Kansas governor announces ed cut, budget changes

Last Update: 7/02 9:19 pm

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TOPEKA, Kansas – Another round of cuts came from Topeka Thursday as the state looks to close a $160 million budget gap. This time schools are taking the hardest hit.

The governor says the recession is crippling the Kansas economy. Projected revenue is off tens of millions of dollars as consumers spend less and the state collects less in taxes. In an effort to save money, schools will be cut again.

Governor Mark Parkinson announced two percent cuts to several state agencies, including higher education and K through 12, where they’ll make up the most money. In all, the state has to come up with $160 million in cuts or savings. About $70 million of that will come from delaying spending, including holding off on $30 million for transportation maintenance projects.

That still leaves $90 million that has to be cut and about half of that comes from education. The Department of Education will be cut by two percent, saving $39 million and the Regents System also gets a two percent cut, saving another $15 million. There are also two percent cuts to many other departments, including Aging, Health and Environment, Labor, Tax Appeals and the Human Rights Commission.

“We understand the pain that is out there,” Governor Parkinson said. “I continue steadfast in my opinion that I am 100 percent sure that we'll come out of this recession and when we come out of it we'll be better and stronger than we were before.”

There will be no further cuts to aid for the disabled or corrections and the plan restores funding to the court system, eliminating the need for temporary court closures. But the governor says if Kansas doesn’t pull out of the recession soon, everything will be on the table if the state needs to cut the spending plan again.

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