For Wichita city government, open records are not valued
As a condition of renewing its contract with the Go Wichita Convention and Visitors Bureau, I asked that the Wichita City Council require that the agency comply with the Kansas Open Records Act. As has...
View ArticleWichita Mayor Carl Brewer: State of the City 2011
This week Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer delivered his annual “State of the City” address. While the Wichita Eagle editorial commenting on the mayor’s speech is titled “Cause to boast, hope,” a look at some...
View ArticleWichita open records issue buried
Update: This agenda item has been moved from the consent agenda to a regular agenda. This week the Wichita City Council will decide whether to issue another contract to Go Wichita Convention and...
View ArticleOpen records, rights of Kansans disrespected at Wichita City Council
Yesterday the Wichita City Council decided to issue another contract to Go Wichita Convention and Visitors Bureau. I appeared to recommend that the council not issue this contract until an issue...
View ArticleIn Wichita, disdain for open records and government transparency
Despite receiving nearly all its funding from taxpayers, Go Wichita Convention and Visitors Bureau refuses to admit it is a “public agency” as defined in the Kansas Open Records Act. The city backs...
View ArticleFact checking a Wichita Ambassador Hotel “Vote Yes” mailer
On February 10th many voters may have received a large mail piece from Moving Wichita Forward, a group formed to urge Wichitans to “Vote Yes” in the February 28 special election in Wichita. The subject...
View ArticleOpen records again an issue in Kansas
Responses to records requests made by Kansas Policy Institute are bringing attention to shortcomings in the Kansas Open Records Act. Those who have made records requests in Kansas are probably not...
View ArticleWichita could do better regarding open government, if it wants
Tomorrow the Wichita City Council will consider renewing its contract with Go Wichita Convention and Visitors Bureau. The renewal will provide another opportunity for the council to decide whether it...
View ArticleWichita, again, fails at open government
The Wichita City Council, when presented with an opportunity to increase the ability of citizens to observe the workings of the government they pay for, decided against the cause of open government,...
View ArticleIn Wichita, failure to value open records and open government
On the KAKE Television public affairs program “This Week in Kansas” the failure of the Wichita City Council, especially council member Wichita City Council Member Pete Meitzner (district 2, east...
View ArticleFor Wichita, more districts, more taxes, more bureaucracy
Tomorrow the Wichita City Council will consider formation of a Tourism Business Improvement District. Actually, the council will formation of a planning committee to determine boundaries, parameters,...
View ArticleWichita can advocate for government transparency, or not
Government should be responsive to citizens when they make legitimate requests for records. Wichita should not hide behind non-profit entities and tortured interpretations of the law in order to keep...
View ArticleA transparency agenda for Wichita
Kansas has a weak open records law, and Wichita doesn’t want to follow the law, as weak as it is. But with a simple change of attitude towards open government and citizens’ right to know, Wichita...
View ArticleVisit Wichita, and pay a tourism fee
The Wichita City Council will consider adding a 2.75 percent tax to hotel bills, calling it a “City Tourism Fee.” Welcome to Wichita! This week the Wichita City Council will consider advancing the...
View ArticleIn Wichita, disdain for open records and government transparency
Despite receiving nearly all its funding from taxpayers, Go Wichita Convention and Visitors Bureau refuses to admit it is a “public agency” as defined in the Kansas Open Records Act. The city backs...
View ArticleFact checking a Wichita Ambassador Hotel “Vote Yes” mailer
On February 10th many voters may have received a large mail piece from Moving Wichita Forward, a group formed to urge Wichitans to “Vote Yes” in the February 28 special election in Wichita. The subject...
View ArticleOpen records again an issue in Kansas
Responses to records requests made by Kansas Policy Institute are bringing attention to shortcomings in the Kansas Open Records Act. Those who have made records requests in Kansas are probably not...
View ArticleWichita could do better regarding open government, if it wants
Tomorrow the Wichita City Council will consider renewing its contract with Go Wichita Convention and Visitors Bureau. The renewal will provide another opportunity for the council to decide whether it...
View ArticleWichita, again, fails at open government
The Wichita City Council, when presented with an opportunity to increase the ability of citizens to observe the workings of the government they pay for, decided against the cause of open government,...
View ArticleIn Wichita, failure to value open records and open government
On the KAKE Television public affairs program “This Week in Kansas” the failure of the Wichita City Council, especially council member Wichita City Council Member Pete Meitzner (district 2, east...
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