NEW SIDEWALKS
See the list of sites the city is considering 3A
Suspect in Texas shooting linked to Islamic jihad. 1B
L A W R E NC E
Journal-World
®
75 cents
LJWorld.com
TUESDAY • MAY 5 • 2015
Lawmakers to meet about privatizing KPERS By Peter Hancock Twitter: @LJWpqhancock
Topeka — Three committees of the Kansas Legislature will meet Wednesday to discuss the possibility of privatizing the state’s pension system. That idea has been circulating among legislators and Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration at least since last fall when budget director Shawn Sullivan and Secretary of Adminis-
tration Jim Clark presented it as an option during an interim meeting of the Joint Committee on Pensions, Investments and Benefits. The Kansas Public Employees Retirement System, or KPERS, holds about $16 billion in assets. But its long-term “unfunded liability” — the difference between its assets and obligations already incurred — is estimated at $9.77 billion, according to KPERS spokeswoman Kristen Basso.
In April, though, Brownback signed a bill authorizing the state to issue $1.5 billion in pension obligation bonds. Once issued, proceeds of Masterson those bonds will be deposited into the KPERS fund and will slightly reduce its unfunded liability.
The process being discussed at that time was called “annuitization,” or selling off the pension system’s assets and liabilities to an outside company. Officials have not said how such a process might affect the retirement benefits of KPERS’ 289,000 active and retired members. Wednesday’s meeting, scheduled for 8 a.m. to noon, will involve the Senate Ways and Means Committee, the
House Appropriations Committee and the Joint Committee on Pensions, Investments and Benefits. Sen. Ty Masterson, who chairs the Ways and Means Committee, said the meeting will include presentations by four companies Please see KPERS, page 2A l Senate OKs legalizing
fantasy sports. Page 3A
New plan would end green energy mandate for utilities
Sowing seeds
By Peter Hancock Twitter:@LJWpqhancock
business at county commission chambers at 11th and Massachusetts. That’s where we make decisions, that’s where we make commitments.” Rev. John McDermott, the co-president of Justice Matters, on Monday denied the group was seeking commitments. He said the event is about giving officials a chance “to clarify their position on
Topeka — Electric utilities would no longer be required to produce 20 percent of their electricity from renewable resources like wind energy, and renewable energy generators would no longer receive an indefinite property tax exemption under a bill unveiled in the Kansas Legislature Monday. Instead, the state would have only a “goal” of reaching the 20 percent benchmark by 2020, even though most large utilities have already met that goal. And beginning in 2017, renewWe’re able generation projects would be eligible only for rewarding a 10-year property tax ex- the people emption. That deal was described who are as a compromise among causing the various business groups, instability.” including Koch Industries, the Kansas Chamber and Americans for Prosperity — Rep. Boog who have been pushing to Highberger, repeal the state’s “renew- D-Lawrence able portfolio standards” altogether, and a coalition of wind energy businesses that wanted to preserve at least part of a state program aimed at encouraging development of renewable energy. Kimberly Svaty, a lobbyist for the Wind Coalition, said legislative efforts over the last five years to undo the renewable energy standards altogether were starting to
Please see JUSTICE, page 4A
Please see DEAL, page 6A
John English/Special to the Journal-World
SPRING PLANTING GETS UNDERWAY as seen in this aerial view Friday of a farm northeast of McLouth.
COUNTY COMMISSION
Commissioners wary of Justice Matters event By Elliot Hughes Twitter: @elliothughes12
Members of the Douglas County Commission are wary about a Thursday event organized by a group of local church leaders at which the commissioners say they think they will be asked to make commitments in front of hundreds of people that they are not prepared to make.
Justice Matters, a consortium of 21 local religious organizations working to address justice issues, will host a presentation on the current state of access to mental health care and affordable housing in Douglas County. All three county commissioners met with representatives of Justice Matters last week and said they came away believing the
event would be used to elicit commitments regarding a project that involves expanding the county jail and possibly building a separate mental health crisis intervention center. “I told them in no uncertain terms I didn’t think that was appropriate,” said Commissioner Jim Flory, who will not be able to attend Thursday’s event. “The county commission does its
“
City budget forum focuses on police department needs By Chad Lawhorn Twitter: @clawhorn_ljw
Figuring out how to better fund the Lawrence police department likely will be a popular topic during this summer’s budget hearings, according to a small group of residents who attended a budget forum Monday. But whether that means the department needs a new $26 million police headquarters
was less clear. “I hope we don’t just jump into this and say we need to build a building,” said Bonnie Uffman. “A building is part of it, but so is staff, so is mental health. I hope some real thoughtful discussion will happen.” About 10 members of the public attended a budget forum at the Union Pacific Depot, where they were asked to rank how the city was doing in allo-
Business Classified Comics Deaths
Low: 61
Today’s forecast, page 6A
“We not only need facilities, but we also need more bodies, and wage compensation,” City Commissioner Mike Amyx said of the police department. “It is the whole gamut. We have a tough job this year.” Among the other topics that the public said needed more funding were: l Code enforcement: 6 votes l Public transit: 6 votes l Social services: 5 votes l Arts and culture: 4 votes
INSIDE
Clouds and sun
High: 81
cating money toward key services. The police department was the area residents most often ranked as in need of more funding. But members of the public were split on what that additional money should go toward. Some said a new headquarters, some said additional traffic enforcement near schools, and others said additional police officers for increased enforcement on the Fourth of July.
2A 5D-8D 4C 2A
Events listings Horoscope Health Opinion
4A, 2D Puzzles 3C Sports 1C-2C Television 5A USA Today
Join us at Facebook.com/LJWorld and Twitter.com/LJWorld
3C 1D-4D 6A, 2D 1B-8B
Tourism and parks and recreation facilities and maintenance were the two categories most often mentioned as being over-prioritized in city budgets. Downtown Lawrence and street maintenance both were ranked by a majority as being about right in the amount of funding they receive. City officials will host another budget forum at 6:30 p.m. May 14 at Fire Station No. 5, 1911 Stewart Ave.
Help for mothers Support group helps first-time mothers experiencing postpartum depression. Page 1C
Vol.157/No.125 26 pages