I appreciate having another opportunity to talk with Central Kansas radio host Paul Ibbetson, on his 105.7 FM program, “The Conscience of Kansas.”  Recently, we discussed scientific polling documenting the fiscally conservative nature of Kansas voters.  The details of the polling are available online at a non-profit I run, StateAndLocalEducation.org — part 1 here, part 2 here, and part 3 here.

You can click here to listen to my interview with Paul Ibbetson.

“The Conscience of Kansas” runs daily at 5-6 p.m. in central Kansas on 105.7 FM “The Patriot,” the station that carries Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham, and Sean Hannity.

Listen live anytime to 105.7 FM by clicking here.  Here is the link to the station’s Facebook page, and the link to its Web site (still under construction).

Erroneously, it’s often said that Kansas is a “moderate state” or a “three-party state” (conservatives, moderate Republicans, Democrats).  As we write at StateAndLocalEducation.org:

There are actually 20 states which Gallup considers to be more conservative than Kansas.  Gallup ranks Kansas as #21 among the states, in terms of how many voters are considered to be conservative.

Gallup considers 40% of Kansas voters to be conservative, 39% to be moderate, and 19% to be liberal.

According to Gallup, Alabama ranks #1 with 49% of its voters identified as conservative.  Washington, DC, ranks last, with only 23% of its voters considered to be conservative.

Last year, we asked likely 2012 voters in Overland Park:  “”Do you think city tax increases help the local economy, hurt the local economy, or have no impact on the economy?”  The answers:

Impact of city tax increases on local economy, percent:

Help the local economy:           20.9%

Hurt the local economy:           58.5%

No impact:                             14.7%

Undecided:                             5.9%

Total:                                    100%

We also asked these questions:

Question: Now I’m going to ask you some questions about your city government in Overland Park. Like many governments, the Overland Park city government faces budget shortfalls. Going forward, how should Overland Park balance its budget? Should the city government increase taxes, or cut spending?

To balance budget, increase taxes or cut spending? 

Cut spending:                            66.8%

Increase taxes:                          23.2%

Undecided:                                10.0%

Total:                                          100%

 

Question: Asked a different way… by how much should city spending be decreased? Not at all?  1-5%?  6-10%  Or 10% or more?

Spending cuts?  By how much? 

Not at all:                                13.5%

1-5% in cuts:                           39.4%

6-10% in cuts:                         29.4%

10% or more in cuts:              11.2%

Undecided:                               6.5%

Total:                                       100%

 

Question: Would making cuts to city services be acceptable to you? Or unacceptable to you?

Cuts to city services? 

Acceptable:                              55.0%

Unacceptable:                          33.8%

Undecided:                              11.2%

Total:                                       100%

 

Question: In general, have city councilmen done a good job of representing Overland Park voters? Or have city councilmen lost touch with voters throughout the city?

City councilmen have: 

Done a good job

representing voters:                  26.5%

Lost touch with voters:             52.1%

Undecided:                                   21.5%

Total:                                             100%

“Conscience of Kansas” host Ibbetson keeps 10 recent podcasts available to you for free at Podomatic.com.

Ibbetson’s main Web site is IbbetsonUSA.com.

About Paul Ibbetson:

Paul A. Ibbetson is a former Chief of Police of Cherryvale, Kansas, and member of the Montgomery County Drug Task Force. Paul received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Criminal Justice at Wichita State University, and is currently completing his PhD. in sociology at Kansas State University. Paul is the author of the books Living Under The Patriot Act: Educating A Society and Feeding Lions: Sharing The Conservative Philosophy In A Politically Hostile World. Paul is also the radio host of the Kansas Broadcasting Association’s 2008,2009 and 2010 Entertainment Program of the Year, Conscience of Kansas airing on KSDB Manhattan 91.9 f.m.

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Connect with Benjamin Hodge at Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus, The Kansas Progress, and LibertyLinked. Hodge is President of the State and Local Reform Group of Kansas.  He served as one of seven at-large trustees at Johnson County Community College from 2005-’09, a member of the Kansas House from 2007-’08, a delegate to the Kansas Republican Party from 2009-’10, and was founder of the modern Overland Park Republican Party in 2011.  His public policy record is recognized by Americans for Prosperity, the Kansas Association of Broadcasters, the Kansas Press Association, the Kansas Sunshine Coalition for Open Government, the NRA, Kansans for Life, and the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE).