By JOHN MILBURN

Associated Press Writer

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Estimates for Kansas tax collections for the remainder of the state’s fiscal year are cut by $235 million as forecasters see continued weakness in the economy.

The reductions Thursday mean Kansas government will have 4.2 percent fewer tax dollars to finance services than previously estimated in April. Kansas began its fiscal year July 1.

Gov. Mark Parkinson says the news is a challenge, but manageable. He renewed his promise to legislators that he will balance the state budget by the time the 2010 session begins in January.

Lots to talk about this weekend with health care reform on the launching pad in the House, the aftermath of the shootings at Ft. Hood, and of course, the '70s -- as in degrees in November. Enjoy...

      Topeka (AP): William Avery, a one-term Republican governor in the 1960s and former U.S. House member, has died. He was 98.

    Gov. Mark Parkinson's office said Avery died Wednesday and ordered flags across the state lowered until Nov. 14.

   “Gov. Avery led our state during a time of tragic loss and national attention. Kansas honors his long life and service to our state. Our thoughts and prayers are with his children and family,” Parkinson said in a statement.

    Avery entered politics as a local school board member after a stint as a pilot in World War II. He then served in the Kansas House from 1951-55. After that, Avery began a decade-long career as a congressman from the 2nd District before running for governor.

Green calls for investigation into actions of Pinnacle CEO

USDA Farm to School program seems extraneous

Potts arrested at Lieberman's office over health care protest

The blogosphere remembers the late former Kansas Gov. William Avery, a push by U.S. Reps. Emanuel Cleaver and Sam Graves to get national recognition for Liberty Memorial, and a plea to stop equating witnessing a crime and talking to police with snitching. 

JEFFERSON CITY | There's a rumor going around the Capitol that Joe Bindbeutel, the former DNR deputy who was washed out of state government last month in connection with Dirty Watergate, may find a new-old job in the office of Attorney General Chris Koster.

We don't usually report on mere rumors, but this one is interesting because the AG's office isn't trying very hard to quash it.

Prime Buzz (and other reporters) caught up with spokeswoman Nanci Gonder. Her response: "He has not joined the attorney general’s office and no decision has been made."

When pressed on whether Bindbeutel is being considered for a position, Gonder said she couldn't comment further, not even to clarify her statement that sure makes it seem like he is being considered.

   Former Missouri Sen. John Ashcroft, once one of the country’s leading conservatives, has endorsed Rep. Todd Tiahrt in his race for the Senate in Kansas.

   “Conservatives across this country are yearning for principled conservatives in Washington,” Ashcroft, attorney general under former President George W. Bush, said in a statement. “I feel strongly that Todd Tiahrt can help provide that common sense conservative leadership in the Senate.”

    Tiahrt is seeking the Republican nomination to the seat being vacated next year by Sen. Sam Brownback, who is running for governor. Kansas Republican Rep. Jerry Moran is also seeking the seat.

Do it...

JEFFERSON CITY | Less than a week before the 2009-2010 Missouri Manual will be unveiled, the Secretary of State's office is making previous "Blue Books" available online.

A collection of Blue Books -- which contain data on elected officials, state departments, election results and employee salaries -- from 1889 to 1972 can now be accessed through the Missouri Digital Heritage Initiative .

Check them out here. Newer, digital-era, editions are available here .

The first Blue Book was published in 1878. They are compiled every two years and, taken together, provide detailed statistical, historical, and political data covering most of the state's history.

   The Congressional Budget Office has analyzed the Republican alternative health care reform bill -- and concludes the measure would cut the deficit but actually grow the number of uninsured Americans.

  The full analysis is attached below.

  CBO says the GOP provisions would cut the deficit by $68 billion over ten years, less than the Democratic bill, which cuts the deficit $104 billion over the same time frame.  That's largely because the Democrats raise taxes and cut Medicare benefits while the GOP doesn't (although the GOP plan does include some small revenue growth of about $27 billion over ten years.)

   The CBO also says the Republican plan would leave 52 million people uninsured in 2019, more than the 46 million uninsured today (the percentage of Americans without insurance, about 17 percent, would remain basically unchanged, CBO says.)

Analyzing the latest round of votes over gay rights

Why ban K-2 before we know what it does?

School paycheck audit won't lead to real change

The blogosphere is abuzz with trying to take the pulse of America based on the latest election results, the most recent round of revenue numbers in Missouri suggest that more budget cuts are on the horizon, a question and answer session with Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder on the results of Missouri and other state's elections. 

    Rep. Ike Skelton of Missouri, a senior House Democrat and chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said Wednesday that he intends to oppose his party’s health care reform bill.

   “At the end of the day, the American people should be able to look at this bill and say that Congress has done a good job,” he said in a statement. “This legislation does not accomplish that goal…it does not represent the right balance for the people I represent and I do not intend to support it.”

    House Democratic leaders hope to hold a vote on the bill this weekend.

JEFFERSON CITY | As expected, October was another ugly month for state revenue collections in Missouri.

High unemployment has sapped income-tax collections, and the still-weak economy has seriously dented sales-tax revenues.

Since the start of the fiscal year in July, the state has collected $2.15 billion in general revenues -- 10.8 percent less than the same months in 2008. For October, revenues were $442.7 million -- fully 14 percent off the $514.8 million collected a year ago.

Here's the breakdown for each tax type, as reported by the state Office of Administration:

Individual income tax collections

*Decreased 8.3 percent for the year, from $1.68 billion last year to $1.54 billion this year.

*Decreased 8.6 percent for the month.

    My friend Mike Mahoney has weighed in on the overwhelming "yes" vote Tuesday for Jackson County's COMBAT tax. 

   His reporting:  Supporters may have won the day by putting the tax on the 2009 ballot, almost all by itself, allowing voters to focus only on crime and drug abuse.

   That's clearly one good explanation.  Let me suggest another:

     Kansas City and Jackson County no longer have organized, consistent, credible anti-tax groups or spokespeople to oppose tax measures put before voters.

      In the 1980s and 1990s, that wasn't the case.   For years a coalition of anti-tax groups and figures engaged city and county leaders in a series of tax increase campaigns, opposing everything from capital improvement sales taxes to Emanuel Cleaver's "Odyssey 2000" and a proposed McDonnell-Douglas tax hike to various school district levy increases.

   Republicans won two contests for governor Tuesday. But some in the party might be feeling a tad nervous about some of their own voters.

    An intra-party split between a restive, conservative grassroots base and the party establishment was the likely reason why Republicans lost a highly publicized special election in upstate New York Tuesday. A Democrat won in a traditionally Republican House district.

    Sen. John Cornyn, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, felt compelled to tell ABC News today:  “We will not spend money in a contested primary.”

So Obama watched his HBO special - again - as Virginia and New Jersey burned? Hmmm. Enjoy...

The Kansas Republican Party says last night's big wins for the GOP show Americans are unconvinced by Democratic health care proposals and the economic stimulus package.

But, in a statement this morning from state GOP Chairwoman Amanda Adkins, the party says more work is necessary before Republicans can count on big gains next year.

"President Obama won New Jersey, Virginia and New York’s 23rd District by at least 5% in 2008.  The Democrats’ defeat in Virginia and New Jersey in Tuesday’s elections is an indicator that American’s want more than empty promises of hope,” Adkins wrote.

COMBAT tax approval is a victory for apathy

Analyzing the election results

St. Louis County voters public smoking ban

A suggestion that the Missouri Legislature reconsider tax credits in order to help ameloriate potential deficits in future budgets, a blogger sounds off on the ineffectiveness of D.A.R.E., and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is scheduled to speak at the Dole Institute in Lawrence tonight.