info, Author at Ranson Financial Group LLC

Public Employers and the COLA Conundrum

info2022-08-16T07:36:03-05:00August 16th, 2022|

With government workers’ pay raises lagging the private sector’s, state and local officials will need to navigate through different measures of inflation to fairly calibrate wage and pension increases. Government employees have drawn the short straw lately when it comes to inflation adjustments to their pay. The gap in pay increases could be closed in the coming year if cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) are awarded by formula to public employees, but that’s a big if. And don’t be surprised if there are debates about which inflation index to use and how. Source: Governing

Banner Arts Walk fills downtown Garden City businesses with art

info2022-08-16T07:33:39-05:00August 16th, 2022|

Art was on people’s minds Friday and Saturday as the 2022 Banner Arts Walk returned to Garden City. Twenty-two artists created 23 banners for the Arts Walk and participants in the event Aug. 12 and 13 where they had the opportunity to see all the banners up close before they’re installed on downtown light poles and to vote for their favorite ones. ... Katy Guthrie, executive director of Garden City Arts, which partnered with event host Garden City Downtown Vision, said in the past the Banner Arts Walk has been a scavenger hunt, but this year it was changed to a [...]

Looking back 150 years at the three men who helped established Hutchinson

info2022-08-16T07:32:20-05:00August 16th, 2022|

Multiple people from Hutchinson helped to establish its 150-year history. Several were known as city founders. From C. C. Hutchinson founding the town in 1871 to Frank Colladay beginning a century-old hardware company, many members of the early Hutchinson community created a city to last. "(Hutchinson) wasn't worried about just establishing a town as quick as he possibly could — he was interested in setting up a town that was going to continue to grow without having growing pains," said Reno County Museum chief curator David Reed. Source: Hutch News

Municipal Bond Trends for August 15, 2022

info2022-08-16T07:27:18-05:00August 16th, 2022|

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS "investment grade" yields. Every issuer's credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.

How should Wichita school board members be elected? Some Black leaders seek change

info2022-08-16T07:05:35-05:00August 16th, 2022|

Wichita voters may be given the option in November to reshape the way Kansas’ largest school district chooses school board members after community members raised concerns that minority voters aren’t being heard. As it stands, registered voters in USD 259 can weigh in on all school board races in general elections. District-specific primaries narrow the field of candidates before races are decided citywide. Critics of the current system say the board would be more representative if members were elected directly by residents in each of the six school board districts. Source: Wichita Eagle

Underwriting spreads fall to historic lows in 1H 2022

info2022-08-16T07:08:03-05:00August 15th, 2022|

Heavy competition for a significantly lower volume of municipal bonds drove a sharp decline in overall underwriting spreads to $3.54 in the first half of 2022, the lowest level in 20 years. The latest data from Refinitiv representing the first six months of 2022 underscores what has been a steady and developing trend over the last two decades, the data showed. For the first time in 20 years, gross underwriting spreads — the payment or underwriting discount an underwriter receives to market a deal — fell to under $4 per $1,000 for all bonds, compared with 2003 when spreads were at [...]

Faster Internet Is Coming to America—as Soon as the Government Knows Where to Build It

info2022-08-16T07:12:48-05:00August 15th, 2022|

The government’s $42.5 billion plan to expand internet service to underserved communities is stuck in a holding pattern nearly nine months after approval, largely because authorities still don’t know where gaps need to be filled. The broadband plan, part of the $1 trillion infrastructure bill signed by President Biden last November, stipulates that money to improve service can’t be doled out until the Federal Communications Commission completes new maps showing where homes and businesses lack fast service. Source: WSJ.com

Governor announces new highway projects under state transportation plan

info2022-08-15T23:56:25-05:00August 15th, 2022|

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has announced 11 expansion and modernization projects that will be added to the state’s bipartisan transportation plan, known as IKE. The new project represent a total investment of over $520 million. The governor made the announcement Monday in Andover, and that community stands to benefit from the largest of the new projects. Plans are moving ahead to continue the East Kellogg Freeway project from the K-96 interchange to 159th Street East. The $230 million project was identified as the highest priority projects in discussions with south central Kansas leaders. Work on the project is expected to begin [...]

Governor Kelly meets with Sedgwick County leaders on mental health needs

info2022-08-15T23:55:20-05:00August 15th, 2022|

Governor Kelly met with Wichita and Sedgwick County leaders as well as state lawmakers on Monday to talk about mental health issues and the need for a state mental health hospital in south central Kansas. The governor met with Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple, Sedgwick County Commission Chairman David Dennis and representatives of local health and law enforcement agencies for a roundtable discussion. They talked about the need for a regional hospital and also ways to continue expanding access to needed services. The governor toured the COMCARE Crisis Center and saw the services offered by Sedgwick County, including the 988 Hotline operation. [...]

Pottawatomie Co. approves resolution for sales tax initiative to fund infrastructure projects

info2022-08-15T23:54:25-05:00August 15th, 2022|

Pottawatomie County residents will consider levying a quarter percent sales tax when they head to the polls this November for a host paving and improvement projects on roads and bridges. Commissioners approved a resolution Monday, two weeks before the state deadline to pose such questions on the general election ballot. Before Monday’s vote, former Public Works Administrator Peter Clark addressed the commission as a representative of the Pottawatomie County Economic Development Corporation’s Board of Directors. “There’s a number of areas in our county that need to be addressed for the growth that has already occurred, to keep up with that and [...]

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