Baldwin City Community Senior Mix Will Meet Wednesday, September 14

The Baldwin City Community Senior Mix will meet Wednesday, September 14 in the Fellowship Hall of Ives Chapel United Methodist Church, 1018 Miami, at 2:00 p.m. The featured speaker Amy DeWitt, Angel Care, will present "Home Sweet Home." Fellowship and refreshments will follow. All seniors in the Baldwin/community area from 55 to 105 are welcome!

 

Baker Women’s Soccer Enters 2016 Ranked Number 13

BALDWIN CITY, KS – After another successful season and trip to the NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship Final Site in Orange Beach, Alabama, the Baker University women’s soccer team will begin 2016 ranked number 13 in the NAIA Women’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 poll.

The Wildcats ended last season 16-5-1 and 8-2 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference.

Baker returns all seven of its All-Conference performers from a year ago, including 2016 Heart Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference midfielder Krista Hooper.

Fellow First Team All-Conference winners Jessica Hillebert and goalkeeper Rachel Hunt return, as do Second Team All-Conference players Keeley Atkin and Katie Hibbeler and Third Team All-Conference selections Oaklee Jones and Kady Dieringer.

Baker opens up the 2016 season on Saturday, Aug. 27 at 6 p.m. inside Liston Stadium against Bethany College.

Baker Men’s Soccer Ranked Number 10 in Preseason Top 25 Poll

 BALDWIN CITY, KS – The defending Heart of America Athletic Conference regular season champion Baker University men’s soccer team will begin its 2016 campaign ranked number 10, announced on Tuesday in the NAIA Men’s Soccer Coaches’ Preseason Top 25 poll.

Baker went 18-4-1 and 9-1 in the Heart a year ago and begins its 2016 season on Saturday, Aug. 27 at 8:30 p.m. inside Liston Stadium against Ottawa.

The Wildcats are joined by fellow Heart teams MNU and Missouri Valley in the Top 10. NAIA national runner-up MNU is ranked number 2, while Missouri Valley enters the season ranked number 3.

The Wildcats return NAIA Third Team All-American goalkeeper Ryan Emme along with  Second Team All-Conference performers Spencer Atkin and Keaton Anchors. Third Team All-Conference award winner Blake Levine also returns for the ‘Cats. The Baker defense ranked number 3 in the country in total shutouts a year ago with 13.

Baldwin City Council Learns About Changes in State Statutes

The August 5, 2016 meeting of the Baldwin City Council meeting got off to a quick start, but after some contentious moments ended with several postponed votes.
The council heard from Police Chief Greg Neis in regards to ordinances 1349 and 1350, which would bring current local ordinances up to date with 2016 State Statutes. A process that occurs every year after the states revised statutes take affect on July 1 of each year.

Chief Greg Neis discussing the changes in state statutes.
Photographer Kevin Surbaugh

Some of the changes this year include exempting a minor from prosecution of underage drinking, if they report a medical emergency during the commission of that crime.The statute

 requires the  person to 1) notify LE or EMS; 2) cooperate with LE and EMS; and 3) remain at scene with person needing  medical assistance. The person appearing to need medical assistance also cannot be prosecuted for MIP if  they cooperate with LE and EMS. LE cannot have an action taken against them for compliance or non - compliance with the new law. The wording is “exempt from prosecution” because there may be occasions  when it would not be prudent to simply release a person due to a minor’s state of intoxication rendering  such a release unsafe, especially if a juvenile. So the law allows the person to be taken into custody if  necessary, but they could not be prosecuted in court. Think of it working kind of like the no DL on person.  This law does not apply to the crimes of social hosting or furnishing alcohol  to a minor. - The Kansas Law Enforcement Training Ceneter

Other changes include weight limits on trucks, addresses what is called revenge pornography, and raising fines for criminal theft.  Neis said, that the weight limits for commercial trucking is enforced by the state, as the cities police department doesn't have portable scales.

As the council neared a vote on these ordinances that are a matter of state law, whether or not the council approves them, a discussion ensued on whether or not they can vote on these two ordinances or to wait until the next meeting on September 6, 2016. The council eventually decided to postpone taking action until the first meeting in September.
The council learned about and briefly looked over changes to the personnel manual. Which city staff said, they would like to review annually to keep it more up to date with any changes.
Like the ordinances earlier, a discussion ensued about whether or not vote on this or wait until the next meeting.  This being an employee manual was not considered an ordinance or resolution.  
Due to the lack of a second to Councilman Steve Bauer's motion to approve the changes, the vote was postponed.

In other business:

The council approved passing on a franchise fee hike beginning in September. Which means that all city electric, sewer, water and trash customers will be assessed a 2.5 percent franchise fee on their monthly bills then in September 2017, the fees will be doubled to 5 percent.

Mayor Marilyn Pearse appointed Council members David Simmons, Christi Darnell and Economic Development Chairman Ed Crouton to a new Public Buildings Commission. 

Passed unanimously Resolution 2016-16 regarding the Utility Fund Balance Policy. Changing the amount sit aside for the Enterprise Fund Reserve from 50% to 25% and including trash service in the reserve fund as well. 

The multi-year negotiations with Wellsville is nearing an end. City Financial Administrator, Brad Smith reported an agreement that just needs the contract to be drawn up and signed by the two parties.

Value Colleges Releases Top 50 Best Value Nursing PhD Programs of 2016

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Value Colleges (www.valuecolleges.com), an online guide to the best values in undergraduate and graduate college education, is pleased to share their Top 50 Best Value Nursing PhD Programs of 2016 (http://www.valuecolleges.com/rankings/best-phd-nursing-programs-2016/).
As the demand for nurses increases, so does the need for qualified nurse educators. In most college and university settings a PhD in nursing is the standard. The Value Colleges Top 50 Best Value Nursing PhD Programs ranking gives practicing nurses the information they need to choose a PhD program that is right for them. Value Colleges is committed to only featuring regionally-accredited, reputable institutions that will deliver the education graduates need to succeed.
Value Colleges uses three reliable sources for ranking the top 50: 1) reputability based on U.S. News and World Report 2017 Best Nursing Schools (at the MSN level--no PhD data available); 2) return on investment (ROI), based on mid-level salaries of alumni according to PayScale; and 3) cost based on actual tuition per credit as reported by institution.
The top three Best Values for 2016 are: 1) the University of Texas at Austin, Texas; 2) the University of California in Davis, California; and 3) the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska.
The full list, in alphabetical order, is as follows:

Arizona State University - Tempe, AZ

Boston College - Boston, MA

Columbia University - New York, NY

Duke University - Durham, NC

East Carolina University - Greenville, NC

Emory University - Atlanta, GA

Florida Atlantic University - Boca Raton, FL

Florida International University - Miami, FL

George Mason University - Fairfax, VA

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis - Indianapolis, IN

Johns Hopkins University - Baltimore, MD

Michigan State University - East Lansing, MI

New Mexico State University - Las Cruces, NM

New York University - New York, NY

Ohio State University - Columbus, OH

Oregon Health & Science University - Portland, OR

Pennsylvania State University - State College, PA

Rush University - Chicago, IL

Texas Woman's University - Denton, TX

UCLA - Los Angeles, CA

University of Arizona - Tucson, AZ

University of California, Davis - Davis, CA

University of California, San Francisco - San Francisco, CA

University of Central Florida - Orlando, FL

University of Cincinnati - Cincinnati, OH

University of Colorado Denver - Denver, CO

University of Kansas - Kansas City, KS

University of Massachusetts Amherst - Amherst, MA

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth - Dartmouth, MA

University of Massachusetts Lowell - Lowell, MA

University of Missouri - Columbia, MO

University of Missouri-Kansas City - Kansas City, MO

University of Nebraska Medical Center - Omaha, NE

University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, NC

University of Oklahoma - Oklahoma City, OK

University of Pennsylvania - Philadelphia, PA

University of Rochester - Rochester, NY

University of San Diego - San Diego, CA

University of South Florida - Tampa, FL

University of Texas at Arlington - Arlington, TX

University of Texas at Austin - Austin, TX

University of Texas Health Science Center - San Antonio, TX

University of Texas Medical Branch - Galveston, TX

University of Utah - Salt Lake City, UT

University of Washington - Seattle, WA

Washington State University - Pullman, WA

West Virginia University - Morgantown, VA

Vanderbilt University - Nashville, TN

Villanova University - Villanova, PA

Yale University - New Haven, CT

Value College editor Carrie Sealey-Morris says, "Outside of the nursing profession very few people are aware that nurses can be professors, scientists, and advocates who may not spend their days on the hospital floor, but who are leading the field of nursing." For these positions, a PhD is the standard terminal degree. The Value Colleges Top 50 is a guide for those who want to take this important step toward earning PhD in nursing.

Happening Around The Area

Here are the upcoming events that the Gazette has been made aware of as of July 30, 2016.
August 13, 2016. To submit an item to the community events calendar, please email it to press@baldwingazette.com.

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August 25, 2016
Ives Chapel
Thankful Thursday

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August 27, 2016
9 A.M. 
Dedication day for the Bayless home that Lawrence Habitat and the Baldwin City Community built.  It will be Saturday, August 27, 9:00 am at the corner of 11th and Fremont.  There will be a short program, then an open house with donuts, rolls, coffee, iced tea and water.  Please go see what this wonderful community
Begins 10 A.M.
Ride for Research 150
Motorcycle ride for cancer research sponsored by the Palmyra #23 Masonic Lodge (Baldwin City)
Ride starts at the Masonic Lodge at 807 High Street.

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August 25, 2016
Ives Chapel
Thankful Thursday

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August 31, 2016
5:15-6:10pm

Baldwin Intermediate Center

Free Demo and Zumba Fitness class

Come Join the Party…Exercise in Disguise…

A total workout, combining all elements of fitness – cardio, muscle conditioning, balance and flexibility, boosted energy and a serious dose of awesome each time you leave class. Come join Mary Davidson to learn about this great exercise opportunity in Baldwin City! For more information, contact mwdzumba@gmail.com

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Every 4th Thursday of the Month

10 A.M. - 11 A.M.
Mobile Food Bank
Baldwin City New Life Assembly of God
118 5th St
Baldwin City, KS
Stay in car, line up and drive through

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Every Tuesday through October
Eudora Local Gardening Farmer’s Market
4:30 pm – 6:30 pm Tuesdays 
 through October 2016
1402 Church Street
Eudora, KS. 
In the parking lot of Gene’s Hartland Foods. 
Local, fresh produce and foods offered by local growers and producers!

Around Town: Do You Favor a Rec Center

We are looking at the possibility of starting a new feature here at the Gazette. An Around Town segment, where we will go around town seeking peoples thoughts on various issues.  Today's issue we were were surprised how many people didn't know about the subject we were asking about, or didn't care because they "don't live in the city limits" and/or "don't have kids currently in school."

Location: Baldwin City Market

Do you favor a Recreation Center in Baldwin City? Why or why not?

Charles Demmitt
Baldwin City, KS

The mill levy is kind of heavy, if they can bring that down, I would be all for it. As for the rec center, I would be all for it.
- Charles Demmitt, Baldwin City

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Jennifer Ruth
Baldwin City, KS

Yes. So the kids will have somewhere to go after school.
- Jennifer Ruth, Baldwin City

Major 2016 Presidential Candidates Describe Tax Policies

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Wolters Kluwer Tax and Accounting:unveils new tax briefing on tax plans of major presidential candidates. With the presidential nominees selected – Donald Trump for the Republican Party, and Hillary Clinton for the Democratic Party – both candidates have announced their tax plans. Wolters Kluwer Tax and Accounting is closely monitoring the upcoming election and has just released a new tax briefing with an analysis of both candidates’ tax plans. Additionally, Wolters Kluwer tax experts are available to provide insight and analysis on the candidates’ tax plans now and after a new President is elected.

Americans go to the polls November  8, 2016, to elect the 45th President  of the United States. The next President  will  play  a  key  role  in  shaping  tax   policy  and  possibly  reforming  the  entire   Tax  Code.  This  special  briefing  describes   the  tax  policies  of  the  candidates  of  the   two  major  parties:  Hillary  Clinton,  the   Democratic  candidate  for  President  and   Donald Trump, the Republican candidate  for President.

INDIVIDUAL TAXATION 

Both  candidates  have  proposals  related  to   individual tax rates, credits and deductions.

Income Tax  Rates 

Under current law, individual income tax rates  are 10, 15, 25, 28, 33, 35, and 39.6 percent. 
Clinton 
Clinton  has  proposed  a  four  percent  “Fair   Share  Surcharge”  on  the  “top  0.02  percent   of taxpayers on their incomes over $5 mil - lion per year.” Clinton also has endorsed the  so-called “Buffett Rule,” to ensure that “no  millionaire would pay a lower effective rate  than their secretary.”  Trump 
Trump  has  proposed  three  individual  tax   rates: 12, 25 and 33 percent (which are the same rates proposed by House Republicans).  Trump  has  indicated  he   would partially fund these tax decreases  through  limiting  the  value  of  deductions,  especially  among  higher-income   taxpayers.  Trump  has  said  that  those   in  the  highest  bracket  “will  keep  fewer   deductions.”  Two  deductions,  however,   will   apparently   remain   available   at    full  value  and  to  all  income  levels:  the   charitable  deduction  and  the  mortgage interest  deduction,  based  on  Trump’s   campaign materials. 

 Capital Gains/Dividends 

Under  current  law,  qualified  capital  gains   and dividends are taxed at zero percent for  taxpayers in the 10 and 15 percent income  tax  brackets,  15  percent  for  taxpayers  in  the  25,  28,  33,  and  35  percent  brackets,   and  20  percent  for  taxpayers  in  the  39.6   percent bracket.

Clinton 

Clinton has proposed “raising capital gains  rates for short-term trading in order to en - courage   long-term   investment.”   Clinton    also said that she would “explore additional  measures to prevent high-income taxpayers  from misclassifying income as capital gains.”

Trump 

Trump’s campaign materials do not describe  any specific changes to the capital gains and  dividends tax rates.

Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT)

For federal tax purposes, a parallel tax structure -- the AMT -- exists to ensure that individuals, corporations, estates, and trusts with  substantial income do not avoid tax liability.
Clinton 
Clinton’s  campaign  materials  do  not  describe any changes to the AMT. 
Trump
Trump has proposed to eliminate the AMT.

 Net Investment Income (NII) Tax 

The  Affordable  Care  Act  (ACA)  imposes  a   3.8  percent  tax  on  net  investment  income   (NII tax) of qualified taxpayers with income  above certain threshold amounts.
Clinton
Clinton has expressed her support for the ACA,  and presumably this includes the NII tax.
Trump
Trump has proposed to repeal the ACA, and  has not mentioned any specific carryover of  the NII tax.

 Additional  Medicare Tax 

The  ACA  imposes  an  Additional  Medicare   Tax  on  qualified  taxpayers  with  income   above certain threshold amounts.
Clinton
Clinton  has  expressed  her  support  for  the   ACA, and presumably this includes the Additional Medicare Tax.
Trump
Trump  has  proposed  to  repeal  the  ACA, and presumably this includes the Additional  Medicare Tax.

Federal  Estate Tax 

For estates of decedents dying after December  31,  2012,  the  maximum  federal  estate   tax  rate  is  40  percent  with  an  inflation-adjusted  $5  million  exclusion  (inflation- adjusted to $5.45 million in 2016).
 Clinton 
Clinton  has  proposed  to  restore  the  federal estate tax to the parameters in effect in  2009 (a maximum estate tax rate of 45 percent with a $3.5 million exclusion).
Trump 
Trump  has  proposed  to  repeal  the  federal estate tax.

INDIVIDUAL TAX INCENTIVES 

Both candidates have proposed measures addressing  certain  individual  tax  deductions and credits. Child Tax  Incentives 

Both candidates have proposed tax incentives  for taxpayers with children.
Clinton 
Clinton has proposed up to a $1,200 tax credit  for  caregiver  expenses.  The  Democratic  Party   platform has proposed that the “child tax credit  should  be  expanded,  for  example,  by  making   more of it refundable, or indexed to inflation.”
Trump
Trump  has  proposed  to  “help  reduce  the   cost of childcare by allowing parents to fully  deduct the average cost of childcare spending from their taxes.”

Education 

Education incentives include the American  Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC), the Life - time  Learning  credit,  the  tuition  and  fees   deduction,  the  deduction  for  student  loan   interest and, among others.
Clinton

Clinton’s  campaign  materials  do  not  describe  any  specific  changes  to  the  AOTC   or  other  education  incentives.  However,  Clinton has called for tax relief from college  costs for middle-income families. 

Trump 

Trump’s campaign materials do not specifically discuss the AOTC or other education  incentives  over  and  above  capping  deductions and credits based upon tax bracket. 

 Charitable Giving 

A  deduction  is  available  to  individuals  for   their   qualified   charitable   contributions,    subject to certain rules and limitations. 
Clinton
Clinton  has  proposed  no  changes  to  the   charitable giving deduction.
Trump
Trump  has  proposed  no  changes  to  the   charitable giving deduction.

Mortgage Interest Deduction 

Qualified  mortgage  interest  may  be  deductible if it is paid or accrued during the  tax  year  on  acquisition  and/or  home  equity indebtedness secured by the taxpayer’s  principal  or  second  residence,  subject  to   certain limitations. 
Clinton 
Clinton  has  proposed  no  changes  to  the   current mortgage interest deduction.
Trump
Trump has proposed no changes to the cur - rent mortgage interest deduction.

Pease Limitation/Personal  Exemption Phaseout 

The   Pease   limitation   reduces   the   total    amount  of  a  higher-income  taxpayer’s  otherwise  allowable  itemized  deductions,  subject to certain limitations. The Personal Exemption  Phaseout  (PEP)  reduces  the  total   amount of exemptions that may be claimed  by higher-income taxpayers.
Clinton
Clinton  has  proposed  to  limit  the  value  of   itemized deductions to 28 percent for higher bracket taxpayers.
Trump
Trump  has  proposed  to  “steepen  the  curve   of the Personal Exemption Phaseout and the  Pease Limitation on itemized deductions.” 

Carried Interest 

Both  candidates  have  proposals  related  to   carried interest.
Clinton
Clinton  has  proposed  to  “close  the  carried interest loophole that allows taxpay - ers  to  avoid  paying  ordinary  income  tax   rates on what is essentially remuneration  for services.”
Trump 
Trump has proposed to “eliminate the carried interest deduction.” 

BUSINESS TAXATION 

Both candidates have a number of proposals  related to business taxation. Corporate Tax  Rates The  maximum  corporate  tax  rate  currently   tops out at 35 percent.  
Clinton 
Clinton’s  campaign  materials  do  not  describe any specific change to the corporate  tax  rate.  Clinton  has  called  for  unspecified  measures  to  “broaden  the  tax  base”   in  order  to  lower  the  rate  as  a  necessary   component to being more competitive in  the global economy.
Trump
Trump  has  proposed  to  reduce  the  maximum  corporate  tax  rate  to  15  percent.   Trump  would  also  tax  all  business  income   at  the  15  percent  rate,  including  income   passed  through  from  S  corporations  and   partnerships, or earned by freelancers

Small Businesses 

Both candidates have tax proposals for small  businesses.
Clinton
Clinton  has  stated  that  she  will  release  new   plans  to  “simplify  tax  filings  for  millions  of   small businesses.” Clinton would also promote  immediate expensing for small businesses.
Trump 
Trump  has  proposed  a  new  “business  in - come  tax  rate  within  the  personal  income   tax code that matches the 15 percent corporate tax rate.”

BUSINESS TAX INCENTIVES 

Both  candidates  have  proposed  reforms  to   some business tax incentives as well as pro - posing new incentives.
Clinton 
Clinton  has  proposed  a  tax  credit  for  businesses that hire apprentices at $1,500 per apprentice  and  a  “bonus  on  that  tax  credit  to   businesses providing opportunities specifically  for young people.” Clinton also has proposed  a “Manufacturing Renaissance Tax Credit.” 
Trump 
Trump has proposed “reducing or eliminating  some corporate loopholes that cater to special  interests, as well as deductions made unneces - sary by the new lower tax rate on corporations  and  business  income.”    Additionally,  Trump   has proposed “to allow businesses to immediately expense new business investments.”

ENERGY 

Various tax incentives promote energy production, efficiency and conservation.
Clinton
Clinton has proposed to  extend and expand  the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program  “to  all  communities  suffering  from  a   decline  in  coal  production  or  a  coal  plant   closure.”   Additionally,    Clinton   has   proposed “closing tax loopholes for oil and gas  companies” to pay for a clean-energy plan.
Trump
Trump’s campaign materials do not discuss  specific tax proposals related to energy.

INTERNATIONAL 

The  candidates  address  international  tax  in   several ways.

Repatriation  

The  American  Jobs  Creation  Act  of  2004   (AJCA)  temporarily  allowed  U.S.  companies to repatriate earnings from their foreign  subsidiaries at a reduced tax rate, subject to  certain limitations.
Clinton 
Clinton’s campaign materials do not discuss  any specific repatriation tax proposals.
Trump 
Trump  has  proposed  a  one-time  deemed  repatriation  of  “corporate  cash  held  overseas  at   a  discounted  10  percent  tax  rate.”  Additionally, Trump has proposed to end the deferral of  taxes on corporate income earned abroad. The  foreign tax credit, however, would remain, according to Trump’s campaign materials.

 In-sourcing 

Both candidates have broadly discussed “in-sourcing” jobs.
Clinton
Clinton  has  proposed  “to  provide  support   for companies that move jobs and production back to the U.S. from abroad.”
Trump 
Trump’s   campaign   materials   do   not   specifically  discuss  “in-sourcing”  from  the  tax  perspective although a major campaign theme  is to “bring jobs back to the United States.”

TAXES AND HEALTH CARE 

Since passage of the ACA, taxes and health  care have become more intertwined than in  previous years. The ACA created a number  of new taxes and fees. 
 Clinton 
Clinton  would  retain  the  ACA  but  change   certain  parts.  Clinton  would,  among  other   things, support Medicare buy-ins for people  over 55 years old; lower copays and reduce  the  cost  of  prescription  drugs;  incentivize   states  to  expand  Medicaid;  and  repeal  the   excise  tax  on  high-dollar  health  plans  (so- called “Cadillac plan” tax).
Trump 
Trump would repeal the ACA, although also  saying that he would keep “the good parts.”  Trump has also indicated that he would address the rising cost of prescription drugs. 

TAX REFORM 

“Tax  reform”  has  been  a  label  placed  upon  a   variety of proposals recently, both in scope and  scale.  Both  candidates  characterize  their  proposed changes to the Tax Code as “tax reform.”  More frequently in the spotlight, however, have  been  changes  to  the  tax  rates  and  tax  benefits   aligned with the candidates’ overall positions.

KU Ranked Sixth Best Counseling Psychology Programs in 2016 by College Choice

EUGENE, Ore. (PRNewswire) - College Choice, a leading authority in college and university rankings and resources, has published its 2016 rankings for the Best Counseling Psychology Programs (http://www.collegechoice.net/rankings/best-masters-in-counseling-psychology/).
Graduate degrees in counseling are becoming more important as the field of psychology grows, allowing room for specialization. As the need for licensed counselors grow, so too do the amount of programs that are geared towards helping professionals meet their goals.
"Counseling psychology is a field that helps individuals with a variety of emotional, behavioral, and social problems or disorders. Obtaining a master's degree in Counseling Psychology is an essential launching pad for a career in psychology, and it opens the door to a job in which you can make a difference in hundreds of lives," Christian Amondson, Managing Editor of College Choice, said when the ranking was released.
College Choice created the 2016 ranking for Best Counseling Psychology Programs by curating a list of factors that will affect a student's desire to participate in these programs. Factors such as academic reputation, tuition, gainful employment after graduation and student satisfaction are compiled and compared and has resulted in the ranking. The data was collected by researching individual schools and their programs followed by independent national statistics sites like The National Center for Education Statistics.
One of the most important factors for this ranking was the first-time pass-rate for the Examination for Professional Practice Psychology exam. This is a necessary certification exam for students to practice psychology and the success rate for these programs was highly valuable in creating this listing.
The College Choice 2016 ranking for Best Counseling Psychology Programs was topped by The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It was followed by the University of Wisconsin at Madison and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The complete rankings are as follows:

4. Columbia University - Teachers College, New York, NY
5. Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
6. University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
7. University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
8. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
9. Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
10. New York University, New York, NY
11. University of Missouri - Columbia, Columbia, MO
12. Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
13. University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE
14. University of Denver, Denver, CO
15. University of North Texas, Denton, TX

School Board Has Joint Public Meeting With Baldwin City Council

Baldwin City Council Mayor Marilyn Pearse and Baldwin School Board President Nick Harris called the special joint meeting to order. The meeting, which was well attended by the community, who sat around the Performing Arts Center to learn more about the proposed Recreation Center.  During the presentation, Steve Friend, Executive Director of the Baldwin City Recreation Commission, said the proposed facility will be located on Sixth Street, just north of the football fields.

Steve Friend, Baldwin City Recreation Commission
explains the initial designs that include school district offices.
Photographer Kevin Surbaugh

To payoff the costs of constructing the center, there would be an increase in property taxes of 2.750 mills district wide. So what does that mean? According to the Douglas County Appraisers Office, one mill equals 1/1,000 of $1, or $1 of tax for every $1,000 of value.  So if you have a home that is appraised at $100,000., you would need to determine the assessed value. To do this multiply your appraised value by 11.5% or .115, which means that $100,000 house is assessed at $11,500. Now take that assessed value and multiply it by the mill levy. In this case we are just going to figure the proposed 2.750% or .275. The result is 316.25.  Now divide that by 1000. The result is an increase to your tax bill of 32 cents on that 100,000 home (Source).  However, this is just the school districts half of the facility.  For the cities half, a half cent sales tax will be implemented, if approved by voters in s proposed election on February 7, 2017. The facility would be paid off in 20-years.
As for the annual budget, Friend said that based on other communities with facilities that have pools, the estimated costs would be $332,000.
The proposed hours be Monday-Thursday 5 A.M.-10 P.M., Friday 5 A.M.-8P.M., Saturday 9 A.M.- 6 P.M. and Sunday 1 P.M.-6 P.M. Single Membership would be $20 per month or $240 per year while a family membership would be $50 per month or $600 per year.
Friend said, "Our intent was to provide everyone, school board, city, everyone with as much information as possible."
The school district is involved because it is the taxing authority for the Recreation Commission. Other communities, like Lawrence, it is the city. However, many years ago it was the school district in the Baldwin City area. Which gives the commission a reach into the rural areas of the community.
After members of both governing bodies asked questions of the Recreation Commission, it was the turn of the public.
Many of those opposed to a Baldwin City facility mentioned Rock Chalk in Lawrence. It is free to use and is paid by all taxpayers in the county.
Tamra Starkey took to the podium and said, that it was a beautiful plan, however many in the community cannot afford the increase in taxes. Some of those people cannot even afford to pay for their food or prescriptions.  She is not opposed to building it, if new businesses were brought in to generate more sales tax.
Leigh-an G said that she drives to Lawrence three times a week to swim. Rock Chalk, does not have a pool, so she has to pay extra to go to the aquatic center. She thinks a facility locally would be a good fit in the community. Especially, if she can use the facility before going to her job in Lawrence.