EXPANDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL
Unemployment Down to 3.4%: The unemployment rate in Kansas has declined from 4.7% to 3.4% since 1993. 220,100 New Jobs: 220,100 new jobs have been created in Kansas since 1993 -- an average of 34,753 per year, compared to an average of just 16,675 jobs per year in the previous administration. 200,900 New Private Sector Jobs: Since 1993, 200,900 new private sector jobs have been created-an average of 31,721 jobs per year, compared to an average of just 12,075 private sector jobs per year in the previous administration. 28,900 New Manufacturing Jobs: 28,900 manufacturing jobs have been created in Kansas since 1993 -- an average of 4,563 jobs per year. In contrast, an average of 50 manufacturing jobs were lost each year during the previous administration. 22,100 New Construction Jobs: Since 1993, 22,100 new construction jobs have been created-an average of 3,489 jobs per year, compared to an average of just 650 construction jobs per year during the previous administration. 141,000 Have Received a Raise: Approximately 65,000 Kansas workers benefited from an increase in the minimum wage-from $4.25 to $4.75 -- on October 1, 1996. They, along with about 76,000 more received an additional raise-from $4.75 to $5.15 -- on September 1, 1997. Home Ownership Has Increased in Kansas: Home Ownership in Kansas has increased from 63.1% to 68.1% since the fourth quarter of 1993. Home Building Up 7.1%: Home building has increased by an average of 7.1% per year since 1993, after increasing only 0.3% per year during the previous administration. Poverty Has Fallen: Nationally, the poverty rate has fallen from 15.1% in 1993 to 13.3% in 1997. In Kansas, the poverty rate has fallen from 13.1% in 1993 to 9.7% in 1997--down 3.4% under President Clinton. [1996 data] A $500 Child Tax Credit to Help Families Raising Children: To help make it easier for families to raise their children, the balanced budget included a $500 per-child tax credit for children under 17. Thanks to President Clinton, the balanced budget delivers a child tax credit to 291,000 families in Kansas. Over $25,000 of Reduced Federal Debt for Every Family of Four: The national debt will be $1.7 trillion lower in FY99 than projected in 1993 -- that's $25,000 less debt for each family of four in Kansas this year. EXPANDING ACCESS TO EDUCATION
Over 7,000 Children in Head Start: Over 7,000 Kansas children were enrolled in Head Start in 1998. In FY99, Kansas will receive $33.1 million in Head Start funding, an increase of $15.2 million over 1993. More High-Quality Teachers With Smaller Classes for Alabama' Schools: Thanks to President Clinton, the final FY99 budget provides for the first year of the President's new initiative to hire 100,000 new, well-prepared teachers, to reduce class sizes in the early grades to a national average of 18. Kansas receives $9.6 million in 1999 to hire about 246 new public school teachers. And, under President Clinton's proposal, Kansas would receive $11 million in FY2000 to support a total of 301 teachers. $3.9 Million in Goals 2000 Funding: This year [FY99], Kansas receives $3.9 million in Goals 2000 funding. This money is used to raise academic achievement by raising academic standards, increasing parental and community involvement in education, expanding the use of computers and technology in classrooms, and supporting high-quality teacher professional development. Over $3 Million for Technology Literacy: This year [FY99], Kansas receives over $3 million for the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund which helps communities and the private sector ensure that every student is equipped with the computer literacy skills needed for the 21st century. $56.6 Million for Students Most in Need: Kansas receives $56.6 million in Title I Grants (to Local Education Agencies) providing extra help in the basics for students most in need, particularly communities and schools with high concentrations of children in low-income families [FY99]. This is an increase of $1.8 million over FY98 funding. $77 Million in Pell Grants: This year [FY99], Kansas will receive $77 million in Pell Grants for low-income students going to college, an additional $3.6 million over last year. With this increase, a total of 41,900 Kansas students will benefit. Expanded Work-Study To Help More Students Work Their Way Through College: The FY99 budget includes a significant expansion of the Federal Work Study program. Kansas will receive $8.1 million in Work-Study funding in 1999 to help Kansas students work their way through college. Over 1,000 Have Served in Kansas through AmeriCorps: Since the National Service program began in 1993, 1,070 AmeriCorps participants have earned money for college while working in Kansas' schools, hospitals, neighborhoods or parks. [through 11/98] Tuition Tax Credits in Balanced Budget Open the Doors of College and Promote Lifelong Learning: The balanced budget included both President Clinton's $1,500 HOPE Scholarship to help make the first two years of college as universal as a high school diploma and a Lifetime Learning Tax Credit for college juniors, seniors, graduate students and working Americans pursuing lifelong learning to upgrade their skills. This 20% tax credit will be applied to the first $5,000 of tuition and fees through 2002 and to the first $10,000 thereafter. 80,000 students in Kansas will receive a HOPE Scholarship tax credit of up to $1,500. 97,000 students in Kansas will receive the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit. [fully phased-in FY2000 estimate] Expanded Job Training to Kansas' Dislocated Workers: Thanks to President Clinton, the FY99 budget includes a significant expansion in the dislocated worker program. Kansas will receive $5.3 million in 1999 to help 3,110 of Kansas' dislocated workers get the training and reemployment services they need to return to work as quickly as possible. FIGHTING CRIME AND VIOLENCE
Crime Falls 12% in Kansas: Since 1992, serious crime in Kansas has fallen 12%. Violent crime and property crime have also declined 18% and 11% respectively. Between 1992 and 1997 in Wichita, serious crime, as indicated by the crime index, has declined 10%, with a 34% drop in robbery. [1992 and 1997 Uniform Crime Reports] 715 More Police: The President's 1994 Crime Bill has funded 715 new police officers to date in communities across Kansas. [through 7/99] $2 Million to Combat Domestic Violence: Through the Violence Against Women Act, Kansas received $2 million in federal funds in FY98 to establish more women's shelters and bolster law enforcement, prosecution and victims' services. Reducing Crime with Drug Courts: Working to reduce drug-related crime in Kansas, the Clinton Administration has awarded a Drug Court grant to the community of Wichita. Drug courts use the coercive power of the criminal justice system to combine drug testing, sanctions, supervision and treatment to push nonviolent, drug-abusing offenders to stop using drugs and committing crimes. $550,000 in Grants for Battered Women and Children: This year [FY98], Kansas received $550,000 in HHS's Family Violence Prevention Program grants to assist women and children fleeing domestic abuse, an additional $95,100 increase over FY97. $3.6 Million to Keep Drugs & Violence Out of Kansas' Schools: Kansas has received $3.6 million in FY99 for the Safe & Drug Free Schools Program, which invests in school security and drug prevention programs. MOVING KANSAS RESIDENTS FROM WELFARE TO WORK
55,089 Fewer People on Welfare: There are 55,089 fewer people on welfare in Kansas now than there were at the beginning of 1993 -- a 63% decrease. [through 12/98] Child Support Collections Up 85%: Child support collections have increased by $56 million-or 85% -- in Kansas since FY92. [through FY98] Breaking the Cycle of Dependency-Preventing Teen Pregnancy in Kansas: Since 1993, President Clinton and Vice President Gore have supported innovative and promising teen pregnancy prevention strategies, with significant components of the strategy becoming law in the 1996 Personal Responsibility Act. The law requires unmarried minor parents to stay in school and live at home or in a supervised setting; encourages "second chance homes" to provide teen parents with the skills and support they need; and provides $50 million a year in new funding for state abstinence education activities. Efforts are making a difference, adolescent pregnancy rates and teen abortion rates are declining. And between 1992 and 1997, teen birth rates declined 13% in Kansas. $12.0 Million for Kansas Welfare-to-Work: In 1998, Kansas received $6.7 million in Federal welfare-to-work state formula grants (the state matched $3.3 million in funding), helping Kansas welfare recipients get and keep jobs. In addition, $2.0 million in competitive grants were awarded to Kansas localities to support innovative welfare-to-work strategies. Part of the President's comprehensive efforts to move recipients from welfare to work, this funding was included in the $3 billion welfare to work fund in the 1997 Balanced Budget Act. INVESTING IN KANSAS'S HEALTH
Health Care for Uninsured Children: The balanced budget included the largest single investment in health care for children since the passage of Medicaid in 1965 -- an unprecedented $24 billion over five years to cover as many as five million children throughout the nation. This investment guarantees the full range of benefits-from checkups to surgery -- that children need to grow up strong and healthy. It ensures that prescription drugs, vision, hearing, and mental health coverage now offered at the state level are extended to millions of uninsured children. To expand health coverage to more uninsured children in Kansas the balanced budget provided $31 million in 1998. This compares to the 1995 Republican plan vetoed by President Clinton that would have denied health coverage to 6,000 children in Kansas. Helping Nearly 53,000 Kansas Women and Children with WIC: The Clinton Administration is committed to full funding in the Special Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). In FY98, Kansas received $27.4 million in total WIC grant funding, helping 52,900 women, infants and children in need receive health and food assistance. More Toddlers Are Being Immunized: As a result of the President's 1993 Childhood Immunization Initiative, childhood immunization rates have reached an historic high. According to the CDC,by 1996, 90% or more of America's toddlers received the most critical doses of each of the routinely recommended vaccines-surpassing the President's 1993 goal. In Kansas in 1997, 96% of two-year olds received the vaccines for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis; 93% received the vaccine for polio; 93% received the vaccine for measles, and 94% received the vaccine for Haemophilus influenzae B, the bacteria causing a form of meningitis. Increased Funding for Ryan White by $7.6 Million: Between 1993 and 1998, Kansas communities received $7.6 million in Ryan White formula and other HIV/AIDS program funds. This funding provides people living with HIV and AIDS medical and support services, including the AIDS Drug Assistance Program which helps those without insurance obtain much needed prescription drugs. [HHS, Health Resources and Services Administration, 12/98] Tobacco Plan Will Cut Smoking and Premature Deaths by 44% in Kansas: The Clinton Administration's tobacco proposal, combined with the recently enacted state tobacco settlements, will cut youth smoking and resulting premature deaths 44% in Kansas by 2004. Between 2000 and 2004, 31,300 of Kansas's youth will be kept from smoking and 10,000 will be spared a premature tobacco-related death. [Treasury Dept., 2/99] 1,250,000 Americans in Kansas Cannot Be Assured They Have Patient Protections: Even if Kansas enacted all the protections in the Patients' Bill of Rights, 1,250,000 people in Kansas cannot be assured they have the comprehensive patient protections recommended by the President's Advisory Commission. This is because the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) may preempt state-enacted protections. That is why the President has called on Congress to pass a federally enforceable patients' bill of rights so that everyone enrolled in managed care may have a basic set of protections. Notably, 600,000 Kansas women are in ERISA health plans and are therefore not necessarily protected. Women are particularly vulnerable without these protections because they are greater users of health care services, they make three-quarters of the health care decisions for their families, and they have specific health care needs addressed by a patients' bill of rights. PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT
$11.5 Million in Safe Drinking Water Funding: This year [FY99], thanks to President Clinton, Kansas will receive $10.5 million for the Drinking Water State Revolving Funds to provide low-interest loans to municipalities to build, improve, and prevent pollution of drinking water systems. In addition, Kansas will receive $1 million in Public Water Supply Supervision grants to help monitor drinking water quality and enforce health standards. Superfund Site Cleaned Up: Since 1993, the EPA has completed one toxic waste site clean-up, at a site in Holliday, Kansas [through 6/99] Revitalizing Brownfields in Kansas: As part of the Clinton-Gore Administration's efforts to clean up Brownfields, the EPA has awarded grants to Kansas City and Hutchinson for environmental clean-up and economic revitalization. This project is intended to jump-start local clean-up efforts by providing funds to return unproductive, abandoned, contaminated urban properties to productive use. SPEARHEADING URBAN RENEWAL EFFORTS
Revitalizing Kansas' Communities: The Greater Kansas City area was declared an enterprise community and awarded $3 million to create more jobs, housing, and economic opportunity for area residents. It was later declared an Enhanced Enterprise Community and was awarded an additional $25 million. In 1999, Kansas City was designated a Strategic Planning Community and Leoti was named a Rural Enterprise Community. Expanding the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Will Help Develop 1,600 To 1,900 New Affordable Housing Units in Kansas Over the Next 5 years: Last year, the President and Vice President pushed for a 40-percent expansion in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit. This year, the President and Vice President will try again to enact tax incentives to develop affordable housing. In Kansas alone, this proposal would mean an additional 1,600 - 1,900 quality rental housing units for low-income American families during the next five years. PROVIDING DISASTER RELIEF
$102 Million in Federal Emergency Assistance: Since 1993, Kansas has received $102 million in disaster relief. This includes $1.3 million for assistance in the grain elevator explosion in 1998. [FEMA, 12/98] EXPANDING FUNDS FOR TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT
Over $1.2 Billion in Federal Highway Aid: Since 1993, Kansas has received over $1.2 billion in federal highway aid. Included in this funding is $16.8 million for emergency relief in response to natural disasters and over $1 million for scenic byways. These funds have helped generate 53,767 jobs. [through FY98] Over $54 Million in Transit Funding: Since 1993, Kansas has received over $54 million in Federal Transit Funding. Over $60 Million in Aviation Funds: From FY93-FY98 Kansas received over $60 million in Airport Improvement Program funds to help build and renovate airports, and, when necessary, to provide funds for noise abatement to improve the quality of life for residents who live near airports.
Last Updated July 1999