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A creative passion for music
O’Hara is much more than a Kansas legislator and public policy advocate.
She’s also a talented composer and recording artist.
She grew up with music. Her dad was the song leader in their little country church and her grandparents played for local dances when they were young. Her grandfather continued to play the harmonica all of his life.
“That inspiration from my grandfather is why I always have a harmonica in at least one of my songs on each album,” she said. “I’ve played piano since I was very young and picked up the guitar in my late 20’s, was in a local rock and roll band for a few years (The Door to Door Band) and then for 20 years pretty well just coasted with my music.”
Five years ago she decided to improve her piano skills and took lessons from Denny Osburn, a very talented local keyboard player. After about a year, she started writing music and hasn’t stopped. To date she has written approximately 70 songs, completed 2 CDs (the first was a double album), and is working on her 3rd with five songs written for her 4th.
“Obviously, music is my passion and I’m having a ball!” she noted.
More on her music
Note: Sunflower background photo was taken near 175th and Quivira Road in Overland Park. (Photo by Jim Sullinger Strategies)
Boeing’s financial report shows strong bottom line
Jan. 27, 2012
The Boeing Company has announced that fourth-quarter net income rose to $1.4 billion, or $1.84 per share, on revenue of $19.6 billion.
Company officials said the earnings report reflected “continued strong core performance across the company's businesses…”
Jim McNerney, Boeing chairman, cited major accomplishments during the year, which included certifying and delivering the first 787s and 747-8s, winning the U.S. Air Force Tanker program, launching the 737 MAX, and securing both an important U.S. missile defense contract and a key agreement for F-15s to Saudi Arabia."
What wasn’t mentioned was Boeing’s decision to close its aircraft manufacturing plant in Wichita.
“Isn't this interesting,” said Kansas Rep. Charlotte O’Hara, an Overland Park Republican. “Boeing announced just this past month that they will discontinue production and leave Kansas and, yet, reported yesterday fourth-quarter results above estimates? In the announcement of leaving Kansas, Boeing spoke of some of those jobs moving to Oklahoma. So, combined with the good earnings report, one has to reflect on what drove Boeing to choose to abandon its long term commitment to Kansas.”
O'Hara believes a contributing factor was Kansas tax policy, which puts “us in the unenviable position of having the highest personal income tax in the region.” She said this onerous tax policy continues to jeopardize economic growth, which in turn dampens the prospects for job growth.
“Political leaders in Kansas must find the courage to truly tackle tax reform with the implementation of the Fair Tax and stop taxing capital with personal and corporate income taxes,” she said.
She said the $2.9 billion now being collected from income tax (personal and corporate) is dwarfed by the $5.8 billion in sales tax exemptions currently in the state’s tax code.
“So, every dollar paid in income tax in the State of Kansas goes to pay for someone's tax break,” she added.
State officials challenge EPA rule on feed lots
Topeka | Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback and Attorney General Derek Schmidt are urging the Environmental Protection Agency to scrap a proposed regulation on Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations.
They said the rule would place an undue burden on Kansas livestock producers.
The proposed rule would require all CAFOs to report to the EPA, regardless of size and permit status. Kansas already maintains a comprehensive database and permitting process for animal feeding operations in the state.
Rep. Charlotte O’Hara, an Overland Park Republican, said the proposed rule was another example of federal government overreach.
“By Kansas taking federal funds, we have become, unwittingly, the regulatory provider for the federal government,” she said. “So, yes, I oppose these new EPA rules, but since Kansas has been enforcing EPA rules for years (under the guise, if we don't the feds will), it now makes it difficult to protect private enterprise (in this case feed lots) here in Kansas.”
She urged the Brownback Administration to begin weaning Kansas away from federal funds “so that we (Kansas) will become a strong 10th Amendment voice, which will demand the federal government to stay within its prescribed duties and powers under both the U.S. Constitution and the Kansas Constitution.”
House GOP rolls out a new version of tax reform
Jan. 21, 2012
TOPEKA | The Republican leadership in the Kansas House has crafted a tax plan that is at odds with the proposal made earlier this month by Gov. Sam Brownback.
The Republican governor proposed an end to the tax deduction for home mortgage interest. That wasn’t in the plan rolled out this week by the House GOP.
Brownback would have kept the sales tax increase adopted by the 2010 Legislature. The House leadership, on the other hand, would keep the sunset of the sales tax increase of .6 tenths of 1 percent to the original limit of 5.7 percent.
Rep. Charlotte O’Hara, an Overland Park Republican, characterized the House leadership plan as “simply nibbling around the edges” and called for implementation of the Fair Tax in Kansas, a bolder tax reform initiative. Read entire story…
Session begins on the RIGHT note
January, 2012
Well, we are in the second week of the 2012 Legislative Session and have heard Governor Brownback’s State of the State address laying out his budget and agenda for this session.
On the budget front, Governor Brownback has proposed a modest decrease of .6% (approximately $39 million) for the 2013 State General Fund beginning July 1. Our 2012 budget increased 7% ($400 million) over the 2011 budget. The 2013 cut is minimal, but the good news is we’re heading in the RIGHT direction!
Read entire column…
Reflections on the upcoming 2012 Kansas Legislature
As the Christmas season rolls around I start thinking about the next legislative session and challenges we face as a state. Here is a quick rundown on last session and an update on the issues we are facing next session, including school finance, budget, KPERS, Medicaid and redistricting.
Read entire column…
Mo-Kan border war: The real loser?
Well, the border war is alive and well between Kansas and Missouri.
The latest prize: Kansas has captured is AMC and its 400 employees. What a boost to the Kansas economy_ 400 new jobs! Except, wait, those 400 jobs were only 12 miles down the road.
So, there probably won’t be a mass migration of families moving over to Kansas. And how many of them already lived on the Kansas side? And the price tag? $47 million in tax breaks and incentives. Not bad, not bad at all!
Read entire column
Are energy incentives worth the loss of tax dollars?
Kansas Gov. Brownback’s administration hosted the Governor’s Economic Summit on Energy October 4th at the Hyatt Regency in Wichita. The summit was the eighth in a series of summits the governor’s administration is holding that focuses on growing the Kansas economy and creating jobs.
I applaud the governor’s energy summit. However, with the recent events and controversy swirling around the issue of renewable/green energy initiatives at the federal level (Solyndra), we in Kansas need to step back and analyze whether our current tax incentive packages for green energy is based on sound economic principles or rather an attempt to embrace “green” energy for politically correct reasons.
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Brownback decision to return Obamacare dollars applauded
Wow, what an amazing turn of events that has occurred since my first newsletter, “Let The Madness Begin” on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) in Kansas.
First of all, I applaud Governor Brownback’s courageous decision to send the $31.5 million Early Innovator Grant back to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. His determination that he had been ill advised in his acceptance of the grant in February shows that he is willing to listen to the good folks in Kansas. And yes, it appears that the grassroots in Kansas is alive and well!
Read entire column