Sam Brownback’s Not-a-Tax-Hike Claims; Polygamous Towns’ Water Utility Penalty

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback John Hanna / AP Photo

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Also in our state and local news briefs: Peoria’s new floodwall technology; R.I. good news regarding drug overdose deaths.

Here are some quick state and local news items from across the United States ...

TOPEKA, Kansas: Does the newly approved $15 billion Kansas state budget— and with it, two green-lighted bills that increase taxes —constitute the largest tax hike in Kansas history or, as Gov. Sam Brownback argues, amount to something that isn’t actually a tax hike? With Brownback’s ongoing tax experiments in the Sunflower State , it’s all a matter of framing and interpretation. Or is it?

According to Brownback, there’s no tax hike : “When looked at in totality, from 2012 to 2015, as I said at the outset, Kansans are paying less in taxes and continuing to move off income taxes to consumption-based taxes,” the conservative governor said according to the Topeka Capital-Journal . But as one Democratic legislative leader describes the situation, according to the newspaper: “If the governor believes increasing taxes on the working Kansans to the tune of $300 million is not a tax increase, he is living in a fantasy world.” [ Kansas City Star ; Salon ; Topeka Capital-Journal ]

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah: Here’s an update in the strange case of the water utility that serves two polygamist communities along the Arizona-Utah border. According to Nate Carlile of The Salt Lake Tribune regarding Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona: “Twin City Water Works, the utility accused of being a slush fund for the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, has pleaded guilty to evading taxes in Arizona and will pay $390,683 in back taxes and penalties.” [ Salt Lake Tribune ]

PEORIA, Illinois: The city is hopeful that new Rapid Installation Barrier System floodwall technology will protect its riverfront. With river levels rising, City Manager Patrick Urich says: “ We’re confident it’s going to work .”

[WMBD Radio]

WARWICK, Rhode Island: Some good news from public health officials in the Ocean State. The state’s new health director, Nicole Alexander-Scott, reports that Rhode Island’s rate of drug overdose deaths is below the national average , but, she cautions, according to the Providence Journal :

“While our numbers may possibly indicate a positive trend in Rhode Island,’’ the director said, “we need to balance that hope with the reality: last year 239 people died in Rhode Island due to accidental drug overdose. And this year we’ve already lost 56 people to accidental drug overdoses…”

[ Providence Journal ]

BALTIMORE, Maryland: The Maryland Transportation Authority’s initial rollout of online bus-arrival times on select bus routes in Baltimore hasn’t been going all that great , according to users. [Baltimore Brew]

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