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Despite the fact
that the budget has been dramatically cut six times in the last 18
months, the majority party continues to assert that Kansas has a
spending problem, not a revenue problem. Ten weeks into the
legislative session, House Republican leadership finally offered a
FY 2011 budget proposal. They have rejected any change in tax
policy as a means of filling a projected $400+ million budget
gap. This means they must fill the hole with $400+ million in
additional cuts.
For months, the
public has called on these legislators to make public what they
feel can afford to go on the chopping block. The House GOP
unveiled their proposal on Thursday, which cuts approximately $361
million from essential state services, in addition to $200 million
in cuts to Kansas public school districts. Here are some key
components of the proposal:
- $200
million in cuts to Kansas public education;
- $5-7
million in cuts for mental health programs impacting 90,000
Kansans who need mental health assistance;
- A
5% across the board salary cut to all state employees (there
is also a proposal to begin closing state offices at 3:00 p.m.
on Fridays, which is essentially a 12-day furlough);
- $37.9
million freeze on KPERS employer contributions;
- 1%
cut in all state agency budgets, resulting in more layoffs and
service cuts;
- Increased
premiums for children's health insurance.
Of course this is
a difficult year and tough choices are inevitable. However,
just two days before announcing this proposal, House Republican
leadership attempted to push through over $350 million in corporate
tax breaks. I don't believe that is in the best interest of
Kansas families and communities. These cuts will cost much
more in long-term damage than they will ever save in FY 2011.
In the past, we have always worked through the budget process in a
bipartisan manner. The full Appropriations committee would
thoroughly review subcommittee recommendations and engage in
extensive debate from both sides of the aisle. That certainly
has not been the procedure for the last two years. After 67
days with no proposal from the majority party, this plan was passed
out of committee on a straight party line vote, after about an hour
of discussion.
While I am deeply concerned about the proposed cuts, the budget
debate is just getting started. This proposal will go to the
House floor for full consideration early next week, at which point
we will have opportunities to add amendments. The bill could
also be voted down altogether and sent back to the drawing
board. Whatever passes must be reconciled with the Senate budget
bill and signed by the Governor. We will then reconvene in
late April- after the most recent revenue estimates are announced-
to make more adjustments through the Omnibus Budget. We have a long
way to go.
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Tax Debate Tuesday
Early last week,
a number of different tax proposals went to the floor for
consideration. The debate began with House Bill 2549, a bill
that sought to raise taxes by removing exemptions to the state
sales tax. The legislation was eventually gutted after passing
several amendments that changed the initial intent of the
bill.
Before taking a final vote, a motion was made to table the bill
until May 3rd, when the Legislature reconvenes for Veto
Session. At that time, new revenue estimates will provide a
better picture of the budget gap and allow for a more accurate
assessment as to what revenues will be needed. The
motion passed 64-57.
Majority leadership argued that the debate on taxes was necessary
to examine whether there was enough support to pass a tax increase.
This argument is less than sincere. These revenue bills were
brought to the floor before any FY 2011 budget proposals had been
advanced out of the House Appropriations Committee. It has
never been the tradition of the Legislature to consider revenue proposals
before a budget bill is presented, or before April estimates
confirm what revenues will be needed. It is both
irresponsible and unfair to ask taxpayers to blindly throw extra
money into a pot, which is why I supported the motion to table the
bill. The entire debate was a game of political hot potato,
not a genuine dialogue about tax policy.
Throughout the course of Tuesday's debate, many House Republicans
voted to double the state deficit by attempting to push through
over $350 million in tax breaks for wealthy citizens and
corporations. This debate was clearly not about filling the
budget gap.
I have said all along that compromise will be the key to balancing
the budget. We certainly can't tax our way out of this
financial crisis, but too many Kansans depend on public services
for us to cut our way out either. The deficit can only be
eliminated with a healthy balance of what the state needs to
survive this difficult time, what we can afford in the current
economic climate, and what Kansas communities are willing to invest
in their future. "Healthy balance" was nowhere
present in the House of Representatives last week. When
Republican Leadership is ready to engage in that discussion, I will
be there to protect the best interests of you, your family, and our
community.
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State Employees Share Concerns with Legislators
More than 250 members of the Kansas Organization of State Employees
(KOSE) came to the Statehouse on Wednesday to visit with
legislators. Since state employees receive their paychecks directly
from the State of Kansas, their jobs, wages, and retirement are
directly linked to what happens in the Capitol.
It is important to remember that "Kansas government" is
not a conglomeration of faceless agencies, organizations, and
bureaucrats. State employees work in every county of
Kansas. They work in agencies that keep our state running
efficiently. They include social workers, psychologists,
mental health techs, correctional officers, transportation workers
and investigators, to name a few. They earn much less than their
counterparts in the private sector. Their work keeps you safe
and provides the basic services that you depend on every day.
Unlike the private sector, demand skyrockets in the public sector
when times are tough. Unfortunately, Kansas is near the
bottom in state employee wages. In 2007, research found that 1 in
every 3 state employees was paid more than 25% below market. Their
paychecks have remained stagnant for several years as the cost of
living has significantly increased. The Legislature made a
promise to these 40,000 workers that we would make market
adjustments to their salaries over a five-year period. The
current budget proposal breaks that promise by suspending $6.4
million in state employee longevity payments. Additionally,
$37.9 million in KPERS employer contributions have been frozen,
which dramatically affects the long-term stability of the fund for
future retirees. All of this coupled with an additional 1 percent
across-the-board cut to state agencies results in even lower pay,
furloughs and layoffs for state workers. This leads to subpar
public services and lower quality Kansas communities.
All of this is yet another example of long-term, trickle-down
effects of irresponsible budget slashing. There is a
difference between cutting government waste and cutting government
jobs. Kansas taxpayers cannot receive their money's worth if
quality state employees are not kept on the payroll to answer the
public's call.
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Over 300 Mental Health Advocates Warn Against Further Cuts
On Thursday,
approximately 300 people arrived in Topeka for the Kansas Mental
Health Coalition's Mental Health Advocacy Day. The group is an
umbrella coalition of more than 30 organizations that represent
consumers of mental health services, their families, community
mental health centers, individual providers of mental health
services, advocacy organizations, and child welfare providers.
The coalition advocates for public services for the uninsured and
underinsured, psychiatric inpatient needs, geriatric mental health,
and other issues that impact Kansans with mental illness.
Many of these organizations operate under a state mandate to serve
everyone who walks through their doors, regardless of a patient's
inability to pay. As a result, they heavily rely upon
Medicaid funding to provide the treatment and care of Kansans in
need. They have been deeply impacted by the 10 percent
Medicaid cut imposed by the Governor in November. The
coalition specifically lobbied for the restoration of that funding
in FY 2011.
It is in the best, long-term interest of the state to care for
Kansans with mental illness. Without treatment, many will end
up in contact with law enforcement, hospital emergency rooms, or
state psychiatric hospitals. All of those alternatives cost
the state much more than the cost of services that these
organizations provide.
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Public School Children and Teachers Rally for Education Funding
Approximately 1,000 teachers, students and parents from across the
state- as far away as Colby- took advantage of Spring Break last
Tuesday by marching to the Capitol to protest further cuts to
public schools. Gov. Mark Parkinson and other state officials
were present. They encouraged the education community to keep
pushing lawmakers to protect public as they work through the FY
2011 budget.
Education funding has been slashed by at least $300 million (about
10 percent) over the last year. This is even after Kansas
received hundreds of millions of dollars from the federal
government for education funding in the 2009 stimulus bill. As a
result, teachers are being laid off, classes and extracurricular
programs are being eliminated, class sizes are going up, and
schools are closing.
Regardless of the economic climate, the Legislature has a
constitutional obligation to fund quality public schools.
Deeper cuts to education this year would be devastating to local
districts (as well as local economies) and terribly short-sighted
for the future of Kansas. Children only get one shot at K-12
education. It will take years to recover from the damage
schools have already endured as a result of funding
shortages. More cuts will do an enormous disservice to an
entire generation of Kansans. Those Kansans will be taking
charge of this state right about the time that many of us will
retire and depend on their leadership. Furthermore, no
matter what type of tax breaks we offer businesses, how can we grow
the economy of Kansas if we are unable to provide a highly trained
and educated workforce?
Public education is not an "expense." It is one of
the most critical investments we make in ourselves, our families,
and our communities. Every single Kansas citizen benefits from a
strong public school system.
The day that these public school students visited the Capitol,
House Republican leadership attempted to push through over $350
million more in tax breaks for wealthy citizens and corporations.
Two days after the rally, those same legislators unveiled a budget
proposal that cuts public schools by an additional $200
million.
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Chris Biggs Appointed Kansas Secretary of State
Citing his experience, professionalism and dedication, Governor
Mark Parkinson today named Chris Biggs as Kansas' Secretary of
State.
"Chris has been in public service for more than twenty years,
demonstrating an unwavering commitment to our state, our citizens
and our future," Parkinson said. "Chris will bring his
forward-looking vision to the Office of Secretary of State while
increasing the efficiency and participation in Kansas'
elections."
Biggs currently serves as the state's Securities Commissioner,
where he most recently, and successfully, prosecuted the
founder of a bankrupt theme park in Wichita which had defrauded
investors of millions of dollars.
"Protecting the integrity of our state's securities has been
my mission for the past eight years. I bring that same experience
and resolve to protecting the integrity of our state's business
filings and electoral system. I am honored, and truly humbled, to
be selected for this new post," said Secretary Biggs.
Prior to being named Kansas' Security Commissioner in 2003, Biggs
had served as an attorney in public service, including 14 years as
Geary County Attorney. Biggs is a graduate of Kansas State
University and KU Law School.
Biggs currently lives in rural Geary County.
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Keep in Touch
It is a great honor to serve as your state representative. I
deeply value and need your input on the various issues facing state
government. Again, I am here to serve and represent you, and
communication between us is vital. Please feel free to
contact me with any comments and questions. My office address
is Room L-8, Docking State Office Building, Topeka, KS 66612.
You can reach me at (785) 296-7665 or call the legislative hotline
at 1-800-432-3924 to leave a message for me. Additionally,
you can e-mail me at mike@mikeslattery.org.
You can also follow the legislative session online at www.kslegislature.org.
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Paid for By
Slattery for
Kansas House
Aaron Otto
Treasurer
PO Box 1171
Mission KS 66222 |
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