Where we stand on Topeka's homelessness guidance, public defender raises and more

It’s been a busy start to the summer in Topeka. Several stories deserve attention. Let’s dive in.

A plan for homelessness in the Topeka area

A city of Topeka taskforce has outlined a plan to tackle its homelessness crisis. A report presented to the Topeka City Council calls for the city and its partners create a low-barrier homeless shelter, a tiny homes village and a resource center, or "one-stop shop," where people who are homeless could access various services.

Additionally, a timeline with actionable items starts in June and extends to 2027 to set the ideas in motion. We’re excited to finally see some forward movement on this front. After the start-and-stop-and-restart of a committee created to work with a homelessness adviser, the report is finally out.

Not all of us will agree with every recommendation, but we urge local leaders to quickly come to a consensus and move forward. The timeline already seems far in the future, but it will be here before we know. Let’s work toward a solid plan that resolves this crisis.

United Kansas gets registered political party status

United Kansas met the requirements to become a registered political party in the state, one of only three minor political parties active in the state. Unfortunately, we like the idea of this more than the reality. Third parties only work for narrow issues. Perhaps this might work on a local level where cities and counties can put aside national politics and focus on infrastructure, and other local issues? That remains to be seen.

At the state level, we’d rather see Republicans and Democrats come together and work for Kansans.

Give public defenders a much-needed raise

Public Board of Indigent Defense Services didn't get the $11 million it requested from the state of Kansas to help it hire new employees and retain current staff. This is disheartening to the many Kansans who rely on public defenders. We need to do better. Everyone is entitled to a fair and speedy trial. Without an adequate defense, is it really a fair trial?

Clarence Thomas comments on Brown v. Board of Education

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas last week criticized a piece of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decisions that made racial segregation in schools illegal. This one hits close to home and a week after the 70th anniversary of the decision. Justice Thomas, your comments are deeply concerning as you are in a position of power and could overturn such a ruling.

What did you hope to accomplish by making this statement? We hope this isn’t a backdoor attempt to test the waters on such an action.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Where we stand on Topeka's homelessness report, public defender raises