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FRIDAY • JUNE 24 • 2016
City nixes plan to ban guns in some buildings “
By Nikki Wentling
(The proposed security measures were) one of those that didn’t survive the (budget) process. There are other serious financial issues we’re trying to address at the same time.”
Twitter: @nikkiwentling
Lawrence is abandoning a plan to equip some city buildings with security measures that, under a new state law, must be installed in order to prohibit concealed firearms. Kansas’ “Personal and Family Protection Act,” passed in 2013, allows concealed weapons in public buildings that don’t contain metal detectors and armed guards. The law allowed for cities to prohibit concealed carry for a maximum of four years before complying.
— City Manager Tom Markus To prepare for the end of that exemption, the city attorney’s office proposed $114,600 in the 2017 budget to buy metal detectors, metal detector wands and baggage screening machines for four
public buildings: City Hall, Lawrence Municipal Court, Lawrence Public Library and the police department’s Investigations and Training Center. Please see GUNS, page 10A
Mike Yoder/Journal-World File Photo
Committee: LHS stadium shouldn’t bear coach’s name By Rochelle Valverde
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Given the athletic history at Lawrence High School how could anyone fter a proposal in good conscience pick someone to was made earlier this year to name honor above everyone else (?)”
Twitter: @RochelleVerde
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the Lawrence High School stadium after late coach Bill Freeman, school leaders are recommending that the stadium and field remain nameless. A committee, made up of the school’s athletic director, faculty and current and former coaches, decided that naming any school athletic
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— Report from a committee of Lawrence High School leaders facility after individuals would not be a good practice for the school to begin. “Given the athletic history at Lawrence High School how could anyone in good conscience pick someone to honor above everyone else (?)” the
committee wrote in a report to the Lawrence school board. The report, posted Thursday, noted that none of the school’s athletic facilities is currently named after an individual. Please see STADIUM, page 2A
Nick Krug/Journal-World Photos
TEACHERS, SCHOOL OFFICIALS, PARENTS AND OTHERS CROWD THE DOORWAY of the Old Supreme Court Chambers as school officials provide testimony to the House and Senate budget committees on the issue of school finance funding Thursday at the Kansas Statehouse. Lawmakers are working on a plan that would provide an equitable solution for funding Kansas public schools.
Debate beginning on school finance bill SEN. TY MASTERSON, R-ANDOVER, LEFT, chair of the Senate Ways and Means committee and Rep. Ron Ryckman Jr., R-Olathe, chair of the House Appropriations committee, talk during a joint meeting of the House and Senate budget committees Thursday at the Statehouse.
Plan would take money from other education funds By Peter Hancock Twitter: @LJWpqhancock
Topeka — Kansas lawmakers are preparing to vote on a bill today that Republicans say would answer the Kansas Supreme Court’s concerns about tax equity and prevent the court from shutting down public schools on July 1. In addition, the Senate plans to debate a proposed constitutional amendment that would prohibit both the courts and the Legislature from ever taking actions that would effectively close public schools. The school funding bill was introduced on the opening day of a special legislative session that was called to answer the
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I don’t see any other viable path that has the votes in either chamber to move forward and make sure the (school) doors are open.” — Sen. Ty Masterson, chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee Kansas Supreme Court’s May 27 ruling that said the current funding formula creates disparities that force poor districts to levy higher property taxes than wealthier ones in order to achieve comparable
levels of funding. But Democrats and moderate Republicans complain that the bill does so by taking money out of other education funds. Please see BILL, page 7A
Chamber opposes changes to city’s incentive policies “
By Nikki Wentling
The overarching idea is that when we look at these revisions, we’re not necessarily seeing a lot of benefit The Lawrence chamber of to the community for adding these.” Twitter: @nikkiwentling
commerce sent a letter to city commissioners Thursday, warning of “unintended consequences” from proposed changes to economic development incentives. According to the letter, The Chamber’s board of directors opposes all of the potential
— Hugh Carter, vice president of external affairs for the chamber of commerce changes to the city’s incentives policies. The changes include: adding a requirement that developers
Business Classified Comics Deaths
Low: 74
Today’s forecast, page 10A
“And the potential unintended consequences of taking any of the tools out of our economic development toolbox, we feel, outweigh the perceived benefits of these changes.” The city did not request The Chamber’s input on the changes, but Carter said the organization had been “monitoring it closely.”
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requesting a sales tax exemption on construction materials prove they can’t do the project without it; capping the amount
of property tax rebated to developers; adding a requirement that residential developments receiving financial incentives include affordable units; and increasing application fees. “The overarching idea is that when we look at these revisions, we’re not necessarily seeing a lot of benefit to the community for adding these,” said Hugh Carter, The Chamber’s vice president of external affairs.
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Please see CHAMBER, page 5A
Vol.158/No.176 34 pages Puzzles Sports Television USA Today
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