KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Kansas City, Kansas, has promoted its assistant police chief to the department’s top job.
The city announced Assistant Chief Terry Zeigler’s appointment on Tuesday.
The Kansas City Star reports that Zeigler replaces Ellen Hanson. She is a former Lenexa police chief who was the Kansas City, Kansas, interim chief for a year after the retirement of former chief Rick Armstrong.
Zeigler, who led the department’s operations bureau, was one of five finalists for the position.
The police department has about 460 civilian and uniformed employees.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri’s revenues are up more than 3 percent so far this fiscal year but the state’s budget chief says that’s not enough to pay for all of Missouri’s expenses.
Revenue figures released Tuesday show individual income tax collections are up 5.5 percent and sales tax collections increased 2.6 percent from July through November.
When added to other revenue sources, Missouri’s finances grew at 3.7 percent compared with the same period a year earlier.
State budget director Linda Luebbering said the state needs about 11 percent general revenue growth this year to pay for current budgeted expenses.
She says it’s unlikely the 11 percent growth rate will be reached by the end of the year but 5 percent might be achievable.
House Speaker Ray Merrick, R-Stilwell Photo by Phil Cauthon
By Jim McLean
KHI News Service
TOPEKA — The newly re-elected speaker of the Kansas House reiterated on Monday that he would rather deal with the state’s budget problems by cutting spending than by revisiting the tax cuts that are shrinking state revenues.
Ray Merrick, a Stilwell Republican, was overwhelmingly elected to a second term as speaker, defeating Rep. Virgil Peck of Tyro, 80-16.
Republicans now hold a 97- to 28-seat majority in the House.
Merrick, a conservative, said he believes the state should rely primarily on spending cuts to avert projected budget deficits of $279 million this year and $715 million next year.
“That’s where I am right now. As things progress, we’ll see what happens,” Merrick said. “But I still think we spend too much.”
When asked what he would cut, Merrick said: “I really haven’t looked at it yet. That’s what one of my priorities will be after today.”
Some Republicans in the Senate have said they might be willing to delay additional scheduled cuts in income tax rates and require some business owners to resume paying taxes.
Republicans passed the tax cuts at the urging of Gov. Sam Brownback hoping to stimulate the economy through job growth. But last week the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that Kansas’ rate of private-sector job growth continues to lag behind the national rate. The 13,900 private sector jobs created in Kansas in October was 1.24 percent higher than the number of jobs created in the same period last year. But nationally, private-sector job growth grew by 2.24 percent.
Rep. Tom Burroughs of Kansas City, the newly elected leader of the 28-member Democratic minority in the House, said the state’s budget problems will be “the challenge” of the upcoming session.
“We stand ready to hear what the governor proposes,” Burroughs said.
Newly elected House Minority Leader Tom Burroughs, left, talks after his victory with former Minority Leader Dennis McKinney. McKinney, who is no longer a member of the House, on Monday presided over the Democratic caucuses’ leadership elections.- photo by Jim McLean
Burroughs defeated Rep. Jim Ward of Wichita for the minority leader’s post by promising to stand up for “the policies that we feel are important” while also seeking common ground with Republicans when possible.
Ward, in brief remarks prior to the leadership vote, proposed to take a harder line against Republicans who he said had turned their backs on poor Kansans by refusing to accept federal funding to expand Medicaid.
“I will work daily to hold them accountable for their policies,” Ward said. “We must be bold. We cannot cower in fear.”
Rep. John Wilson, a Lawrence Democrat, supported Burroughs, who defeated Ward 17-11.
“We need to make sure at the end of the day that our leadership can build bridges where we can and stand firm where we can’t,” Wilson said.
Both Wilson, who was elected policy chair of the caucus, and Burroughs said Medicaid expansion would be among the top priorities of House Democrats.
“Medicaid expansion is something that will have to be discussed this session,” Burroughs said.
Burroughs succeeds Paul Davis as the Democratic leader. Davis, from Lawrence, vacated his seat to run unsuccessfully for governor.
Rep. Louis Ruiz, also from Kansas City, was elected assistant minority leader. He defeated Rep. Valdenia Winn 15-13 on the second ballot.
House Majority Leader Jene Vickrey, a Louisburg Republican, retained his position by a unanimous vote and Rep. Peggy Mast, R-Emporia, was elected to a second term as speaker pro-tem by a vote of 59-36.
Jim McLean is a reporter for Heartland Health Monitor, a news collaboration focusing on health issues and their impact in Missouri and Kansas.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — The Columbia City Council unanimously approved an ordinance that will prohibit employers from asking on applications whether a job seeker has a criminal record.
The ordinance, known as “ban the box” also prohibits businesses from conducting background checks until a conditional job offer is made.
It includes exceptions for certain positions that bar employees with certain types of criminal convictions.
Some business leaders objected to the ordinance, especially the delay in background checks. Supporters said the ban gives ex-offenders a better chance at a job, which reduces recidivism.
The Columbia Daily Tribune reports the city’s new ordinance is the most far-reaching of similar laws in Missouri cities because it applies to public and private employers. Similar ordinances in Kansas City and St. Louis apply only to public employees.
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Wheat Alliance says a southeast Kansas farmer has paid a $10,000 settlement for allegedly selling a wheat seed variety without authorization.
The alliance said Monday it accepted the settlement payment from Paul Simpson of Weir, whose alleged selling of the Everest wheat variety violates a federal law that protects property rights of the breeding work done by private or public groups.
The Hutchinson News reports such settlements are part of an effort to stop the unauthorized selling or buying of seed stock, a practice known as “brown bagging.”
The alliance says buying certified seed supports the seed industry by supporting public and private research that lead to improved wheat varieties.
Atchison – Benedictine College has landed another “A List” commencement speaker. Following such notables as Bob Hope, Lou Holtz, Father Flanagan, Governor Sam Brownback, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, Bob and Elizabeth Dole, Dick Vermeil and Erma Bombeck, the small college in rural Atchison County announced in a media release that Dayton Moore, Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager of the Kansas City Royals, will deliver the Commencement Address on May 16, 2015. The announcment was made at Kauffman Stadium prior to Moore’s address to visiting Benedictine students in the Leadership and Organizational Change class.
“We are pleased to have a relationship with the Royals organization and Dayton Moore,” said Benedictine College President Stephen D. Minnis. “Dayton has been here several times speaking to our students about leadership and teamwork and has been inspiring. He will be an excellent commencement speaker.”
Moore, a native of Wichita, Kan., brought an impressive resume to the Royals in 2006. He had previously worked for the Atlanta Braves organization since 1994, moving up within the organization to eventually serve as Assistant General Manager/Baseball Operations. Since joining the Royals in 2006, he and his staff have tirelessly worked to build a consistently strong farm system that was rated by Baseball America, MLB.com and ESPN.com as the best in baseball in 2011 and it remains among the best.
Under Moore’s leadership, the Royals won 86 games in 2013, then went on to win the American League Championship and go to the World Series in 2014. The club has also signed several key in-house players to long-term contracts during his tenure including Zack Greinke, Joakim Soria, Billy Butler, Alex Gordon, Salvador Perez and Alcides Escobar.
A leader in the Kansas City community, Moore is a regular speaker at numerous community events each year. In 2013, Moore started the “C” You In the Major Leagues Foundation. It was created to support youth baseball, education, families in crisis and faith-based programs and organizations.
Moore was a member of the Board of Directors of the NAIA’s Champions of Character program from 2007-10. The program instills an understanding of character values in sport and provides practical tools for student-athletes, coaches and parents to use in modeling exemplary character traits. Moore and his wife, Marianne, are proud to be involved with the City Union Mission of Kansas City including their service as co-chairs of the Women Who’ve Changed the Heart of the City banquet in 2011 and 2012.
Moore was presented by the Atlanta Braves 400 Club with its Ivan Allen, Jr. “Mr. Baseball” Award, given to “the person who has contributed significantly to the promotion of baseball in the Atlanta area” in February 2006. He was also awarded the 2005 Executive of the Year by the Mid-Atlantic Scouts Association. He was named by Baseball America in 2005 as one of the Top 10 Up-and-Coming Power Brokers in Major League Baseball and in 2004, and was named the top general manager prospect by the same publication.
Moore played a key role in a majority of the Braves string of 14-straight division titles. Under the leadership of former Braves and Royals General Manager John Schuerholz, the Braves earned the prestigious Organization of the Year Award from Baseball America several times, including 2005, when 18 rookies contributed to a team that posted 90 wins. The Braves won at least 100 games five times between 1997-2003 and had not won fewer than 88 games in any non-strike shortened season since 1990 prior to the 2006 season.
Prior to joining the Braves organization, Moore served as an assistant baseball coach at George Mason University from 1990-94. While working on a graduate degree at GMU, Moore also managed the Winchester Royals of the Shenandoah Valley League from 1991-93.
Moore graduated from George Mason University in 1989 with a degree in physical education and health. Three years later, he earned his master’s degree in athletic administration from GMU. He and his wife reside in Leawood, Kan., and have two daughters, Ashley and Avery, and a son, Robert.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Claire McCaskill (Mo.) joined a bipartisan group of their colleagues today to demand a delay in the planned consolidation of up to 82 U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail processing facilities, including two in Missouri.
The letter was sent after the USPS Inspector General found the Postal Service failed to fulfill its obligations to adequately study the impact of the consolidations and failed to inform the public of those impacts. To read a copy of the Senators’ letter, please click here.
“We strongly urge the USPS to delay implementation of any mail processing consolidations until feasibility studies are completed and there has been adequate time for public comment and consideration of those comments,” the Senators wrote.
“There is no reason that the USPS cannot delay its consolidations to provide time for the public to see and comment on the service standard worksheets,” the Senators continued. “It is only fair to allow the process to unfold in this way, and the USPS gains little by deciding to continue the consolidation process on its current, arbitrary timeline.”
ST. LOUIS (AP) — A St. Louis Rams official and a county police chief are differing over whether the team apologized for five players who raised their hands during pregame festivities in a show of solidarity with Ferguson protesters.
The Post-Dispatch (http://bit.ly/15NgjaB ) reports St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar told his staff by email Monday that Kevin Demoff, executive vice president of football operations for the Rams, called “to apologize to our department” for the action before kickoff Sunday.
Demoff later denied he apologized, but a police sergeant said the chief interpreted the call to be an apology.
The players won’t face discipline for Sunday’s “Hands up. Don’t Shoot!” protest. The action stemmed from a grand jury’s decision a week ago not to indict the police officer who fatally shot 18-year-old Michael Brown.
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans are moving to pass a one-year extension of temporary tax breaks affecting millions of businesses and individuals.
Most of the more than 50 tax breaks expired at the end of 2013, so the extension would only run through the end of the month. However, it would allow taxpayers to claim the tax breaks when they file their 2014 returns.
The tax breaks benefit big corporations and small businesses, as well as commuters, teachers and people who live in states without a state income tax.
Senate Democrats and House Republicans were negotiating to make some of the tax breaks permanent, but talks faltered.
A House GOP aide said the House could vote on the package this week. The aide was not authorized to speak publicly about the package.
JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – The Missouri Supreme Court is hearing arguments against city ordinances that use traffic cameras to ticket people for running red lights or speeding.
The high court was to hear appeals Tuesday in three separate cases challenging traffic-camera ordinances by municipalities in St. Louis and St. Charles counties and in St. Louis city.
Lower courts have invalidated the local ordinances, in part because they said the ordinances conflicted with state laws governing traffic violations. The cities have appealed.
State legislators considered bills earlier this year that would have set forth a legal framework for traffic enforcement cameras. But the measures failed to pass during the session that ended in May.
