Topeka and Lawrence have been flirting with each other for decades. “Lawrence put a ring on it,” said Topeka Mayor Michelle De La Isla after singing her version of “Single Ladies” by Beyoncé. De La Isla’s version of the song was encouraging all the “single cities” in northeast Kansas to get together, which is happening as De La Isla and Lawrence Mayor Brad Finkeldei prepare for a road trip. The two mayors were joined by members of the Lawrence Chamber and the Greater Topeka Partnership to announce a joint trip to learn from the Arkansas cities of Bentonville, Fayetteville and Rogers. Those three cities could be an educational guide for how Lawrence and Topeka can grow together like the northwest Arkansas region has, multiple speakers said at Thursday’s joint news conference.
Source: CJonline.com.

Johnson County and the urban northeast corner of Kansas have built a reputation for being one of the wealthiest zip codes in the nation. While there’s money in technology and the related industry, Kansas is still an agricultural state, so it should be no surprise that one can also find high-income counties much farther to the west. Scott County is in the No. 3 spot in Kansas when it comes to median income, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Median income – which is the mid-point and not average – for Scott County is $80,900 per household. That compares with $86,600 in the Kansas City metro area and No. 2 Douglas County (Lawrence) at $84,500. “Because we’re the No. 2 ag producing county in the state, we’ve consistently ranked very high when it comes to household income,” says Katie Eisenhour, director of the Scott County Development Committee.
Source: Scott County Record.

The state Legislature wants Sedgwick County to turn over about $35 million to compensate businesses for restrictions put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the county may not have to, officials say. Senate Bill 273, passed early Saturday morning in the final hours of the legislative session, would require the county to set aside 35% of its funding from the American Rescue Plan Act for a state-run business compensation program. The county will receive about $100 million through ARPA, meaning it would need to set aside about $35 million of that, said county Chief Financial Officer Lindsay Poe Rousseau. But new federal regulations governing the spending of ARPA funds conflict with the state’s plan, said Justin Waggoner, the assistant county counselor who’s handled most of the issues involving the pandemic. “The federal guidance came out earlier this week,” Waggoner said. “I think the Reader’s Digest version is . . . the regulations and guidance says that states cannot dictate to municipalities how they can spend ARPA funding.”
Source: Wichita Eagle.

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.