Frank Austin for Plainville City Council

I am running for a seat on the Plainville KS City Council! It is time for CHANGE! Change that makes community grant applications a priority. Change that encourages businesses to relocate to Plainville! Change that promotes job growth. Change that questions every City Budget department's previous Budget vs Actual variance, change that questions planning and budget adequacy! Change that sets and promotes each City Department's goals and accomplishments. Make proactive incremental progress a City Council hallmark. Professional Achievments include: 

1. Technical Instructor, Rapifax Corporation 

2. International Technical Support Manager, Rapifax Corporation 

3. San Francisco District Service Manager, Rapicom 

4. Naval Air Maintenance Training Detachments, Norfolk, VA Instructor of the Year 

5. Western Region Service Operations Manager, Ricoh Corporation 

Volunteer accomplishments include: 

1. 2015 National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Volunteer Hall of Fame Honoree (Advocacy) 

2. 2016 DOD Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) Consumer Reviewer. 

3. 2014 Congressional Roundtable, 21st Century Cures testimony. 

4. National Multiple Sclerosis Society Public Policy Conference attendee 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2023 In-person, 2021 Virtual 

5. 2013-2018 National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Pennsylvania Chapters Government Relations Committee member 

6. 2018- Present National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Kansas State Government Relations Advisory Committee member 

7. 2013 National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Western Pennsylvania Leaders Circle 

8. 2011 Vice Chairman California State Citizen Corps Council 

9. 2005-2010 National Multiple Sclerosis Society, California Action Network and State Capitol Advocacy Day visit team captain 

10. California Volunteers 2010 California State Citizens Corps Council member 

11. 33rd Annual (2009) Volunteer Center of Orange County & Orange County Register, Spirit of Volunteerism Award 

12. National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Pacific South Coast Chapter Government Relations Committee member (2004-2011) 

13. National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Pacific South Coast Chapter Government Relations, Chairman Transportation Sub-Committee (2007-2011) 

14. National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Pacific South Coast Chapter Self Help Support Group Leader (2008-2009 Support Group Leader of the Year) 

15. National Multiple Sclerosis Society, MS and California Action Networks (2007-2008 Pacific South Coast Chapter Activist of the Year) 

16. California Governor & CaliforniaVolunteers; California Disaster Corps- Training, typing, classification and credentialing workgroup. 

17. California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Volunteer Services Specialist Committee.

Wheelchair Rant

Six or seven years ago I got a, "Smart Drive" motor assist manual wheelchair from the VA in Pittsburgh, PA. Late last year it crapped out. I used it till it totally stopped functioning! I also had completely worn out the armrests on the wheelchair; they were tattered, the armrest covers had completely disintegrated and the rubber cushions were totally exposed. So, it was time to replace it! Obviously, my first resource was the VA. Dealing with the VA became my first obstacle! Since I have returned to North Central Kansas in recent years, the Veteran's Administration in Pittsburgh, PA was no longer the right route to take. I needed to work with the Hays, KS VA office. It only took one phone call to deduce that that was not the ticket! The Hays VA clinic had me contact the Wichita VA center and they advised me that I had to be evaluated by the Wichita, KS VA center before it could help. Well, that presented a real issue. I do not have a driver's license or a car and I live alone, 200 miles from Wichita! I decided I needed to investigate the second option, Medicare! Medicare- Sure, An efficient bureaucracy is the greatest threat to liberty. The only thing that saves us from bureaucracy is its inefficiency. Bureaucracy is more people doing less things, and taking more time to do them worse. A bureaucrat is an official who is clothed with power and whom it doesn't fit. Do you get the sense that I'm frustrated? My request has been denied twice by Medicare! The first time someone failed to either cross a "t" or dot an "i". So the provider had to correct the error and resubmit. The second denial was because buried in all the backup documentation was a statement (probably a checkmark on some list of capabilities) that I could walk a mile! I think I remember making that mistake, scratching it out, and answering "No". Obviously too confusing for a bureaucrat to decipher. I have not been that ambulatory for years! Anyway, I await an appeal decision. Stay tuned, film at 10.

Vaccines and MS

By Laura Kolaczkowski · January 22, 2021 Each year in the fall I write a column on the flu vaccine and why we really should consider taking it for our own health. Just a couple years ago I skipped my flu shot, and in late January I was sick as a dog from the flu. I swore never again would I skip a vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine Fast forward to the present day and I look forward to the chance to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Just like the year I got really ill with the flu because I wasn’t vaccinated, this time I contracted COVID but it was much worse. I was hospitalized for 13 long days and took even more time to fully recover. In all, COVID took 3 months of my life because all I could do while recovering was rest and sleep. It’s an experience I never want to have again, and I’m anxious to get my COVID-19 vaccine and any extra protection it might offer. Is the vaccine safe for people with MS? The National MS Society has consulted with an expert group of neurologists who specialize in multiple sclerosis, and have come to the same conclusion – we should get the vaccine. Even if we have MS. In COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance for People Living with MS the experts state without hesitation that people with MS should get vaccinated. I encourage everyone to read this brief report. The potential side effects The COVID-19 vaccines available right now do not contain any live virus, so they don’t pose a risk of causing an MS relapse. Yes, it’s likely you will have a sore arm at the injection site, and a few people even have a worse reaction and feel ill for a few days. Just like with MS, each person is different in how they will react. However, from my own experience with COVID-19, having a quick jab in my arm is much better than having all sorts of needle stabs, blood draws and IV lines I had in the hospital. Any discomfort I might feel from the vaccine as a side effect won’t be worse than the discomfort I had in the hospital and being so deathly ill with the virus. Current research shows no greater risk for people with MS The good news from the research the National MS Society has completed shows that people with multiple sclerosis have no greater risk of contracting COVID-19 than our peers. They continue to participate in COViMS (COvid Infections in MS), an ongoing data collection and study in partnership with the Canadian MS Society and the Consortium for MS Centers. Doctors who have treated people with COVID-19 who also have MS can enter details about the experience with the virus. All of the data is public and you can review the current data if you like to read research numbers. Vaccines protect us and our loved ones After seeing the devastation COVID-19 has created in this country and around the world, I couldn’t possibly skip the opportunity to do my part and opt-out of being vaccinated. Getting vaccinated helps to protect me and the people around me. The science behind the vaccine is sound, the vaccine is as safe as we can reasonably expect, and I trust the experts. Stop and think about the diseases such as polio, measles, mumps, and smallpox that we have beat back because we have vaccines. I’m old enough to personally know the hazards of those diseases; I didn’t have to worry about my own children and grandchildren contracting these diseases thanks to vaccines. Doing our part to eradicate COVID-19 In my thinking, each of us can do our part to eradicate COVID-19 as well by discussing vaccines with your own doctor and then getting the vaccine as soon as it is available if it is recommended for you. I hope you will think that way too and together we can beat back this virus. Wishing you well, Laura

Email Regarding Kansas Legislative State Action Day

 

Laura Hoch	1:18 PM (23 minutes ago)
to Laura

Hi All!

 

I wanted to thank those of you who have already registered for the virtual State Action Day and encourage everyone who has not to do so as soon as possible. We only have 10 registrants currently and need 20 to keep access to the webinar services (if we do not get to 20, we will still do a state action day, but it will be on a smaller scale).

 

Since we have not yet hit this deadline, and because I would love to see more people in Kansas get involved, I want to encourage this committee to share the opportunity to participate with your networks if you have not done so already! I’ll also be posting it to my work Facebook account, so if we are friends on there, feel free to share! Finally, if you are planning to have a partner or family member attend virtually with you, please have them register as well so we can accurately track attendance. Below is the information on registering:

 

Kansas Virtual State Action Day

Kickoff Wednesday, February 17

Training Thursday, February 11

Virtual meetings with legislators starting Wednesday, February 17

Priorities: KanCare Expansion and step therapy reform as well as education on MS

Link to register: https://p2a.co/K4MrSIC?title=Ms.&fullname=Jane%20Smith&email=janesmith%40testemail.com&phone=703-555-5555&address1=1500%20Wilson%20Boulevard&address2=Suite%20100&zip5=22209&country=US&city=Rosslyn

 

Laura Hoch

Senior Manager, Advocacy

External: (860) 913-2550

Cell: (845) 389-6508

Internal: 52521

Join the MS Activist Network today!

Buffalo Bill Cody!

 On January 10,1917, Buffalo Bill Cody died. He was baptized in the Catholic Church at the Denver Cathedral the day before his death. He received a full Masonic funeral held at the Elks Lodge Hall in Denver. Upon hearing the news of his death thousands across the world sent their condolences including Kaiser Wilhelm II and President Woodrow Wilson.

This cartoon published in the “Boston Evening Record” embodies what many felt on that day.

Buffalo Bill Cody’s early life was shaped in Kansas. At a young age he moved along with his family to the new Kansas Territory in the lead up to the Civil War. His father, Isaac Cody was a Canadian born abolitionist and was involved in local politics where he gave speeches denouncing slavery and pushing for Kansas free statehood. During one speech he was stabbed by a pro-slavery Missourian. Isaac survived but never fully recovered from his injuries. After his father’s death in 1857, William Cody joined the pony express and later joined the Civil War fighting with the Seventh Kansas Volunteer Cavalry. In 1867, Cody moved to western Kansas and settled near Fort Hays where he hunted buffalo for the railroad. He co-founded the defunct town of Rome near present day, Hays, KS. It was during this period that William Cody got his famous nickname, “Buffalo Bill Cody”.

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Kansas's Rising Property Rates!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 KANSAS CITIES, COUNTIES DECEPTIVELY CLAIM TO HOLD THE LINE ON RAISING PROPERTY TAXES

 Kansas Policy Institute urges lawmakers to revisit transparency legislation vetoed by Governor Kelly last year FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Jan. 8 - In its 2021 budget report, Douglas County says, "Acknowledging that COVID-19 has had a significant economic impact for many, the mill levy remains flat…." But a 4.8% property tax hike in this year's budget is not mentioned. “Taxpayers deserve better. Douglas County points out their mill levy remains flat. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t raising property taxes. This is the epitome of the Kansas property tax honesty gap. Local officials speak only of mill rate changes but ignore the backdoor increase from valuation changes on property,” Says Dave Trabert, CEO of Kansas Policy Institute. The Johnson County budget book touts a 1.7% reduction in the mill rate, but there's a 4.3% property tax increase within in the 445-page document. Kansas Policy Institute calls this disparity the property tax honesty gap. “This is a 6% honesty gap. Elected officials are pretending taxes are going down 1.7% when it's really a 4.3% increase. And these are not isolated incidents,” Trabert says. 

Local officials all across Kansas are telling voters they are 'holding the line' on property taxes. But KPI’s analysis of 50 of the largest cities and counties show an average property tax increase of almost 4% coming this year. Which is four times the inflation rate. “Kansans are struggling to make ends meet more than ever right now. We need local elected officials to commit to transparency.” 

The adjacent table lists the most egregious examples, starting with the city of Overland Park at 8.8%. The city of Lenexa is a close second, at 8.3%. Six other local units are imposing more than a 5% increase, including Prairie Village (6%), Leavenworth County (6.4%), Miami County (5.9%), Pittsburg and Wichita (5.4%), and Olathe (5.1%) Truth in Taxation legislation closes the honesty gap Last year, the Kansas Legislature overwhelmingly passed Truth in Taxation legislation to close the honesty gap. 

But city and county officials opposed it, so Governor Kelly saved them from having to be honest and vetoed the bill on the last day of the session, with no opportunity to override. Utah and Tennessee have had Truth in Taxation laws in effect for more than three decades, which have proven to keep taxes lower. For example, Utah's effective property tax rate dropped by 7.5% between 2000 and 2018, while the tax rate increased by 22% in Kansas. Under the Kansas bill, local elected officials must vote on the entire property tax increase they impose, regardless of whether the increase results from valuation changes or mill rate changes. Each year, mill rates would be automatically reduced to a 'revenue-neutral' level that produces the same property tax revenue to each city and county as they collected the year before. “If they want to raise the revenue-neutral mill rate, they must notify taxpayers of their intent and hold public Truth in Taxation hearings to accept taxpayer input. Afterward, they must vote on the entire tax increase they decide to impose. This is one of the most important issues Kansans are facing right now. They want to be heard. Our legislatures and Governor need to listen,” 

Trabert says. Kanas Policy Institute is calling for the Legislature to take the Truth in Taxation legislation up again this year and put it on Governor Kelly's desk early in the session with plenty of time to override her inevitable veto

#ms @MS @Advocate

Talking vs Walking

I can't count the number of Facebook posts I have gotten involving support for family members and friends struggling with cancer, diabetes, or any of a number of auto-immune conditions and diseases. That is okay! It proves you are thinking about them! But the only person that really gets anything out of the "feel-good" post is the author!