info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

City of Topeka enters year-long hiring freeze

info2025-02-28T08:29:44-06:00February 28th, 2025|

Topeka City Manager Robert Perez said the city has entered a hiring freeze while it looks at ways to balance its budget. Perez said the City of Topeka is effectively in a hiring freeze until the end of the year while city leaders work to address a projected $17 million deficit for 2026 and $21 million deficit for 2027 during a monthly press conference on Feb. 25. He said the city will look at positions as they become vacant to see if their duties can be absorbed by existing staff. Source: KSNT 27 News

‘Til the last vote has been counted’: Wichita school district isn’t conceding bond election

info2025-02-28T08:28:53-06:00February 28th, 2025|

The Wichita school district would not yet concede Wednesday morning in a close race for the approval of a $450 million school bond issue. “Yesterday didn’t end the way we had hoped, because we hoped we’d have a very clear answer by now, which we don’t,” said USD 259 Superintendent Kelly Bielefeld. “There was a very solid turnout with close results, and we’re going to wait til the last vote has been counted.” Updated results from the election office Wednesday afternoon showed the no vote leading by 295 ballots, or 1 percent of the vote. That is up from a lead [...]

Commerce CDBG Program Awards Almost $3.5M for Economic Development Projects

info2025-02-28T08:28:02-06:00February 28th, 2025|

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced the Kansas Department of Commerce has awarded $3.47 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to support 12 housing rehabilitation and commercial revitalization projects across the state. When matched with more than $4.33 million in local contributions, the rolling round of CDBG funds brings the total investment to approximately $7.8 million. Source: Kansas Department of Commerce

House working on new plan to hold down local property taxes

info2025-02-27T13:00:13-06:00February 27th, 2025|

A new plan for encouraging cities and counties to hold down spending is emerging in the House as a potential alternative to plans already on the table for lowering property taxes. Republican state Rep. Adam Smith, chair of the House tax committee, introduced a bill that would essentially recreate a fund that once was intended to help local governments hold down property taxes. The proposal calls for putting $60 million into a new fund called ASTRA, short for Acknowledging Stewardship of Tax Revenue and Appropriations. Source: Sunflower State Journal

OCCK’s 81 Connection bus route to be free for three months

info2025-02-27T07:22:27-06:00February 27th, 2025|

OCCK Transportation's 81 Connection, which runs from Salina to Belleville and back, will become free-fare as part of a pilot program beginning on March 3 until May 30. .... with an aim to increase accessibility to transportation for residents in the region and to improve community health and mobility. Source: Salina Journal

Anyone can be an artist during Chalk the Välk in Lindsborg this April

info2025-02-27T07:21:23-06:00February 27th, 2025|

Little Sweden is letting people make temporary art for all to see during the Chalk the Välk event on April 12. Lindsborg is opening up along four and a half miles of the Välkommen Trail with 10x10 foot squares available for people or groups of all ages to chalk up. Source: Salina Journal

Why Topeka is rebuffing effort to limit regulation of home-based businesses

info2025-02-27T07:14:28-06:00February 27th, 2025|

Topeka City Councilman Spencer Duncan, who is a lobbyist for Kansas League of Municipalities, said the bill has its heart in the right place, but that it could prohibit cities from licensing home-based daycares, require fire codes for automotive repairs or regulate AirBnBs and other short-term residential rentals. Source: CJonline

Topeka eyes more multifamily properties across city

info2025-02-26T16:57:00-06:00February 26th, 2025|

Topeka is asking residents to weigh in on its newest idea to bring in more affordable housing. A survey on whether multifamily dwellings should be building in single-family home zones will remain open until Friday. Source: CJonline

Fed officials are worried about tariffs’ impact on inflation and see rate cuts on hold, minutes show

info2025-02-24T10:24:25-06:00February 24th, 2025|

Federal Reserve officials in January agreed they would need to see inflation come down more before lowering interest rates further, and expressed concern about the impact President Donald Trump’s tariffs would have in making that happen, according to meeting minutes released Wednesday. Policymakers on the Federal Open Market Committee unanimously decided at the meeting to hold their key policy rate steady after three consecutive cuts totaling a full percentage point in 2024. In reaching the decision, members commented on the potential impacts from the new administration, including chatter about the tariffs as well as the impact from reduced regulations and taxes. [...]

El Dorado plans to remove Pit Bull registrant requirements

info2025-02-24T10:23:01-06:00February 24th, 2025|

In a City Commission Work Session on Wednesday, February 12, the City Commission discussed updating the Title 6 of the Municipal Code that spells out animal ordinances, which included abolishing the Pit Bull registrant requirement. The Pit Bull registrant requirements have been a long-time controversary for Butler County and surrounding areas. The City of Augusta passed an ordinance to remove the ban on Pit Bulls in August 2023. The ban of and city registrant requirements of Pit Bulls, Staffordshire Terriers or other similar mix breeds became popular for cities in the 1980’s when information had spread through the media of dangerous [...]

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