From the Alvin and Rosalie Sara Check studio PBS Kansas Presents Kansas Week.

Coming up on Kansas week.

Evergy plans to raise electric rates to pay for three new power plants after state regulators give the go ahead.

Also, a sudden funding freeze for Wichita Public Schools could put several student programs in jeopardy.

We'll discuss the district's response.

But first, Sedgwick County unveils its new budget, hitting an overhaul of the 911 system against growing demands for property tax relief.

What's the best course of action?

We'll discuss all this and more right now on Kansas Week.

Welcome to Kansas week.

I'm Jaren Cirillo.

We begin today with Sedgwick County trying to figure out its finances amid rising property valuations.

The county has unveiled its $625 million budget proposal for 2026, and it highlights a debate between funding critical services and providing property tax relief.

The budget's signature item a major overhaul of 911 operations, adding 20 new staff.

The plan separates intense call taking from dispatching to reduce potential mistakes during life or death emergencies.

At the same time, with property values rising.

Commissioners are weighing a slight mill levy decrease against calls for even more significant tax cuts for squeezed residents.

Commissioners will work to find that balance before a final vote on the budget later in August.

Here to talk about this and some of this week's other big stories is Democrat State Representative Casey O. Harbison.

Sedgwick County Republican Chair John Witmer, and welcome Wichita Eagle opinion editor Diane Leffler.

Thank you all for joining us today with this.

A lot of the, you know, the story was singled out 911 part of this increase in staff seem to have come and die on.

You might remember this from a couple of years ago when a lady died in a fire, and the Wichita Fire Department had some complaints about a lack of communication from dispatchers.

Yes, I do remember that.

I remember it very well.

The problem was that, that they were in the wrong, apartment.

The location, the location syste so the woman, was lying in her bathtub, as I recall, and, was overcome by smoke inhalation, and, Yeah, I mean, what they're talking about seems to be a good, you know, a good change.

You know, it's it's hard for, it's hard for dispatchers to, you know, be dispatching people and also at the same time, trying to, to handle an ongoing call at this, at a scene and, so, yeah, I, I think it's a positive development.

John Whitmer, how can we be talking about adding positions, adding staff?

And we all know that salaries are the biggest percentage of just about any budget, especially government.

I think 80% of of the budget is salaries.

How can we be talking about adding more staff and lowering the mill levy?

Is that even possible?

Well, in this area, this is a core function of government.

So here I would agree.

Now I do think in the aftermath of that incident, I frankly think the director of EMS probably should have been terminated.

My wife spent 20 years in call centers in senior management to call centers.

But they chose not to go that route.

But I really can't take any, exceptions to the hiring moves at that 911.

However, what I can maybe look at is their ten new elephant handlers at the zoo, for example.

And we built a $10 million elephant barn at the zoo.

And I look at that and I see, well, why didn't we look to the private sector to maybe fund that expansion in the private sector to help with the zoo expansions?

Those are areas that could be offset with public private partnerships instead of taxpayer dollars, and that would make that mill levy even lower.

And there was an even I since you brought that up, there was an even in an item a few months ago of raising a sales tax to pay for some of those various things, but better than property tax that was shot down, though I know.

Why would that be better than property taxes?

I'm just curious.

Well, because there are people right now who are looking at losing their homes, seniors, folks on fixed incomes who are being taxed out of their homes, who may not go to the zoo, who may not go to exploration place.

And how much would a one, how much go to one mill?

Well, right now the mill levy is, from what I understand, you're looking at about $15.

$14.

If that's nothing, if you cut the mill significantly, three, 4 or 5 mills and instead put that on a sales tax.

Now, people who are visiting Sedgwick County can help pay for those services.

If you put it as a user fee.

Now, the people who use those services can pay for those services, and people aren't forced to choose to leave their homes to lose their homes in order to fund a $10 million elephant barn.

So I think, yeah, I think that's a tremendous waste of money.

I don't think the issue, you know, I don't think it's enough.

I don't think you can cut the mill levy far enough to keep people from losing their homes.

I think they should try.

You know, it's not about losing.

It's not about people losing their homes.

I think it's more about the amount that businesses paying.

Frankly, and businesses employ people.

And if you keep raising taxes on businesses, then you're going to lose people, lose jobs.

Well, and so that's the raising taxes.

People are going to not be able to buy things and those businesses will go out of business.

Let me let Casey I'm sorry, I apologize.

Casey here.

What do you what do you think about this as a state lawmaker?

I mean, you don't have much say in what's happening in Sedgwick County.

But still, from a taxpayers standpoint, you deal with these things all the time.

That's correct.

And matter of fact, I just wanted to, say that, yes, I do kind of welcome the development with respect to the, overhaul of the 911.

Of course, this is something that's been in the plans, for the past couple of years now as to how to improve our, our emergency response, system.

But, you know, it's a welcome development.

I do support it.

I do disagree with my good friend, with respect to, us, trying to find ways to actually, lower, you know, the mills because, obviously the, the government does.

So the county government does have to provide services to the people.

And with respect to every single year we've seen the rising cost of inflation.

We have to keep up with those services.

So that's that's where I stand on that.

Our next story, a major funding freeze is hitting Wichita public Schools, says the U.S. Department of Education pauses more than $6.3 million.

That's headed for the district.

The freeze directly impacts funding earmarked for teacher coaching, educational support for migrant families and programs that each that teach English to new learners.

It all halts funding for the district's popular afterschool enrichment programs as well.

In a message to parents, the district said many programs will continue this year and will use the reserve fund to cover all of the staff salaries, but non-salary expenses like supplies and materials for those programs are now frozen.

You know, using reserve funding.

John Whitmer, I'll bring you in here first.

And using reserve funding can't last forever, probably more than one year.

You know, it's it's hard to continue using reserve funding for programs like this.

Do you support these cuts to schools that are.

You know, I haven't looked at all of them.

I certainly think that I would question why we're using taxpayer money for migrants, especially if they're illegal.

But beyond that, you know, that's what reserve funding is for.

These are federal cuts.

They're not state cuts.

But, you know, at some point you do.

It's a cost benefit analysis.

And we have to look at our taxpayer money being used for the, you know, is this the right way to use taxpayer dollars if they've got the reserves and they're able to do that and backfill the federal cuts, then we'll see.

It's no guarantees that the federal government won't.

This is one month.

From what I understand, it's one month's worth of cuts.

Next month, we'll see if the federal government resumes that that cash flow.

No.

Go ahead.

I, again, with respect to using funds to actually help the, the people that are here, you have to realize that some of these immigrants that are here are paying into the system.

So if they're painters, if they could be like, you know, farmers, you know, people who work in construction jobs, they're paying into the system.

So if the administration is holding money because they don't want to help these immigrants that are here, to me that's uncalled for because they're also paying into the pool that he's talking about, you know, yes, we have the reserves, but the reserves should be used only on, you know, unforeseen circumstances, emergency emergencies.

Diane, tell me what you think.

I guess part of this may not be racist.

You know, it's just, I mean, we look at it, you know, how do you expect a non-English speaking child to learn to speak English if you don't speak to them in their own language?

As much as I love Diane.

But leave it to the Wichita Eagle to blow the the dog whistle of racism.

It's not a dog whistle.

It is.

No it's not.

Why do you mean to tell you that you don't have to assume that this is a race based, as opposed to someone who just doesn't want to see taxpayer dollars going to fund anything for illegals.

Maybe they're just trying to send a message that says our tax dollars need to be spent on our citizens.

Your mayor, mayor Lily woo, learned to speak English in the Wichita State.

Who came here legally.

Yes.

So then and and if this is not legal city.

Yes.

Our programs have legal and illegal.

And I didn't send in, you know, in elderly here legally than they should then they should qualify.

But if they're here illegally qualify for what?

They just cut the funding.

Just say.

And again, we don't know if this is targeting illegals or legal residents, but if it is illegals and I really don't have an issue with them saying you got to be here legally to qualify for taxpayer benefits.

Same for Medicaid, same for any other things.

These types of taxpayer benefits shouldn't go to illegal immigrants.

And it does seem like are not eligible for Medicaid.

It does seem like the school district is kind of hit with a double whammy.

They just lost their school bond vote here a couple of months ago, and now they're and rightfully so, these types of funding cuts and, you know, school districts are dealing with a hard, very hard funding environment.

Right.

Republicans like my friend here, John Whitmer, don't like public education.

They want to destroy public education.

No, we want public education to be accountable.

19% of the most recent graduates at USD two, five nine were proficient in reading, 13% were proficient in math.

The reason they lost that school bond is because over 80% of the students can't do basic reading and basic math if they can't, if they're not college and career ready, why should they get more money?

You don't.

The kids coming out of the school system.

If you can't do 80% of your job, you get fired.

You don't get a raise.

We'll leave it at that.

And our next story, a new decision by state regulators, is paving the way for the state's largest power company to raise rates to cover a more than billion dollar spending for new projects.

The Kansas Corporation Commission has given Evergy the green light to eventually recover costs for building one large solar facility and two new gas plants.

While electric bills will not go up immediately.

The ruling allows the utility to go forward with higher rates in the future, but the approval came with a warning.

Regulators say they are, quote, troubled by Enbridge's frequent rate hikes.

And they are urging the company to prioritize affordability.

KCL, I'll start with you on this one.

Since you're the state lawmaker here, is there any way the state can step in here and and really make evergy clamp down?

It seems like, you know, I don't know the exact numbers, but I do remember from a couple of years ago, there was a study that showed Evergy had raised rates every single year for the past 20 years, sometimes twice a year.

That's correct.

That's correct.

And a matter of fact, I what I will say is that there is, although that we can actually have a direct impact, we can definitely have hearings as to, you know, why they're always asking for rate increases.

Now, I do understand the fact that our energy demand will actually rise over the years, because if we have data centers that are going to be coming in with respect to us moving towards a more electric, electric economy, more energy is going to be needed.

Yes, I understand that.

You know, for us to actually build more power plants, actually to help supply those energy needs is needed.

But for for them to come in and actually say that for them to actually come in and actually increase, rates every single time.

So certainly hurting small businesses is hurting consumers.

And definitely we need to have a hearing as to why they're actually doing that.

And in case mentioned something, John, about, clean energy, green energy, whatever you want to call it, the Trump administration seems to be cutting back on that now.

And some of or incentivizing the Trump administration seems to be offering less incentives for those types of, I think what they're saying is that if these are such good programs, then they should be done through the private sector.

They're certainly wanting to incentivize an all in.

I mean, let's do nuclear, let's do wind and solar and oil and gas.

But to the to the energy point, you know, the one thing that I would say is Evergy reported, I think somewhere near $900 billion in profit last year.

I don't think they need any more increases.

Again, on folks that are struggling to make ends meet in a in a really rough economy.

We're just coming out of a recession.

The last thing we need is to have our our gas and utility rates go up yet again.

And I was going to bring that up, too.

It seems like Evergy isn't having a problem making a profit, but they continue to ask for these increases, right?

Well, part of it is, is everything they build, they get a return on because they get the cost of the project, plus they get their profit that they are guaranteed for that project.

Now, when you, you know, I'm not going to leave the legislature completely blameless here because a lot of these costs that are, that are rising, are a result of pass through costs that were approved by the legislature.

And in the past, the, utilities had to wait until they filed a rate case, and then those those, those expenses would be, would be, added in that admitted.

Yeah, whatever or.

No matter what the still the average he still has to get through curb the citizens utility ratepayers Board I think it is but.

Well they don't have to get through curb curb curb can argue against a rate increase.

The Kansas Corporation Commission that's in the Kansas Corporation Commission.

Yeah, but no matter what, it seems like the Kansas Corporation Commission is grants.

No matter what they always grant the the generally they take in about half.

If they if they ask for 20, they give them ten.

So my guess is Evergy usually goes in and asks for twice what they need.

Yeah.

Well, and we're building a lot of power lines to take this power out of state, into other parts of the southwest power pool and, you know, so, I mean, really, you know, is this power for us?

Probably not.

And we also haven't built a new nuclear power plant in this state in decades.

And that's in part because of the legislature, in part because of the governors that we've had.

And frankly, there are countries.

France is all nuclear.

And I think that's something we should look at.

Yeah.

Wichita's historic Delano district is set to become an open air entertainment hub where you can drink alcohol outdoors.

The city council voted unanimously this week to create the framework for a common consumption area, the first of its kind in Sedgwick County.

The proposed zone would allow patrons to walk with a drink from the outer Kansas River to Seneca.

Proponents say this will create a vibrant and walkable destination.

The plan will start with a six month trial period to monitor safety.

You know, this has been talked about for quite a while, Diane.

I thought I thought we actually passed an entertainment district in the Old Town area, but apparently not.

My understanding of that is that you can apply for a specific time period to do that.

You have an event going on or something like that, which is probably not that big a deal, but it just seems like literally every single time the city of Wichita starts talking about activating anything, it involves more drinking.

And, you know, I mean, I, I fully understand the difficulty involved in getting drunk in Delano, but, when we when we start to talk about it does seem that.

It's easier to get drunk in Old Town, but, you know, I mean, you know, but I think what they're thinking about here is River Fest, probably, you know, River Fest happens in that area.

So go ahead, Casey.

Well, my only concern is, you know, making sure that if they're trying to do this, making sure that they have everyone at the table from law enforcement to businesses to make sure it doesn't get out of hand, you know, once it is enacted.

So I'm all for it.

Don't get me wrong, but let's have a let's take it step by step, to get it actualized.

Is it really going to make that much difference in making our community walkable?

And I it's hard to buy that.

I don't know.

I'm surprised it took them this long.

I was just telling my friend Casey that we passed this bill when I was in the legislature to make this available to them.

I'm surprised it's taken this long.

I do think it's ironic that the city, in the same period of time that they passed something that might help drive economic development, they begin enforcing parking, paid parking, which will suppress economic development.

Yes, but not Delano.

You're right.

I mean, it is kind of funny that they're robbing from Peter to pay Paul, but let's drink while we're doing it.

So yeah.

And the clock has been extended in the high stakes bid to lure the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals to Kansas State legislative leaders are voting this week to give the teams another six months to negotiate a stadium deal, pushing the deadline to the end of the year.

The extension keeps a massive star bond tax incentive package on the table, which could help finance up to 70% of the new stadium's cost.

And you know, Casey, should we be talking about, you know, the argument that I hear about this is using any sort of taxpayer money to fund pro sports, like the Kansas City Royals or the Chiefs?

Should we really be talking about using taxpayer funding for for this bill?

Well, the issue here is, I think 70% of the bond is actually, star bond is actually, yes.

Whereby it's being paid for by the people that are building it, but the sales, it's the sales tax that's raised is not on that necessarily.

It's the tax.

Yeah.

It's a defined district.

A star bond is a defined district.

But the sales tax that raised in that district is supposed to go to pay off.

Correct.

And I think it's a good way to actually, you know, good approach in my opinion, because I did vote for it.

I supported it.

But it doesn't take money away from the budget where it could be better spent in some people's eyes necessarily.

Not necessarily.

So it does takes away from the budget, but at the same time it's like it's going to pay if it's going to pay for itself over time.

I don't think it's tax.

My budget.

So I think that, by extending the deadline for them to actually, you know, come to the decision, I do want to I do disagree with, Speaker Hawkins, you know, trying to, blame Lieutenant Governor Toland for, you know, taking this much time to get the deal done.

Of course, deals like this take time, you know, and our lieutenant governor, I mean, the commerce secretary is doing all that he can to actually get the deal in place.

So kudos to the LCC by extending the time I think that, you know, they're trying to get make sure everything is right, make sure all parties, are we'll have a win after this.

And so I, I'm just hopeful that by the end of the year, the Chiefs will actually build a stadium in Kansas on the Kansas side.

John Weaver, tell me.

Tell me what you think.

I bet you have a differing opinion here.

I'm a Broncos fan, so I don't really care where the Chiefs play as long as Denver beats them on Sundays.

You know, look, it's fine if it's a big it's a massive empty field that right now is generating very little property tax revenue.

They build a new stadium.

Great.

Look the deal for if you're the Chiefs this package is 70% of your of your construction costs.

The Missouri package is 50%.

I think the Kansas deal's a better deal, but, who knows?

We'll see what they do.

Dion Lefler can't.

The Kansas City Chiefs and the Royals fund their own stadiums?

Well, I'm sure why can't they?

You know, that's the question, I guess.

I mean, I can't I came here from LA and, and the, you know, we lost both of our NFL teams.

We had the Raiders and we had the, and we had the Ram Rams, and we lost both of those NFL teams because we didn't want to tax ourselves to build a stadium for them, which since we already had three that they could use.

And, you know, every study that's ever been done on these stadiums shows that they don't really generate more economic development than the cost of of having them.

So if you want to have, you know, bragging rights about having the Chiefs or the Royals having them on this side of the state line instead of, you know, five miles over the left side, it's like, you know, I mean, I don't know, and you're just not going to make any money off it.

Don't think you are.

And you can bet that the chiefs and the royal, the teams themselves, the front offices, they're going to be milking this for everything they can, don't you think?

And I would imagine there are a lot of lobbyists making a lot of money, you know, on both sides of that state line.

Yeah, they do put a roof on it though.

That'd be good.

So we won't freeze people and we could get a Super Bowl.

Yeah.

But this is this an argument of how the state should clamp down on the star ball?

I don't know how many star bond projects we have.

It's on the vast majority of the Star Bond project.

Many of them have not been.

Yeah, the vast majority.

The most studies that I've seen show that there are very few star bond projects that have actually been profitable.

So.

But you know, if we do it, I guarantee you it'll end up being worth doing.

It's just.

We'll see.

We'll know by the end of the year, I imagine.

And one or the other.

And for comparison, die on one of the biggest star bond districts in the Wichita area is the baseball stadium.

Yeah.

And there have been problems with the, the development paying off the debt in that project as well.

Well I got my tickets here for tomorrow night.

Oh I'm going because it's it's Margaritaville Jersey.

Yeah.

That's right.

Yeah.

But no, I'm a big fan of baseball.

I love baseball, and, you know, we have a better place to watch it.

And that's, you know, that's worth something.

Yeah.

You know, I mean, you know, the stadium isn't falling or isn't falling down around our ears like it used to, you know?

I mean, they don't have nets to catch the concrete that's fallen from the upper level to the lower level anymore.

So, you know, I mean, you know, if we if we break even or even if we don't, you know, we needed a new stadium and, you know, I mean, that that's the but that's the tradeoff.

I mean, you know, it's like if it's something you want as a quality of life improvement for your town or your state, then go ahead and do it.

You know, it's it's, you know, if it's just to try to keep up with the Joneses next door, they don't.

Yeah, yeah.

Our last story today, a piece of Wichita's aviation history, is roaring back to life.

This weekend, more than 20 air travel air airplanes, some nearly a century, all have flown home for the company's 100th anniversary.

Founded here in 1925 by legends Walter Beech, Clyde Cessna and Lloyd Stearman, Travel Air helped to cement Wichita status as the air capital.

Of the nearly 1500 aircraft that the company built, only about 55 are still flying in the air today.

Festivities began on Thursday, with events scheduled at Stearman Airfield and Jabara Airport.

Through the rest of this weekend, you know, this is, definitely a good story and a good feel good story with, you know, a lot of aviation history in the Wichita area.

Oh, yeah.

I mean, you know, you know, it's funny, people forget that before the aviator, we before we were the aviation capital, we were the broom capital of the world, with all that corn straw being made into brooms and, this is way better.

It's.

Yeah.

It's like.

No, it's I think it's a great event.

I mean, I love to get out there and see some of the old planes, you know?

Yeah.

John Witmer, I didn't know it was coming up.

I have a feeling now when my wife watches this, with me later this evening, that she may say, hey, we're going out there, so I'm glad to see it.

Yeah.

KC yes, I think this is a great event.

Of course, actually, to showcase our history.

Of course, having all these planes coming back and, getting a mark as to why we are the air capital of the world, definitely is a good thing.

So I encourage everyone to actually participate and, be proud of what we've actually accomplished as the air capital of the world.

Yeah.

And with a couple of minutes left here, I will bring up another story.

The the big, beautiful bill or two, which we have a lot of, disagreement on.

John Whitmer.

Tell me what you think.

I assume you're very positive about it.

Why know for me?

For me, it was very simple.

And I don't know if people really understood what would have happened had it not passed.

And that would have been the largest income tax increase in history for your average Kansan.

It would have been a $2,300 tax increase.

And I know that the left loves to talk about, you know, it's a tax cut for the wealthy.

But that's no that's for average Kansans from low middle income businesses.

It would have been the largest tax increase on business, the largest tax increase on small business, but particularly for income for for average Kansans, $2,300 would have been your to your income tax increase.

That's devastating.

But, Casey, the argument now is that we're trying.

Some people have said we're trying the Brownback tax experiment nationally.

Exactly, exactly.

Not only that, with respect to not only trying to Brownback is nationally.

Take a look at what's going to happen to Medicaid.

We're talking about this particular bill.

That was the big, beautiful bill that was passed.

92,000 Kansans are going to be kicked off of Medicaid, and that's going to actually impact our hospitals, rural hospitals particularly, are facing major closures.

So, this is this is a totally bad bill.

All right.

That's a wrap for this week.

Thanks to Casey or Harbison, John Whitmer and Diane Leffler for their insights.

Also thanks to cake and CSN for sharing video with us.

I'm Jaron Serrano.

We'll see you again next week.