Governor’s office moves up announcement of budget cuts

Gov. Sam Brownback’s office has moved up the announcement of $50 million in budget cuts to Thursday to allow the state to include the budget moves when it offers bonds for sale on Friday.

Budget director Shawn Sullivan will take questions on the cuts Thursday afternoon. The cuts are meant to shore up the state’s cash reserves after the Legislature passed a tax plan that’s projected to leave minimal dollars in its coffers at the end of fiscal year 2016.

Eileen Hawley, the governor’s spokeswoman, said making the announcement a day earlier will allow the state to include that information when it makes a $1 billion pension bond offering on Friday and will allow it to get a better interest rate on the bonds.

Sullivan will not be joined by Brownback when he announces the cuts. The governor has previously scheduled meetings in Wichita with business leaders, Hawley said.

The governor faced criticism Tuesday when KWCH, Channel 12, reported that he would be on vacation Friday when the cuts were scheduled to be announced.

This story was originally published July 29, 2015 at 4:37 PM with the headline "Governor’s office moves up announcement of budget cuts."