
I’ve thought for some time that our local governments were somewhat delinquent by not directly supporting Emporia State University. All state schools our size – Washburn, Pittsburg and Hays – receive annual support from their local governments.
This leaves ESU vulnerable if Kansas decides to close a school and given the lack of leadership in our state that could happen.
Fortunately our LyonCounty and Emporia city commissions are deep into consideration to create a direct subsidy to the University for scholarships. The effort is called “A University Community in Motion.” It was discussed last week in a joint meeting. It seems most are on board maybe with exception of one commissioner suggesting the city already does a lot for ESU. That is true, but given ESU’s importance to our city I doubt the city could ever be doing too much for the school.
The proposal is for a half a million dollars a year be provided to ESU for new scholarships. This is an awesome idea that would absolutely transform the school recruiting efforts. Of course, the big question becomes where does the money come from? That hasn’t been determined.
This of course will raise the ire of those who oppose any tax increase even for a really good cause.
The commissioner’s aren’t tipping their hands, but I have an idea I think could result in lower overall taxes after a few years.
My suggestion is to float a county-wide sales tax. No doubt there would be opposition, but the good might outweigh the bad. Attention would need to be paid to not making high ticket items non-competitive of course. We would vote on a sales tax increase, so all sides could be heard.
Here’s my logic.
First, don’t limit recipients to Lyon Countians. There are not enough students in our county plus the Jones Trust money already helps those kids and this new money could be added on for local kids.
The limitation I would suggest would be these scholarships would be for on campus students only!
Currently ESU has just over 6,000 students. Just over 50% of those students now attend classes on campus. This new money should be used to force students to live locally. All recipients would need to live in LyonCounty and attend classes on campus, not on-line.
Half a million dollars in new scholarships ought to create 500 new students. I think a new ESU student is equal to a new job. Adding 500 new students would boost ESU’s economic impact by over 15%.
My numbers may not be exact, but I’m guessing my logic makes a lot more sense than the dribble Governor Brownback has been offering.
If I am correct increased consumption should result in much higher sales tax revenues for the county which could eventually be used to reduce taxes. This could create a win, win, win situation!
“A University Community in Motion” is not only a good insurance policy and stimulus for ESU, but also an opportunity to lower taxes, but only if we give it a try!
Call a commissioner today and let them know how YOU feel.
I’m Steve Sauder.
“What we have here is a failure to communicate,” Cool Hand Luke once said and if he were in Washington today he’d probably be saying the exact same thing.
The U. S. Government is shut down again. This is the eighteenth time this has happened. The first shutdown came in 1976 under President Gerald Ford and it was largely over funding for two departments – Labor and Heath, Education and Welfare. The Democratically controlled Congress eventually overrode Ford’s veto. It took 12 days.
President Jimmy Carter was involved in 4 shut downs of the U.S. government. Issues included Medicaid, abortion and funding for public works and military projects.
President Reagan is the “Shutdown King” having been involved in 7 such events. The issues ran accross the board with everything from MX missiles to abortion. Reading about the Reagan shutdowns one has to be impressed with how they were resolved.
Here is an example: In 1987 the Democrats controlled both the House and the Senate. They opposed funding for the Nicaraguan Contras but desired the FCC to start reinforcing the “Fairness Doctrine.” The D’s yielded on Fairness Doctrine in exchange for non-lethal aid for the Contras.
Do you see my point?
They “yielded.” There was a compromise. Reagan worked with his political opponents in an amazing manner.
President George H.W. Bush and Congress worked out a deal in 1990. President Bill Clinton and Congress twice agreed to compromises in order to end shutdowns!
Amazingly President George W. Bush never had to deal with a shutdown.
So what about today?
For starters the fragmentation in the political parties, especially within the GOP, is greater than ever before. Leaders don’t have anywhere near the clout they did a few years ago. Pork Barrel deals and political money are not available to be spread around to help legislators change their minds.
No doubt the Republicans holding Obamacare hostage will get much of the blame, but President Obama better watch out because eventually a floundering economy will land on his lap.
Don’t look for much but rhetoric for a few weeks, but on October 24th bond payments will be due and the rubber will start to hit the road. Stay tuned.
I’m Steve Sauder and there’s something to think about.
10-18-17
Monday it had been 12 days since 4 American soldiers were killed in an ambush in Niger and the media obviously hoping to catch President Trump in a misdeed ask him if he had reached out yet to the families?
President Trump responded that he had penned personal letters to the families over the weekend and they would be mailed that night or soon. He also said he would be calling the families.
Seems to me the discussion should have ended there, but the President decided to elaborate a little bit and suggested that previous presidents specifically President Obama had not always reached out to families.
When pushed for details because he was caught in a mistruth he backtracked and used his famous "he didn't know, but he'd been told" President Obama did not reach out.
When do these types of encounters for Donald Trump end?
Let me ask you a question. Have you ever heard President Donald Trump say any of these statements?
1. I don't know.
2. I was wrong; or
3. I am sorry.
Seriously, all mortals are faced with situations where we must admit - we don't know the answer; that we were wrong; or that we are sorry.
How is it that our President is totally immune to having to say any of those things? Not once can I recall him saying any of these.
Obviously Trump supporters like his brash and bold style, but even his most ardent supporter must tire of his constant inability to be truthful and his awful habit of always going on attack when challenged.
Four dead soldiers was a question he should have been prepared for, but obviously was not. Trump's Press Secretary had a good explanation he could have used and shut the whole deal down.
She said any delay in reaching out was based on getting accurate information as to exactly what happened in Niger. But, President Trump couldn't just say that. He had to go attack dog and impugn his predecessors and make a mountain out of a mole hill.
Donald Trump is his own worst enemy and becoming a serious embarrassment for our country.
I’m Steve Sauder and “There’s something to think about.”
I just called him “Calhoun.” We met through friend Jeff Hawes when we were all at Wentworth Military Academy Summer Camp when I was ten years old.
William Kenneth Calhoun III died this past Friday at home in Lawrence. He was 71.
On KVOE News over the weekend I called him an “icon” in Emporia for my generation. Calhoun was involved in more things outside his field of endeavor than anyone I know.
As the news of his death started to sink in it hit me that while we had allowed Calhoun to fix many things locally we had made a big mistake. We should have forced Kenny Calhoun to Topeka or even Washington because of his unique ability to force budget considerations and planning.
Early work for Calhoun was at Newman’s Department Store the family business on Commercial Street. He kept it afloat for a long time through rough times for retailers and finally gracefully closed it out.
While a Commercial Street merchant Calhoun led almost single-handedly the project to revitalize downtown Emporia. Our downtown street design was Ken’s and he was the ringleader in getting rid of parking meters and building parking lots.
They called Calhoun the “Mayor” at Lake Kahola. The lake was special to the Calhoun’s and Ken kept his finger in Kahola business right up through the sale from Emporia to the leaseholders.
Calhoun was president of the Emporia Country Club 3 times – 1974, 1998, and 2012. Guess what – he wasn’t president because things were rosy. Again he was a fixer helping find ways to keep the club open.
Calhoun attended Culver Military School in Mexico, Missouri and later Kansas University and loved his reunions and old classmates.
Calhoun was a KU fan and Lady Hornet Basketball supporter.
Before moving to Lawrence three years ago Ken managed the Emporia Community Foundation for 12 years of magnificent growth.
Calhoun loved Emporia but moved to Lawrence to finish his life and find some new challenges. His wife Judy told me at the time of Calhoun’s death he was chairing a finance committee and because it was budget time and he was so excited.
Seems to me what I need to do now is warn St. Peter about Calhoun. Ol’ Pete better have his heaven’s Mission Statement up to date, goals set and budget balanced because Kenny Calhoun will soon be looking over his shoulder!
RIP Ken, you were one of a kind.
I’m Steve Sauder
Saturday my brother Mike was here for the 1967 Emporia High School Class Reunion so he attended the ESU game with us. At halftime our Congressman Roger Marshall was there and I introduced Mike.
Later Mike asks me if that’s the same person I had asked a while back how often he talked with Democrats in his position in Congress.
His answer then was – “not that often.”
Obviously the point of my question - how often do you talk with Democrats - was to see if there was much if any bipartisan contact in Washington.
The very obvious conclusion to that question and Congressman Marshall’s answer of “not that often,” indicates the potential for any solutions to the major problems facing our country are slim.
The problem is the Republicans have at least one answer for each question and maybe more while the Democrats either respond “NO” to anything proposed by the opposition or have different ideas altogether – and none of them seem to be talking trying to find any way to compromise.
Currently gun control is topic number one. Health insurance or Obama-care is not far behind and of course tax policy is on the table too with infrastructure rebuilding and immigration other possible areas.
None of these are going to be agreed upon without some really good work across the aisle! Unfortunately there does not seem to be any Bob Dole’s or Tip O’Neill’s stepping forward.
News from Washington is as ugly as anytime in my lifetime and of course that’s all magnified by the existence of countless so-called “news” sources.
Term limits or extending House of Representative terms to 4 years might stop the need to start seeking re-election on the day new congressmen arrive in D.C. Who knows?
Seems to me our best course of action in addition to prayer is to constantly request from our representatives to work with the other side to find compromise and not be so cotton pickin’ bull headed!
I’m Steve Sauder and “There’s something to think about.”