs. Regular Audit.
