THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2014
PAGE 3
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STATE
Court finds faults in school funding system
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Senate Democratic Leader Anthony Hensley, center, answers questions from the media after the Kansas Supreme Court ruling regarding school finance on Friday, March, 7, in Topeka. The Supreme Court ruled Friday that the state's current public school funding levels are unconstitutional.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
TOPEKA, Kan. — Poorer school districts stand to gain the most financially from a recent Kansas Supreme Court ruling that found the state's school funding system unconstitutional, a top education official told Democratic legislators on Tuesday.
Dale Dennis, deputy commissioner with the Department of Education, said districts with the lowest property valuations per student already have increased their local property taxes to the legal limit. That means any new amounts the Legislature spends could be used in those areas to lower property taxes but likely wouldn't increase school funding.
"Property tax is especially sensitive in some areas of the state," Dennis said.
The education department estimates lawmakers need to spend $129 million to fully comply with Friday's ruling, which found portions of the state's school funding formula were unconstitutional. Kansas spends more than $3 billion in state revenues on public schools.
House Minority Leader Paul Davis told fellow Democrats it could be months before the courts ultimately determine if legislators respond appropriately to the ruling or that millions more need to be spent.
"We will keep this conversation going to get an understanding of what the ramifications are," Davis said.
The department said poorer districts receive a higher percentage of state aid to offset the lack of property valuation. However, large districts like Wichita, Topeka and Olathe also qualify for significant aid
amounts.
Statewide, the median amount school districts can raise in property taxes is $64.86. Galena in southeast Kansas is on the poor end of the extreme, raising $18.82 per student. Other districts with higher property values and mineral wealth can raise much more per student, such as Satanta in Haskell County in southwest Kansas, at $511.55
per student.
The two funds flagged by the Supreme Court in its ruling seek to put to the Galenas of the state on similar revenue footing as the Santas through additional state support.
Through the 2008-09 school year the state equalized the aid 100 percent to the tune of $323 million. The equalization rates declined for local option budgets for operating expenses to 78 percent in the current year, though total spending increased to $339 million.
Dennis said the result was poor districts had to increase property taxes to offset the decline in state aid, meaning districts would be under pressure from local residents to roll back rates if more money is allocated from Topeka.
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STATE
Ottawa quadruple murder case hears testimony
OTTAWA, Kan. — A man charged with murder in the deaths of four people, including an 18-month-old girl, at a Kansas farm told investigators one of the victims took the first shot at another victim, a detective testified Tuesday.
Kyle Trevor Flack, 28, is charged with capital murder, first-degree murder and attempted rape. The bodies of Andrew Stout, Steven White and Kaylie Bailey were discovered last spring at Stout's farm in Ottawa. Investigators found the body of Bailey's toddler, Lana Leigh Bailey, a few days later in neighboring Osage County.
Franklin County Judge Thomas H. Sachse heard testimony Tuesday on a request from prosecutors to introduce as evidence statements Flack made to authorities after the killings. The defense has opposed that motion, which was filed under seal.
Franklin County Sheriff's Detective Jeremi Thompson testified that Flack told investigators during questioning before he was formally charged May 9, 2013, that Stout argued with White over rent and followed him to the garage carrying a shotgun. Flack told authorities that Stout fired on White, hitting him in the chest, and then handed the gun to Flack.
"I shot him, he dies," the investigator said Flack told him.
Thompson said Flack then said he and Stout put a tarp over White's body and then placed cinder blocks on the tarp, before they went back in the house to smoke marijuana.
Defense attorney Ron Evans argued that the comments shouldn't be admitted because they came after Flack had asked Thompson if he needed a lawyer. The judge ruled that the comments were properly acquired and could be used.
A preliminary hearing was scheduled for later Tuesday to determine if prosecutors have enough evidence to warrant a trial. If Flack, who is being held on $10 million bond, is convicted of capital murder in the deaths of Bailey and her child, he could face the death penalty.
Authorities say Flack was friends with 30-year-old Stout, and that White, 31, was Stout's roommate. They have said 21-year-old Bailey was Stout's girlfriend.
Flack is also charged with criminal possession of a firearm. He cannot legally have a firearm because he spent four years in prison on a 2005 conviction for second-degree murder before being paroled in 2009.
- Associated Press
MEN FROM PAGE 1
says even better things about what we're doing in the community and we're making an impact that people are noticing."
But even though Gonzales says the attention should go to everyone, seeing your face on a poster is still pretty neat, he said.
"It's a little uncomfortable for all of us, because we're all guys who like to work behind the scenes and help push other people forward," he said. "But anyone who tells you they don't feel good about this and getting recognized, they'd be lying."
Bret Koch, a junior recipient who works with the KU Dance Marathon, the Community Outreach Program and serves on the board for the Multicultural Scholars Program, said his heavy involvement at the University has been crucial to his success not only as a student, but as an individual as well.
"I feel like I've excelled more as a person since I did start getting involved more," Koch said. "My freshman and sophomore year I wasn't that involved, and to know once I did get involved I got honored with something like this, it just solidifies and validates that fact that I am doing a lot of things outside of being a student."
Edited by Stella Liang
ALLERGY FROM PAGE 1
breathing.
For Zach Welks, a freshman from Gardner, peanuts could be life-threatening if he consumes too much. Welks is allergic to all types of nuts except almonds.
“If I eat enough of it, I'll have an asthma attack,” Welks said. “According to the doctor it could range from shortness of breath, swollen lips, hives, all the way to full-blown anaphylaxis.”
Last time Welks had an allergic reaction was when he ate a dessert pizza, not knowing it had pecans in it. Luckily, he only had minor discomfort.
Campus dining will work with students individually to try to accommodate dietary restrictions, but controlling their allergies may not be so simple away from home.
"I do eat the dorm food, but I have to take medicine before I eat just because everything at KU is cooked with canola oil." Rovaris said. "The Studio sprays their frying pan with a
canola oil spray, everything at Mrs. E's is cooked with canola oil. Pizza, what they set it on is sprayed with canola oil so it doesn't stick. Everything but the salad and the cutting board, like sandwiches, have canola oil in it."
"Luckily, my parents stayed around after I started school and they were able to take me to an allergist and get the medicine I needed," Rovaris said.
Rovaris takes special medicine that helps suppress reactions in case of unknown exposures to canola oil. However, if she eats a significant amount, the medicine won't prevent a reaction.
During her first couple weeks here, Rovaris had a couple of allergic reactions while eating at the dining halls.
Having moved to Lewis this semester, Rovaris has to be more careful in picking her foods.
"Now that I've moved on the hill, it's a lot harder at Mrs. E's for them to change the oil that they use because they are feeding so many more people than
just at Oliver's dining hall," Rovaris said.
"They were really willing to help fix problems, but next year I am getting an apartment without a meal plan just because I am limited in what I can eat." Rovaris said. "I feel as if I'm spending way too much money on cereal, salads and sandwiches."
The Oliver dining hall tried to cook without canola oil or make something separate for Rovaris.
Welks has to be careful not to come in direct contact with nut-containing products. It means being aware of other students eating snacks that contain nuts and talking to his roommates about keeping nut products in the dorm.
"I prefer if they don't keep it in the room, but it's okay if they really wanted it," Welks said. "I can completely understand people who like peanut butter really like it. Just please wash hands and don't go smearing peanut butter on the walls."
Edited by Kate Shelton
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Non-discrimination Notice: Barton Community College is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Visit equal.bartonccc.edu for more information.
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