By Martin Hawver

After a week’s wailing and rending of garments, we’re going to find out whether Republicans can make a big enough deal out of the four line-item vetoes Gov. Laura Kelly inflicted on their third try at passing a budget to give them what they can call a political win.

Kelly’s vetoes last week are relatively low-dollar, and there’s not a lot of outcry from anyone affected by them except for legislative Republican leaders. Democrats have been largely silent on the line-item vetoes which are worth a total of about $54 million from the multibillion-dollar budget.

Only significant spending cut accomplished with a ballpoint pen is $51 million in accelerated repayment of money borrowed in earlier (Republican Govs. Sam Brownback/Jeff Colyer) era from the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS).

That $51 million? It would be atop a $115 million pay-back to KPERS that lawmakers and the governor made earlier this year which most state retirees are still celebrating.

The objection to that KPERS veto? Mostly formulaic, with Republicans generally saying that Kelly is punishing the retirees, that she plans massive “grow the government” spending increases in the next years—you rarely go politically wrong by tossing money at KPERS.

For Democrats, well they are relatively quiet on their Democrat governor’s KPERS veto, mostly citing that earlier $115 million and the need for the state to hold down spending so that there is less need for tax increases in future years.

All stuff we’ve heard before from both parties. No adrenaline rush here…

The whittled-down income tax bill that Kelly vetoed? So far, hall talk puts override success as unlikely, but that’s the biggie for Republicans. Win that one, and few will notice the budget bill’s line-item vetoes. But if the GOP can’t beat Kelly on taxes, then it’s time to talk about KPERS, and those other, smaller cuts she carved into the Legislature’s budget.

And who is going to be politically excited by overriding a $705,000 cut from a Board of Pharmacy program, or $1.8 million from the Department for Aging and Disability Services or $1.2 million for Department of Education for a reading research program? Oh, they are all probably nice programs, but the majority of Kansans have never heard about them. Angering voters about those line-item vetoes would take longer than most politicians want to spend on the effort.

At this point, just a year away from the House and Senate standing for reelection, it might be politically valuable for conservative lawmakers to scratch up the paint on Kelly’s official state SUV…just to show that they’re still in the game.

It’s all about Medicaid expansion that Kelly lost this session by a handful of votes and clever parliamentary maneuvering in the Senate, and the possibility that the tax bill she vetoed might be overridden and become law.

If it comes down to a scrap over the line-item vetoes, we’ll know that the politics of the session remain up in the air. For Kelly, win on taxes, lose on Medicaid expansion. For the GOP legislature, lose on taxes, win on Medicaid expansion…or so it seems. The Medicaid battle is mostly GOP leadership with thin margins that Kelly hopes to overcome this summer.

***

Chances look good that nobody’s going to claim a real victory this session. Not the new governor, not the still-Republican (but moderating) legislature, and probably not Kansans.

Hard to consider this session just a warm-up for the real fight ahead, but at least that will make the upcoming 2020 session worth watching…

Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver’s Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at www.hawvernews.com

Heavy rains have saturated the Junction City – Manhattan area, leaving some creeks and rivers in a flood stage.

The National Weather Service on Sunday issued a hydrologic outlook. Lyon Creek near Junction City was expected to crest on Sunday at 21.6 feet, six inches above flood stage.

Separately, the National Weather Service continued a flood warning for the Smoky Hill River near Junction City, and the Kansas River at Manhattan, affecting Pottawatomie, Riley and Wabaunsee Counties.

A check with the Corps of Engineers daily lake information for Milford Reservoir on Sunday showed the water level at 1168.63. The level where water would go out the spillway on the south end of the reservoir is 1176.25.

The daily inflow from the Republican River was calculated Sunday at 10,300 cubic feet per second while only low flow, or 25 cubic feet per second is being released.

The Corps is required to hold water in Milford Lake at this time to prevent downstream flooding problems. Right now the lake is more than 24 feet above the normal multipurpose pool elevation.

 

MAY 25, 2019 —The American Red Cross is operating two shelters in Kansas to assist those who have been displaced from their homes due to flooding. The shelters are located at:

• Fredonia High School, 916 Robinson St., Fredonia, Kansas
• Jefferson Street Baptist Church, 300 S. Jefferson Street, Eureka, Kansas

 

Five additional shelter locations are on standby and prepared to open if needed at:

• First Covenant Church, 2625 E. Magnolia Road, Salina, Kansas
• Erie High School 1400 N. Main Street, Erie, Kansas
• Chapman Elementary School, 500 Irish Dr., Chapman, Kansas
• Emmanuel Church, 1300 N. Vine, Abilene, Kansas
• First Baptist Church, 1101 N. 4^th Street, Burlington, Kansas

 

The Red Cross is working closely with local emergency management officials to coordinate relief services. Anyone who has been displaced from their home can contact their local county Emergency Management for latest shelter information in their area.

 

Volunteers are on hand in the open shelters to provide a safe place to stay, a place to sleep, a hot meal and referrals to community services. Anyone evacuating to a shelter should bring essential items for each member of the family, including:

• Prescriptions and emergency medications
• Foods that meet unusual dietary requirements
• Identification to show residence is in affected area and important personal documents
• Extra clothing, pillows, blankets, hygiene supplies and other comfort items
• Supplies needed for children and infants, such as diapers, formula and toys
• Special items for family members who are elderly or disabled

 

 

 

 

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
247 IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 AM CDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS

IN KANSAS THIS WATCH INCLUDES 15 COUNTIES

IN CENTRAL KANSAS

DICKINSON

IN EAST CENTRAL KANSAS

ANDERSON              COFFEY                DOUGLAS
FRANKLIN              GEARY                 LYON
MORRIS                OSAGE                 SHAWNEE
WABAUNSEE

IN NORTHEAST KANSAS

JACKSON               JEFFERSON             POTTAWATOMIE
RILEY

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ABILENE, ALMA, ALTA VISTA,
BURLINGAME, BURLINGTON, CARBONDALE, COUNCIL GROVE, EMPORIA,
ESKRIDGE, GARNETT, GRANTVILLE, HARVEYVILLE, HERINGTON, HOLTON,
JUNCTION CITY, LAWRENCE, LEBO, LYNDON, MANHATTAN, MAPLE HILL,
MCFARLAND, MCLOUTH, MERIDEN, NORTONVILLE, OSAGE CITY, OSKALOOSA,
OTTAWA, OVERBROOK, PAXICO, PERRY, ST. MARYS, TOPEKA,
VALLEY FALLS, AND WAMEGO.

Junction City Commissioner Phyllis Fitzgerald along with the help of some other local residents worked Saturday on the landscaping of the large flower bed under thesign at 5th Street Playground Park. Approximately seven bags of material were hauled away. A total of 24 new perennials and approximately 35 annuals were planted. Mulch was also put down.

 The Flood Warning continues for
  The Smoky Hill River near Junction City.
* until Thursday evening.
* At 9:51 AM Saturday the stage was 22.5 feet.
* Flood stage is 22.0 feet.
* Minor flooding is occurring and Minor flooding is forecast.
* Forecast...The river will continue rising to near 23.1 feet by
  early afternoon of Memorial Day. The river will fall below flood
  stage early Thursday morning.
* Impact...At 22.0 feet...Water spreads over north and south banks of
  the smoky hill river and lowlands near the river flood.

Chapman officials have been monitoring weather conditions daily as flooding and rain concerns have mounted.

But a little bit of relief appeared on the horizon Friday. According to the City website a National Weather Service representative from Topek advised that the rainfall forecast is less for the next three days. There is a possibility of 1-2 inches for Dickinson County Saturday evening and over the following two days another two inches is possible for the county with local heavier bands.

Chapman Creek levels were revised by the National Weather Service and the crest is forecast at 21 feet at seven a.m. Saturday, six feet lower than the crest on Tuesday night.

The Smoky Hill River was at 30.38 feet in Enterprise and the crest has been revised. It is now forecast by the National Weather Service at 20.9 feet at 1 a.m. Saturday, nearly five feet less than was forecast on Thursday.

With less rain forecast and a lower crest forecast it appears the threat to the city of Chapman is less. Officials planned to stop all sandbag  fill operations Friday afternoon. They will however, remain in observation mode.  If rain falls as forecast they believe the threat of flooding in Chapman is reduced but conditions can change quickly so they will continue to monitor Chapman Creek levels closely and if necessary provide updates if new information becomes available.

MORRIS COUNTY — One person was injured in an accident just after 9:30a.m. Friday in Morris County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Freightliner semi driven by Scott L. Miller, 56, Junction City, was westbound on U.S. 56 just west of 2900 Road. The vehicle left the road and overturned.

Miller was transported to the hospital in Salina. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

To all citizens and business of Geary County,

Severe weather is upon us here in Geary County as a result our office and our individual phones have been flooded with calls during times that we are not available due to emergencies such as tornado warnings . Before calling the Emergency Management office or our individual phones, please tune in to your local radio or tv station to verify alerts.  We are very busy coordinating for your safety and usually cannot take your call in emergency situations.  If you have an emergency please call 911, if it is a non-emergency please call 785-238-2261.

Pre-planning is key.  Everyone should have an emergency preparedness plan.  DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THERE IS A WARNING!

Recently we have had concerned citizens in the area reach out in regards to not being able to hear the tornados sirens inside their buildings.  As a reminder OUTDOOR WARNING SIRENS  are meant to be heard when outside NOT indoors.  They were never designed to be heard indoors.
NOAA EMERGENCY/WEATHER RADIOS are meant to be heard indoors.

NOAA TEXT EMERGENCY ALERTS appear on your cell phone. Additional watch/warning alerts and more are available if you sign up under Everbridge at the web address in the banner of our Facebook page or on the county website. Make sure to select Geary County as well as all necessary weather alerts so you are receiving all messages.   Everbridge is FREE and It gives you alerts by text, phone and email depending on how you want to be notified and in what order.

We can also send info out about flooding, road closures, critical missing people, etc.  We suggest that numerous staff get signed up along with everyone else in the County who live or work here.  ABOVE ALL-a WATCH issued is keeping a closer eye however a WARNING issued is a need for you to take action and put your emergency plan into action.

 

The Staff of Geary County Emergency Management