Readers react to Kansas taxes, financing college and military honors

Taxing Kansans

Kansas Rep. Marvin Kleeb, House tax committee chairman, was quoted in The Star on Jan. 18 saying: “If we were to lower the sales tax on food, we’ve got to go raise taxes somewhere else, and I doubt that there’s going to be a tremendous appetite, at least right now, to go raise taxes somewhere else.”

Is he kidding us? In 2012, Kansas eliminated income taxes on thousands of pass-through entities, which means that thousands of farmers and business owners no longer pay any Kansas income tax.

When the inevitable happened, and the state budget could not be balanced without these funds, the Legislature happily raised the state sales tax, including on food.

Please don’t expect us to swallow your line, Mr. Kleeb, that you couldn’t possibly raise taxes.

You already have raised them.

And you did it to pay for huge tax breaks for people who tend to be richer.

Don’t pretend that it didn’t happen.

I, for one, have an appetite for a reasonable and fair tax in Kansas.

I urge the governor and legislators to reinstate the income tax and exempt food from sales tax.

Eileen Marshall

Prairie Village

Rosen column

Both the high school senior complaining about how to pay for college and Steve Rosen in his Jan. 16 column, “High school seniors have ways to lower the price of college,” giving ideas on how to get loans and grants barely mentioned that four-letter word, “work.”

At the end of Rosen’s column he did mention taking a year off to work. This era of “everyone gets a trophy” has morphed into “everyone gets college paid for by others.”

Here are some suggestions:

▪ Work part time during high school.

▪ Work part time during college.

▪ Work full time and go to a community college part time.

▪ Limit extracurricular activities. After all, you are going to college to get a job, where you will be required to work.

In addition, limit living expenses.

Here are some other suggestions:

▪ If a car is necessary, make it about 10 years old. A smartphone will last four years.

▪ Eating out is a luxury.

▪ Concerts are definitely out.

▪ Buy almost no new clothes, and avoid no spring break or summer trips.

▪ Pick a school you can afford and a major with good job prospects.

I did it coming from a family of 12 kids.

It did take me three years of junior colleges and three years at the University of Missouri in Columbia.

Remember debt is a four-letter word, and college is not for everyone.

Charles Kearney

Kansas City

Court mockery

At first glance, the recent decision of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to allow the unearned wearing of military decorations in public by anyone under the mantle of free speech is just another left-wing ploy (1-14, A11, “Unearned medals are free speech, court says”).

At second glance, it is an action by this body to neutralize the value of traditional recognition for the bravery and honor of the men and women who are our service members who protect and defend our nation at the risk of life and limb on a daily basis and have done so for more than 200 years.

It is most ironic that the free speech enjoyed by these individuals has been bought with the blood of our military personnel.

This court makes a mockery with its twisted version of free speech.

William H. Finnegan

Independence

Oregon occupiers

A group of armed fake militia now occupies a building in a national wildlife refuge in Oregon.

The U.S. Constitution speaks to “well regulated militia.”

Simply buying an assault weapon and mingling with like-minded numbskulls does not a militia make. Some of these occupiers have destroyed government property and accessed information they had no right to.

As to a “well regulated militia,” I propose that the FBI blockade their compound and cut off the power so their computers and cellphones soon become worthless.

Then the feds should only allow psyllium fiber and prune juice to be shipped in for sustenance.

That would regulate them in a much needed way.

Should Oregon declare an open season on idiots and these armed occupiers start hunting them, decoys would be unnecessary.

Norence A. Nelson

Waverly, Mo.

This story was originally published January 20, 2016 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Readers react to Kansas taxes, financing college and military honors."