Another state in trouble

United States
February 16, 2009 8:19pm CST
Kansas is now in the same shape California is in. They are not going to give out state tax refunds, Medicaid reimbursements and payments to local schools unitl they fix their money problems. I lived in Kansas for a while and man did I see this coming. Sprint world center is there and a ford plant. Both have been laying off for years (before the economy really started tanking). Especially sprint. With those lost jobs and no real new ones coming in you would think htey would cut their budgets. Kansas has a long history of misspent money, wasteful projects, politicans stealing money, back door deals, you name it. The gov. of kansas really brought this on themselves.....but unforuantely it is the people of kansas that are going to end up paying for it. What do you think should be done? How can they fix this problem. Will they learn their lesson and start only spending what they actually have....and being responsible with it?
3 people like this
2 responses
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
17 Feb 09
At this point all of us, meaning my kids and myself, have gotten our state refunds. I can't say there isn't something going on but it could be. Sprint has been a problem for years, this is true. Having known the father of a former congressman I heard quite of bit of the politics of Kansas. This particular congressman would make sure the majority of the monies went to the city his own son lived in while others suffered. Kansas City Kansas, where I'm unfortunately stuck until I can move out, is one of the worst when it comes to corruption. The mob pretty much owns the place. Even with the Nascar race track and the Legends there is little being done to make the city a better place. I often say it reminds me of one of those islands that people go to for their fancy vacation getaways while the shacks lay hidden in the background. Kansas is still years ahead of Missouri which is still suffering from the blue laws from years back, but if we're suffering it means things must be very very bad.
• United States
17 Feb 09
Glad to hear you got yours. I saw it on CNN then got on line and read the KC star to read more about it. I lived there for 5 yeras. Boy am I glad I left. I hope you get out soon. True KCK is better off than KCMO. But not by much.
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
17 Feb 09
I'm hoping to get back to Johnson county where I grew up. Things are really expensive right now and money doesn't go so far these days!
• United States
17 Feb 09
Good luck. Everyone in the area wants to be in johnson county...which is why it is soo expensive.
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
17 Feb 09
I just read that 44 states face budget deficits so Kansas may be among the worse of the worst but it's not totally alone. I'm in Pennsylvania and my husband works for the PA Fish & Boat Commission and they've been "tightening their belts" for a long time already. They may not be able to hire their summer help, which they really DO need and they've made other cuts wherever they could make them. The same is true with other state agencies. I wish I knew what should be done! Obviously, wherever there is corruption it should be cleaned up and when money is truly being wasted on unnecessary things it should be cut. However, here in my state there have been so many cuts already to necessary services and to school districts, etc. and our roads and bridges are crumbling beneath us. It's really not the fault of our Governor. Our state used to be one of the top in manufacturing jobs, now nothing is made in the U.S. anymore it seems. Local schools have cut academic and sports programs to the bare bones and this will have an effect on the kids growing up now. One of our top football powers in the state has cut their junior high sports program almost completely. The school my grandkids go to may be heading in the same direction if something isn't done. I know this is just one seemingly minor part of what's going on right now but these are things I see personally so I know there's much more going on that doesn't touch me or my family - yet. I guess what I'm trying to say is there has been money misspent all over to be sure. There have been jobs lost in every state, obviously some more than others. The money and the jobs are GONE and the former isn't coming back for sure and the latter probably aren't either. The question is what do we do NOW and in the future to fix these problems and to keep them from recurring. That's the question but unfortunately I sure don't have the answer! Annie
• United States
17 Feb 09
The answer is cutting their budgets. Schools, roads, bridges, things like that are on your have to fund list. The special projects like in Kansas' case like building their perfessional football team a new stadium should be put on the when we are rolling in money we will think about list. They need to prioritze probly. Some thing do not need to cut....but there is a lot that can be cut. It is just the special interest groups and lobbyist do not want it cut (they pay the bill bucks to our politicans) so therefore those special projects get funded instead of the really important ones. We need to start producing more than we consume as a country. States have to learn how to play on international field when they want jobs in their state. THey need to be competitive when offering deals to companies to build their plants in their states. Not only will the states be competing against each other but also against foreign countries. Which means some real changes to how we do things. American employees are exspensive compare to China and other countries like that. So to off set that they need to offer tax breaks and incentives. the state will make up for what it losses in the company taxes but having people off unemployement and other social programs and working therefore paying taxes. It will probly not completely make up for what hte company would have made in taxes....but when you count in the money saved in social programs , it is better than nothing. If not more jobs are going to leave and not come back. I may be wrong but it is the only way I see to stop this problem. We can't dicate to companies about where they are going to open their businesses....but we can at least make it an attractive option for them to open them here. Especially sense our tax dollars are bailing them out right now.
• United States
13 Jul 11
I well award of the fact that the both the baseball and football teams are on the other side of the state line. But you do realize that kansas city is on both sides of the state line. which means the taxes effect alot of people on both sides. Alot of people live on one side but work on the other....or shop on the other side...it maybe two state but it's one big city and people have to deal and live with consequences of both governments.
1 person likes this
• United States
9 Jul 11
By the way... the "professional football team" and it's stadium is in MISSOURI, not Kansas! Please check your facts before you start accusing the government (or anyone) of mismanagement, etc.!
1 person likes this