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THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867
www.iolaregister.com
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Gas says no to Tobacco 21, Iola water requests By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
GAS — Mayor Darrell Catron and Moran council members were in no mood for change Tuesday evening. The council scoffed at a water rate agreement with Iola and also cut short a presentation from Damaris Kunkler of Thrive Allen County for Gas to raise the legal age for buying tobacco products to 21. IN 2001 Gas signed a water purchase agreement with Iola that limited costs increases to six times during the next 30 years. Iola has exercised the six raises. Iola Administrator Carl Slaugh asked that stipulation be removed from the contract, in light of discussion scheduled for Monday evening when Iola council members will consider a water rate increase of 3 percent. Catron set the stage for rebuttal by asking Slaugh
how much money was transferred from the water fund to the general fund each year. Slaugh said $200,000 was budgeted, although in 2015 financial circumstances limited the transfer to $50,000. So, Catron charged, “you make transfers from utilities instead of raising your mill levy. When you raise rates (to accommodate transfers and costs of production) you affect more than just the citizens of Iola,” meaning those in Gas and others who have access through rural water districts. What is happening, he continued, “is we (in Gas) are subsidizing Iola’s benefits. “It makes no sense to me to remove the six raises (clause) from the contract for your community,” which led to a unanimous vote to leave the contract as is. Ross Albertini, Gas city attorney, interjected that the council likely would See GAS | Page A6
Student Caitlyn Wedel speaks at Tuesday’s Allen Community College Board of Trustees meeting regarding the sale of the ACC Farm. Listening to her comments were, from left, Iolans Jim Talkington, Larry Toney and Terry Sparks. REGISTER/RICK DANLEY
College farm still for sale Trustees decline to reverse course By RICK DANLEY The Iola Register
In January, Allen Community College’s board of trustees voted 5-1 to sell the college farm. In February, dozens turned out to protest that decision. The months-long tussle between the two sides continued Tuesday night,
culminating in a motion by trustee Jenny Spillman to rescind the decision to sell Allen Farm. A crowd of nearly 30 proponents of the farm — students, parents and community members — wedged themselves into a corner of the small boardroom to await the fateful tally.
Spillman, the lone no vote from the January encounter, was again met with resistance, and silence. Without an immediate “second” to support her motion, it appeared Spillman’s motion would miscarry. “I think I’ll second it,” said trustee Mary Kay Heard, rescuing the action. “I would like to hear a vote from the board.” See FARM | Page A4
Industrial park on county’s agenda By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
The Joplin engineering firm Algier Martin will give Allen County commissioners the skinny on what needs to be done with utilities if an industrial park were established adjacent to the county airport southeast of Iola. Situating a complex near the airport would add an arrow to the county’s eco-
Food and fellowship Among the volunteer servers at this morning’s Lenten breakfast at Iola’s First Presbyterian Church were, from left, Tony Piazza and Karen Gilpin, providing fruit to Saundra and Paul Upshaw. Dozens of worshippers partook in the meal. Next Wednesday’s Lenten breakfast will be served at 7 a.m. at First Bapist Church. The final breakfast of the Lenten season is March 23 at St. John’s Catholic Church. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
Lawmakers seek to reverse tax cut By JIM MCLEAN KHI News Service
Three influential Republican state senators Tuesday introduced a bill to repeal a controversial business tax exemption approved as part of Gov. Sam Brownback’s 2012 income tax cuts. Sen. Jim Denning, an Overland Park Republican,
said the measure is needed to close a tax “loophole” that is costing “at least $250 million” a year and wreaking havoc with the state budget. “It continues to make the budget unstable,” Denning said in a news release. “Given the rapid deterioration of the budget, I believe we have the votes to close the loophole and send the bill to the
Quote of the day Vol. 118, No. 91
governor.” If that happens, Brownback has made it clear that he’s unlikely to sign the bill. In a statement issued last week shortly after the Kansas Department of Revenue announced that February tax receipts had fallen $54 million short of projections, See TAXES | Page A6
nomic development quiver, and could make the difference during a recruitment process, commissioners said. Some industries are eager for easy access to air travel. Water, gas and electricity are nearby, but sewer service is the outlier. On advice of Counselor Alan Weber, commissioners agreed to ask Algier Martin See COUNTY | Page A2
Critics speak out against bill to divert children’s funds By MEGAN HART KHI News Service
TOPEKA (KHI) — No one speaking Tuesday to the Senate Ways and Means Committee argued the Legislature could be trusted to direct funds to their intended purpose. The only question was what arrangement would make it least likely that lawmakers would use funds for children’s programs, highways and other designated purpose instead to plug holes in the state general fund budget.
“History is more or less bunk.”
The focus of Tuesday’s hearing was Senate Bill 463, which would abolish the Kansas Endowment for Youth and the Children’s Initiatives Fund and transfer the money to the state general fund. All future revenue from the state’s master settlement agreement with the nation’s tobacco companies would go to the general fund rather than the Kansas Endowment for Youth and the Children’s Initiatives Fund. The two funds allocate money to programs focusing on child See BILL | Page A4
Hi: 64 Lo: 45
— Henry Ford 75 Cents
Iola, KS