Iola wants rules on incentives

Iola City Council members are keen on developing a policy to codify what incentives can be offered for new business development. Councilman Carl Slaugh has taken the reins to the endeavor, asking his fellow Council members for their thoughts on what should be considered when drafting the policy, which would require approval of the full Council’s approval…. The subsequent discussion covered several areas, from setting criteria to determine how much, if any, can be offered. Members pointed to such criteria as the number of employees or revenue generated from sales taxes or utility usage. Mayor Jon Wells said incentives, and criteria, also should differentiate on whether developers are industrial, commercial or residential.
Source: The Iola Register

Ranson Financial2021-02-26T09:14:08-06:00February 26, 2021|News|

Johnson County city reports thieves are stealing this essential vehicle part

Lenexa police say they have seen a substantial increase in catalytic converter thefts over the last couple of months, mainly at businesses where fleets of vehicles are parked overnight. “While most any type of vehicle is at risk, lately we are seeing thieves targeting work vans, trucks and larger utility-style work vehicles,” the city said in a news release. “Stealing a catalytic converter only takes a few seconds, but can be expensive to replace and costs businesses valuable time while their fleet vehicles are out of service.”
Source: Joco 913 News

Ranson Financial2021-02-26T09:15:09-06:00February 25, 2021|News|

City governments in Kansas didn’t launch the tech revolution. But they’re embracing it.

With residents demanding 24/7 access to information online, cities across the state are improving their communications infrastructure, an imperative made more pressing by the covid-19 pandemic. Their efforts create more than just increasingly sophisticated websites. The roles and duties of city officials are evolving in conjunction with their communication strategies, creating both strains and opportunities for strengthening the social fabric.
Source: KLC Journal.

Ranson Financial2021-02-25T17:04:59-06:00February 25, 2021|News|

Reno County takes input on commercial wind regs

Speakers offered widely contrasting views of what messages it would send – and what the economic impacts would be – depending on which commercial wind development regulations the Reno County Commission adopts. A half-dozen speakers appeared in favor of regulations forwarded by the Reno County Planning Commission, while four others called for more stringent restrictions or an outright ban on wind development in the southeast corner of the county. Each side received 30 minutes to speak. The County Commission then put off for two weeks further discussion on the topic to consider what they had heard and formulate their own opinions.
Source: Hutch News.

Ranson Financial2021-02-25T08:13:43-06:00February 25, 2021|News|

Municipal Bond Trends for February 24, 2021

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.

Ranson Financial2021-02-25T08:04:42-06:00February 25, 2021|News|

Audit: Bogus unemployment claims may have cost Kansas $600M

Kansas may have paid $600 million worth of bogus claims for unemployment benefits last year, a legislative audit said Wednesday, more than double an estimate from the state Department of Labor. The report from the Republican-controlled Legislature’s nonpartisan auditing division suggested that nearly 1 in 4 unemployment claims paid last year could have been fraudulent amid a surge in filings during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on the Department of Labor’s own data. The department on Tuesday estimated last year’s fraudulent claims as worth $290 million.
Source: Emporia Gazette

Ranson Financial2021-02-25T08:07:24-06:00February 25, 2021|News|

10-year Treasury yield tops 1.45%, highest level in more than a year

The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield held above the 1.4% level on Thursday morning, ahead of the U.S. Department of Commerce releasing its second estimate for fourth-quarter gross domestic product. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note climbed to 1.454% at 7:00 a.m. ET. The yield on the 30-year Treasury bond rose to 2.312%.
Source: CNBC – Bonds

Ranson Financial2021-02-25T08:06:28-06:00February 25, 2021|News|

Cheney superintendent worried as gas bill skyrockets

A week after temperatures plummeted below zero, causing demand for electricity and natural gas to skyrocket, some are getting a glimpse at what it is going to cost. Cheney Superintendent David Grover says the district’s bill is usually $7,000 but now is $57,000 and it doesn’t include the coldest days. The district gets its gas from the city. “School budgets as most people understand are set July 1, read July 1 through June 30th, and there certainly was never a $300,000 cushion built into energy,” said Grover. He has reached out to local, state, and federal lawmakers for help.
Source: KSN-TV

Ranson Financial2021-02-25T07:57:13-06:00February 24, 2021|News|

Kansas lawmakers seek relief from increases in natural gas prices following arctic blast

U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, Rep. Ron Estes, Rep. Tracey Mann, Rep. Jake LaTurner, and Rep. Sharice Davids sent letters on Tuesday to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Richard Glick amid extreme increases in natural gas prices. They are asking Glick to consider expeditiously Governor Laura Kelly’s emergency request to protect Kansans from the potentially severe economic consequences following the arctic blast last week. They are also asking to look into the price spike and see what can be done to make sure it doesn’t happen again. “I really think we need some type of investigation before we rely upon the federal government to try to solve this problem. We need to go back to those gas companies and figure out exactly why this price went so high,” said Sen. Marshall.
Source: KSN-TV

Ranson Financial2021-02-25T07:58:14-06:00February 24, 2021|News|

Housing official talks about growing demand for rental assistance in Wichita

Since the City of Wichita opened applications for the Wichita Emergency Rental Assistance Program Monday morning, more than 800 people have sent in their solicitation. City officials say they expect the number to gradually grow. The program is intended to help Wichitans pay for their overdue rent and utility bills. “Many families have been impacted by COVID-19 and are hurting, I mean we see the number of families that are struggling to get their unemployment benefits that really didn’t surprise me,” said Sally Stang, Director of Housing and Community Services for the City of Wichita. “And we’re going to continue to outreach to make sure that we are reaching everybody who might be eligible to apply.”
Source: KSN-TV

Ranson Financial2021-02-25T07:58:33-06:00February 24, 2021|News|

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