News – Page 896 – Ranson Financial Group LLC

Treasurer, county want changes to tax statement mandates

info2022-12-08T08:33:41-06:00December 8th, 2022|

Barton County is a complex matrix of 56 overlapping taxing entities that either fall entirely within its borders or cover a portion of it. If just one of these is late getting their budget information to the Barton County Clerk’s Office, it delays the Treasurer’s Office from getting property tax statements out to taxpayers. ... Commissioners understood the complexity and that one entity can hold everyone at a standstill. “So, talking to you, how can it be improved?” asked District 1 Commissioner Kirby Krier. The issue is, Jordan said, the taxing bodies having to wait for the finalized November property values [...]

“We’re not in Kansas anymore”

info2022-12-08T08:34:37-06:00December 8th, 2022|

Parrots, pink flamingos and pirates, oh my! My mother, Virginia, and I are part of a contingency of 95 Tampa, Kansas residents invited to enjoy Tampa, Florida, on that city’s and Southwest Airlines’s dime. Our group was up at 3 a.m. Monday to meet buses that would take us to Kansas City for our flights to the other Tampa. Source: Marion County RECORD

Marion County commissioners set to vote on administrator

info2022-12-08T08:37:51-06:00December 8th, 2022|

Marion County commissioners are poised to vote Monday to create a county administrator position. At their meeting last week, commissioners heard from the public in support of the idea, reviewed a proposed resolution to create the position, and set the matter to be discussed Monday. Among those speaking in favor of hiring an administrator was retired judge Michael Powers. Source: Marion County RECORD

Marion County underserved by lawyers

info2022-12-08T08:38:39-06:00December 8th, 2022|

With nine licensed lawyers in the county, several of them not actually practicing, and only two offices where a customer could hire a lawyer, Marion County is among the least-served counties for legal services. The Rural Justice Initiative, a committee to examine unmet legal needs in rural Kansas, will study the issue for 18 months and submit recommendations to the state Supreme Court. Although only half the state’s population lives in Douglas, Johnson, Leavenworth, Sedgwick, Shawnee, and Wyandotte counties, 80% of the state’s lawyers do. Source: Marion County RECORD

Overland Park unveils new police transparency webpage

info2022-12-08T08:38:59-06:00December 8th, 2022|

An Overland Park mother is applauding the city’s efforts at bringing more transparency to its police department. The Overland Park Police Department last week unveiled a new “police transparency” webpage that includes information, links and policies that aim to more openly define the department’s processes and current measures in place to hold officers accountable. The page has earned the praise of Sheila Albers, a leading advocate for police transparency, whose son John was shot and killed by an Overland Park police officer in 2018. Source: Prairie Village Post

Prairie Village to discuss attainable housing again in early 2023

info2022-12-08T08:39:25-06:00December 8th, 2022|

Prairie Village city leaders will meet early next year to again discuss the city’s controversial housing recommendations. The planning commission and city council will meet in a joint session sometime early in 2023, in part, to gauge the council’s support for potentially using public tax incentives to encourage the development of more attainable “missing middle” housing, like townhomes and duplexes, in parts of the city. Source: Prairie Village Post

Wichita wants to incentivize landlords to provide low-income rentals

info2022-12-08T01:12:57-06:00December 8th, 2022|

The city of Wichita plans to incentivize landlords to rent units to low-income residents who receive rental assistance. On Tuesday, Wichita's City Council voted to support the new program with $250,000 from the city's allocation of American Rescue Plan Act funding. The program is in response to rising rental rates in Wichita, as well as several recent major sales to new out-of-state property owners who have decided not to accept housing choice vouchers, a form of rental assistance for low-income people and families, formerly Section 8. The city says it is often presumed that housing choice tenants are more likely to [...]

Ashland School District cancels school Thursday due to illness

info2022-12-08T08:40:41-06:00December 8th, 2022|

The Ashland School District has canceled school on Thursday, Dec. 8, due to a high number of illnesses among its students and staff. The district is also canceling all school-sponsored activities and practices, and all buildings will be closed. The junior high basketball game scheduled for Thursday will be rescheduled. A new date has not yet been set. "We anticipate still playing High School basketball on Friday," says the district. Source: KSN-TV

Hays USD 489 committee looks at new logos but still split on Indian mascot

info2022-12-07T11:24:48-06:00December 7th, 2022|

A rebranding committee is still split on the potentially offensive nature of Hays High School's Indian mascot. The Hays USD 489 school district rebranding committee met for the first time on Monday night. The school district conducted a survey and found a majority of respondents wanted to keep the Indian mascot. However, at a community meeting on Nov. 15 and at the rebranding meeting Monday, some community members said they believe the high school mascot should be changed. Source: Hays Post

Municipal Bond Trends for December 6, 2022

Henry Schmidt2022-12-07T11:18:12-06:00December 7th, 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, Beth Warren and Henry Schmidt.