Supporters of the proposed bond issue for USD 259, the Wichita, Kansas public school district, portray Wichita's public schools as a "public good." Therefore, the entire community should pay for -- and be happy to pay for -- the ongoing operations of the schools, and should be willing to invest in a large bond issue to pay for capital improvements and new facilities.

But is public education a public good?

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Wichita school district officials say they want to be held accountable. Responding to records requests is one way for them to fulfill that desire. But the district's attitude when faced with requests filed by citizens reveals a different attitude.

http://wichitaliberty.org/node/686

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As long as this body is willing to grant tax abatements and other special tax favors, I propose this simple pledge: that when the City of Wichita allows a company to escape paying taxes, that it reduce city spending by the same amount

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The problem with a smoking ban written into law rather than reliance on markets is that everyone has to live by the same rules.

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A letter writer in the April 27, 2008 Wichita Eagle makes the case that investment in USD 259 (the Wichita, Kansas public school district) has a good return.

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As Wichita considers the need for a new public library, a more central and fundamental question goes unconsidered: what is the role of the public library today, and do we really want one?

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