info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Marion County sales tax to decrease

info2018-06-14T08:10:07-05:00June 14th, 2018|

Sales tax rates in the county will drop by half a percent July 1, when a five-year-old special tax imposed to build a $3.5 million jail expires. County Clerk Tina Spencer said the county would continue to collect revenue from the tax in July and August from sales occurring before July 1. Enough money to pay the bond on the jail, which was completed in September 2012, was collected in March, and the county notified the state to cancel the tax. “The State of Kansas requires an entire quarter’s notice to cancel the tax at the beginning of the next quarter,” [...]

Marion County Commissioners discuss mental health needs

info2018-06-14T08:08:36-05:00June 14th, 2018|

Less than half of Marion County residents who would benefit from mental health care are receiving treatment. That’s what Jessie Kaye, president and CEO of Prairie View Mental Health Center, told Marion County commissioners Monday. Kaye, who has worked with Prairie View for 13 years, said 20 percent of people in Kansas suffer from some form of mental illness. The problem is especially prevalent in Marion County, Kaye said. Marion County is in the bottom third of the state in per capita funding for community mental health clinics. Marion ranks 71st among the state’s 105 counties, according to data provided by [...]

New Wichita library prepares for Saturday grand opening

info2018-06-14T08:06:49-05:00June 14th, 2018|

Cynthia Berner, the director of libraries for the City of Wichita, talks about what one might expect to see when the new Advanced Learning Library opens its doors to the public for the first time this weekend. (Read more: Local News |)

Pittsburg Police Department honored with AAA Safety Award

info2018-06-14T08:03:33-05:00June 14th, 2018|

During a special presentation at the Pittsburg City Commission meeting, Tuesday, June 12, the City of Pittsburg Police Department was honored with the AAA Kansas Community Traffic Safety Award. This is the seventh consecutive year the department has received the award, which recognizes police and sheriff departments around the state for their commitment to traffic safety practices and programs. AAA Public and Government Affairs Manager Jennifer Haugh presented the award to the officers and commended them on the achievement. “What is remarkable is that the last six have been platinum awards, the highest award AAA can bestow upon a law enforcement [...]

KCC staff, consumer advocates recommend millions in Westar rate cuts

info2018-06-14T08:02:18-05:00June 14th, 2018|

Kansas utility regulators are being urged to reject Westar Energy’s request for a $17.2 million rate increase and instead order the company to cut rates for Kansas customers by $69 million to $125 million. Those recommendations were made this week in testimony filed by the Kansas Corporation Commission’s own staff and the Citizens Utility Ratepayer Board, or CURB, a state agency that represents consumers in utility rate cases. “CURB’s evidence strongly supports the need to decrease rates for all Westar customers and we hope the KCC will adopt our recommendations in this rate case,” CURB consumer counsel David Nickel said in [...]

Phillips Co. commissioner: State funding change means ‘safer local roads and bridges’

info2018-06-14T07:54:56-05:00June 14th, 2018|

Governor Jeff Colyer today announced that the Kansas Department of Transportation is increasing the exchange rate for local public agencies seeking to fund local projects with state funds through the Federal Fund Exchange Program, returning the exchange rate to $.90 in state funds made available for every $1.00 in federal funds awarded a local agency, upon that agency’s request. Max Dibble, Phillips County Commissioner and Kansas Association of Counties President, said, “Restoration of the $.90/$1.00 ratio in the federal funds exchange program will allow counties to further stretch our transportation dollars. This means safer local roads and bridges for our citizens, [...]

KDOT money coming

info2018-06-14T07:52:43-05:00June 14th, 2018|

The cities of Winfield and Arkansas City will qualify for more road work dollars after Gov. Jeff Colyer announced Monday that the Kansas Department of Transportation is returning to its previous formula of 90 cents on the dollar for the Federal Fund Exchange Program. The program allows public agencies to sell all or part of their federal funds for state transportation dollars to fund local road work projects. The state funds provide greater flexibility of use and allow agencies to fund larger projects that may not have been possible with federal funding. The 90 cents for every dollar exchange rate was [...]

Leavenworth County Commission approves stormwater fees

info2018-06-14T07:51:50-05:00June 14th, 2018|

Leavenworth city commissioners have officially approved new fees to help pay for maintenance to the city’s stormwater system. During a meeting Tuesday, commissioners approved an ordinance establishing a stormwater management program and an ordinance that creates the fees to pay for the program. The new fees are listed in an amended schedule of fees for the city. Owners of single residential properties will be charged an annual fee of $84 as part of the stormwater management program. Fees for commercial properties range from $162 to $3,125 per year depending on the size of buildings. Fees for industrial properties range from $337 [...]

New numbers will likely mean reductions to Lawrence city manager’s recommended budget

info2018-06-14T07:38:29-05:00June 14th, 2018|

Even as City Manager Tom Markus presented his recommended budget to the Lawrence City Commission Tuesday, he advised that some of the numbers will change — potentially calling for reductions to what is proposed if the property tax rate is to remain flat. Markus said updated numbers will be presented to the commission on July 10, and the city will need direction on what’s acceptable and what changes commissioners would like to make. He said that, while he hoped some numbers would move in the right direction between now and then, the overall changes to revenue and expenses could make the [...]

Holcomb City Council approves ordinance raising legal age to purchase cigarettes

info2018-06-14T07:37:20-05:00June 14th, 2018|

The T-21, or No. 417, ordinance, raises the legal age to purchase and possess cigarettes, electronic cigarettes and tobacco products to 21. On May 10, LiveWell Finney County Health Coalition Grant Coordinator Donna Gerstner and three Holcomb students presented the ordinance to the council, sharing personal anecdotes of how tobacco had affected their families and schools and urging members to raise the age. As the ordinance passes, Holcomb joins Garden City as the only communities in western Kansas to pass the ordinance. As of last month, 20 other localities in the state had accepted the ordinance. (Read more: News - The [...]

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