“Build Kansas” The Legislatures Best Kept Secret
If “Build Kansas” sounds unfamiliar to legislators, that could explain why the $50 Million Dollar Special Revenue Fund has been out of sight of the public eye. Created by a Senate Bill 25 in 2023, “Build Kansas” is Funded by State General Funds (Taxpayer Dollars) at $50 Million a year till 2027 with a $5 Million administrative fee included. To add to the non-transparency of this Special Revenue Fund, the State Account that disperses the funds is located at the State of Kansas Treasures Office under the same Fund that previous State Treasures toured the state returning small sums of money back to Kansans. Check out the unclaimed property link below: kansascash.ks.gov/build_kansas
Examples of Jobs given in the Presentation of August 30, 2023 Presentation were Carbon Capture, Charging Stations, Water, Energy, Cyber Security. All selected by Agencies Listed (Full Explanation in Video))
The August 30th, 2023 Presentation outlined that the Legislators sitting on the Advisory Committee were Advisory Only and not in a capacity to rejected any Project and that the Agencies were in charge of the Driving.
” If a Project were deemed attractive and the Price Tag was Higher than $50 Million, the Advisory Committee could ask the State Finance Council to authorize monies like an Advance against future monies going to Build Kansas.” according to Calvin Reed, Secretary of Transportation & Coordinator of the HUB Sub Cabinet
Uniquely, the State is divided into Regions by the Dept. of Commerce Economic Development Project Managers and works closely with the Associations of Counties, County Economic Developers, County Managers, as a Steering Committee, identifying projects needed by the community. Elected Legislators on the Advisory Council are:
- Senator Ty Masterson, Vice Chair, Senate President Appointee
- Senator JR Claeys, Senate President Appointee
- Senator Usha Reddi, Senate Minority Leader Appointee
- Senator Tim Shallenburger, Senate President Appointee
- Representative Shannon Francis, Speaker of the House Appointee
- Representative Henry Helgerson, House Minority Leader Appointee
- Representative Kyle Hoffman, Speaker of the House Appointee
- Representative Lindsay Vaughn, Governor Appointee
The irony of a using Taxpayers money from the State General Fund is for over two years Kansas Property Owners have battled the expansion of Industrial Solar, Wind, Battery, and Transmission on the Local County Front, in Capital hearing Rooms, and County Commission Meetings, pushing back against the aggressive Energy Companies that have the ability to use eminent domain. Taxpayers will likely balk at the idea that tax money collected from the ever increasing property taxes would be considered as Economic Development. Flooding local economies with projects poised to enhance “Land Grabbing” by Government will be met with resistance.
Transparency of Federal Funds coming through a Back Door and no Accountability in sight, the last question the Advisory Council should ask should be why the use of the states professional staff who write Legislation and Revise Statutes. Is it by design or is that needed to skirt the hurdles that need cleared?
Staff receives $5 Million in Funding to Administer:
- Nancy Fontaine, Committee Assistant
- Chardae Caine, Legislative Research
- Dylan Dear, Legislative Research
- Chris Waggoner, Office of Revisor of Statutes
- Jill Wolters, Office of Revisor of Statutes
Virginia Macha – Resident of Allen County, KS
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