Why an East Topeka Learning Center? The idea of a learning center on the east side of our community has been bubbling up for some time. At the Joint Economic Development Organization meeting on Feb. 8 community members shared how over the years there has been brainstorming, sharing, hoping and now finally the next step in developing the center. East Topeka Learning Center is envisioned as an impactful, education space for citizens to benefit from expanded educational opportunities in their own neighborhood. Where will the East Topeka Learning Center be located? The location is at 2014 SE Washington Street, situated on SE 21st Street, between SE Washington Street and SE… Read More
Continue ReadingFebruary 14, 2017 Legislative Update
Last Thursday was supposed to be the day the Kansas Senate met in a spirit of tough but earnest compromise to finally forge a lasting solution to the toughest question they will face: how to close the looming budget shortfall. Down! Set! Nope. The Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee had passed out a package said to restore structural balance to the Kansas tax code. The package raises the lowest income tax rate paid by individuals from 2.6% to 3.0% and the highest rate from 4.6% to 4.9%. It also eliminates the so-called LLC exemption, the highly controversial feature of the 2012 tax package which exempts income earned by pass-through business… Read More
Continue ReadingMy Float Experience
Midwest Float is a new member of the Chamber, and as with most new members the Chamber gets the occasional question about what they do or who they are. Businesses their names make them fairly self-explanatory. However, with Midwest Float questions came flooding into our office the moment they joined. So what is Midwest Float? The simplest way I can describe it is a company that specializes in stress and anxiety release. What is it really? Imagine going into an enclosed hot tub, and the water is warm and very salty (like Dead Sea salty). For 90 minutes you “float” in this salty water and, if like most, you relax enough… Read More
Continue ReadingFebruary 7, 2017 Legislative Update
Just over three weeks into the 2017 legislative session and there have been no major plot twists. The overarching concern of all is still the gaping difference between how much money the state is expected to bring in over the next couple of years and how much it will spend. Another Positive Revenue Report On a lighter note, the Department of Revenue reported that, for the third month in a row, the State of Kansas brought in just a little bit more revenue that it expected to. In January, tax receipts were almost $24 million ahead of projections. Some cite this as evidence that the Kansas economy is on the… Read More
Continue ReadingDTI Annual Meeting Highlight Business Growth, Future Developments
Sitting in the lobby of a former bank, over 200 local business leaders met to celebrate the successes in downtown Topeka at the DTI Annual Meeting last week. The Topeka Chamber, GO Topeka, Forge, Heartland Visioning and EMBD joined together in celebration of business growth in 2016, and further learning about what is to come in 2017 and beyond. The two future developments announced that night highlighted what is to come for our community. First, the Menninger Foundation announced it will fund a sculpture for Kansas Avenue. Monies has been raised to fund a sculpture that is in the design stage, this sculpture will represent the Brown v Board decision. The sculpture… Read More
Continue ReadingJanuary 31, 2017 Legislative Update
The House Taxation Committee finished its second day of hearings on a bill which would eliminate the income tax exemption for pass-through business entities. Removing the pass-through exemption would bring in something in the neighborhood of $180 – $200 million in revenues. Opponents of the bill argued the tax exemption has helped small business in Kansas and has led to job growth. Those arguing to eliminate the exemption disputed those claims and contended job growth has actually shrunk in the years since the exemption took effect. Others conceded the time may have come to remove the exemption, but expressed concern that the House bill would take effect as of January… Read More
Continue Reading2017 Annual Meeting Recap
The 2017 Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting was a time for us to reflect on what we did in 2016 and where we are going this year. We kicked the meeting off by showing a great video showcasing the community’s accomplishments from 2016. Check it out: Michel’ Cole, Westar Energy, emceed the program and did a great job keeping the audience engaged and listening, as well as transitioning between the speakers. We recognized four remarkable people before our speakers started. These four individuals were key to the organization’s success in 2016. Kyle Mead, Lawyers Title of Topeka, was awarded an Award of Excellence for diligent work to help… Read More
Continue ReadingJanuary 24, 2017 Legislative Update
METL: Stronger Together On Tuesday, January 17, representatives from chambers of commerce for Manhattan, Emporia, Topeka and Lawrence gathered at the historic Dillon House for the first ever METL: Stronger Together reception. These business groups have been discussing for some time the value of working together as a region. The reception was designed to bring together the 28 state legislators who represent that region and give them a sense of the influence they could have in the legislature if they coordinated their efforts and spoke with one voice. As many as 50 business leaders and chamber executives from these communities traveled to Topeka for the event and over half of… Read More
Continue ReadingJanuary 17, 2017 Legislative Update
Kansas lawmakers returned to Topeka last week and wasted no time in training their sites on one of the most controversial issues they will face: whether to close the tax exemption for pass-through business entities. On the first full day of the 2017 session, a bill which would repeal that exemption was introduced in the House Tax Committee. A hearing on the bill is scheduled for Thursday, January 19. The urgency seems to stem from two sources. First, since the bill is retroactive to January 1, tax committee members acknowledge that, if the exemption is to be repealed, it needs to be done quickly to minimize disruption for affected businesses. Some… Read More
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