Priceless Take One Vol. 19 Number 8 An Award Winning Weekly Newspaper Thursday, August 5, 2010 More Misleading Figures On State Of Kansas And Riley County Government Riley County Numbers Editorial By Jon A. Brake State Precincts Reporting:3316 of 3316 Did you see the story in the Mercury last week: “Study: Riley US Senate (D) County Not A Big Spender”? Candidate Votes The story was about how Riley Robert A. Conroy 7,778 David Haley 15,583 County was spending so much less on Lisa Johnston 25,421 County Government than the rest of Charles Schollenberger 19,228 the counties in the state. Patrick Wiesner 13,359 The story was written because a new report by the Kansas Policy US Senate (R) Institute came out last week compar- Candidate Votes ing all of the counties in the State of Tom Little 10,100 Kansas. Robert (Bob) Londerholm 8,165 The story said: “Riley County is Jerry Moran 160,713 below the median spending level for Todd Tiahrt 144,272 five of the nine spending categories US House 1 (R) among counties in its size range. For Candidate Votes example, Riley County only spent Jim Barnett 24,672 $54.93 per person for law enforcement Sue (Holloway) Boldra 7,715 in 2009. The median figure for the Marck Cobb 1,729 group was $118.20.” Tim Huelskamp 34,159 The Mercury quoted Riley County Tracey Mann 20,781 Chairman Mike Kearns as saying: Rob Wasinger 9,154 “The study didn’t surprise him. He SOS (D) said both the KPI study and a similar Candidate Votes one put out by Kansas State Chris Biggs 48,750 University make the county look Chris Steineger 32,122 good.” What the story and Commissioner SOS (R) did not say is the figures are wrong. Candidate Votes Yes, the Riley County Commission J.R. Claeys 68,007 only pays $3.9 million a year for law Elizabeth "Libby" Ensley 82,172 enforcement but that is not the whole Kris Kobach 154,100 picture. Riley County has a consoli- dated police department. That means Riley County Precincts Reporting: 49 of 49 that Riley County only pays a part of United States Senate (D) what it costs to keep the cops on the D-Robert A. Conroy 65 5% 7,778 10% street. D-David Haley 169 14% 15,583 19% The City of Manhattan pays $11.3 D-Lisa Johnston 387 32% 25,421 31% million. If you use $15.2 million for D-Charles Schollenberger 379 32% 19,228 24% the police budget the cost per person D-Patrick Wiesner 195 16% 13,359 16% in Riley County for Law Enforcement is: $213.06. United States Senate (R) When the Free Press contacted the R-Tom Little 163 3% 10,100 3% Kansas Policy Institute about the mis- What is the cost of County Government. R-Robert (Bob) Londerholm 101 2% 8,165 3% leading figures we were told that they R-Jerry Moran 3,082 63% 160,713 50% only used County figures and they on Law Enforcement be so low“, he and he answered them. R-Todd Tiahrt 1,534 31% 144,272 45% would not consider changes. said that “The County only pays a part The County may be doing a good When the Free Press called Riley of the Budget.” When asked about the job in saving money but in this case United States House of Representatives 002 (D) County Chairman Mike Kearns and quotes in the Mercury, Kearns said the the figures are wrong and people D-Cheryl Hudspeth 632 55% 9,944 44% asked “why would the County figures reporter called with a set of questions should know about it. D-Thomas Koch 354 31% 8,023 36% D-Sean Tevis 174 15% 4,536 20% United States House of Representatives 002 (R) R-Lynn Jenkins 2,674 56% 40,951 57% A Legend Returns To Manhattan R-Dennis Pyle 2,146 45% 30,736 43% Mr. K’s Cafe and Bar is now open in the scenic Grand Mere develop- Governor / Lt. Governor (R) ment. Located on the west side of R-Sam Brownback 3,936 82% 260,045 82% town at 3901 Vanesta drive, Mr. K’s R-Joan Heffington 865 18% 56,338 18% offers a tantalizing and unique menu. Mr. K’s uses only the freshest ingre- Secretary of State (D) dients to create dishes that will leave D-Chris Biggs 1,078 87% 48,750 60% you craving for more. The menu fea- D-Chris Steineger 164 13% 32,122 40% tures paninis, flatbreads, sandwiches, fresh salads, and roaster soups. Secretary of State (R) Mr. K’s most popular item during R-J.R. Claeys 1,219 26% 68,007 22% their soft opening week was the ‘You R-Elizabeth "Libby" Ensley 1,294 28% 82,172 27% pick Two’ combo plate. “Customers R-Kris Kobach 2,187 47% 154,100 51% like to have the freedom to sample the menu items they want to try.” says Mr. Attorney General (R) Wilson, owner and operator. “The buf- R-Ralph J. De Zago 1,302 30% 63,588 24% falo chicken flatbread has also been a R-Derek Schmidt 3,005 70% 205,622 76% huge hit with the spicy buffalo alfredo, banana peppers, blue cheese and Commissioner of Insurance (R) grilled chicken.” R-David J. Powell 1,500 33% 110,480 37% Mr. K’s offers GrabNGo food for R-Sandy Praeger 3,083 67% 188,046 63% the customer that is in a hurry. Definitely not your typical fast food. Kansas House of Representatives 064 (R) Their cooler is stocked with fresh sal- R-Michael Musselman 1 33% 1,236 44% ads, hand made wraps, fresh fruits and R-Vern Swanson 2 67% 1,553 56% a great selection of drinks. Mr. K’s has Mr. K’s cafe and Bar is on the west side of Manhattan. plans to expand their hours in the near Riley County Commissioner 1st District future to include a morning shift that R-Dee McKee 607 outdoor firepit. Mr. K’s is owned and favorite neighborhood eatery. Mr. K’s offers coffees and a some promising R-Dave Guthals 759 operated by Rusty and Kathy Wilson. is exactly that. It’s a beautiful facility breakfast items. Their vision was to create a place for that is warm and inviting. The locals For those cool fall nights, come D-Jay Blue 39 the community around Colbert hills are sure to create many lasting memo- enjoy the patio dining including an D-Christopher Renner 231 and Grand Mere that was everyone's ries at Mr. K’s. Federal Court Denies Government To Dismiss By Betsy McCaughey declared unconstitutional, the ObamaCare is not partisan postur- seem like interstate commerce, applying that principle. Last November, a reporter asked entire health law could collapse ing. A fundamental principle is at said the justices, but individual In 1993, the Congressional House Speaker Nancy Pelosi if it like a house of cards. Most com- stake. decisions in the aggregate could Budget Office said that the manda- was constitutional for Congress to plex legislation states that if one On July 1, before a packed court- have an impact on national mar- tory insurance provision in require Americans to buy health part of the law is struck down, room, attorneys for the state of kets. President Bill Clinton's health plan insurance. Ms. Pelosi responded, other parts remain enforceable. Virginia argued that if the federal Building on those cases, the would be "an unprecedented form "Are you serious?" But authors of ObamaCare chose government can require you to buy Obama administration stretched of federal action." In 2009, the On Monday, U.S. District Judge to omit that clause, suggesting that insurance, it could also force you the meaning of interstate com- Congressional Research Office Henry Hudson got serious. He the health overhaul won't work to buy any product to solve any merce even further, to include an applied a similar caveat to denied Health and Human without mandatory insurance. national problem: a new GM car to individual's freedom not to do ObamaCare. Services Secretary Kathleen The law's defenders say the bolster Detroit, or stocks to prop up something-in this case, not to buy Mr. Cuccinelli argued that Sebelius's motion to dismiss a requirement that everyone pur- Wall Street. insurance. Judge Hudson ruled that Congress ignored these warnings. lawsuit brought by the state of chase health insurance will solve a The Obama administration "never before has the commerce ObamaCare, he said, was "cobbled Virginia challenging the new national problem by reducing the claimed that the Commerce Clause clause and associated necessary together in secret, passed by the health law. His ruling stated that it number of uninsured and spread- gives the federal government the and proper clause been extended Senate largely or totally unread, on is far from certain Congress has ing the cost of care over a larger authority to mandate coverage. this far." a party line vote literally in the the authority to compel Americans insurance pool. They cited two cases in which the Ms. Sebelius's motion to dismiss dead of night on Christmas Eve." to buy insurance and penalize Critics say that the requirement Supreme Court stretched the mean- the case focused almost entirely on those who don't. tramples the Constitution. Twenty- ing of interstate commerce like a why requiring everyone to buy Judge Hudson ruled that the Judge Hudson's ruling paved the one states and several individuals rubber band.