Brownback’s poverty rate claims questioned

TOPEKA – A state agency acknowledges it sent out a news release shortly before November’s election that incorrectly claimed poverty in Kansas had declined under Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that although the Kansas Department of Children and Families was made aware of the inaccurate information, the agency did not issue a revised statement to the media.

The news release issued Oct. 20 said the state’s poverty rate fell 2.3 percent between 2011 and 2013.

When the Kansas Health Institute notified the agency the rate was not accurate, the state issued a correction to the KHI but not to any other media.

DCF spokeswoman Theresa Freed says the agency misread a report on poverty. She says there has been only a slight decrease in poverty during the Brownback administration.

This story was originally published November 17, 2014 at 10:18 AM with the headline "Brownback’s poverty rate claims questioned."