State’s fiscal mire deepened; need new lawmakers
The state’s fiscal mire deepened Wednesday, as May revenues fell a stunning $74.5 million short of month-old projections. But at least the last-minute flurry of legislative retirements and candidate filings kindled hope that next year’s Legislature will be a significant improvement over this year’s.
The shortfall means there are fewer dollars to fund the 2017 budget, which only balanced as it was because Gov. Sam Brownback just cut Medicaid reimbursements, universities and other spending by $97 million.
It also means there is no sure source of the $40 million or more it could take to comply with the Kansas Supreme Court’s Friday order that K-12 school funding be equalized among poor and rich districts. And “without a constitutionally equitable school finance system,” the court said again Friday, “the schools in Kansas will be unable to operate beyond June 30.”
The failure to even take up the court’s decision during the Legislature’s ceremonial “sine die” session Wednesday made for a display of regrettable priorities, as senators did see fit to debate and pass a resolution blasting the Obama administration’s admittedly meddling directive on transgender students’ restroom use. As Kansas State Board of Education member Janet Waugh tweeted sarcastically: “School bathrooms (which are handled professionally and privately by districts) are more important than opening schools.”
The successful override of Brownback’s confounding veto of a tax-appeal bill seemed more worthy of legislators’ time.
Significant turnover was expected going into Wednesday’s candidate filing deadline, with exiting incumbents including Wichita Republican Sens. Les Donovan and Michael O’Donnell; Senate Vice President Jeff King, R-Independence; and Wichita Republican Reps. Mark Hutton, Mark Kahrs, Dennis Hedke and Gene Suellentrop (the last to run for Senate). By the deadline, those leaving also included House Speaker Ray Merrick, R-Stilwell; Rep. Mario Goico, R-Wichita; Rep. Roderick Houston, D-Wichita; and Sen. Steve Abrams, R-Arkansas City.
In the end, eight of the 32 Senate Republicans opted to retire. Kansas Democrats, who hold so few seats that they do more nay-saying than lawmaking, are fielding candidates in all 40 Senate districts.
There are 23 candidates for eight contested Senate seats in Sedgwick County, where 42 are running for 18 contested House spots. Voters statewide should have a lot of viable candidates to choose from.
Kansans can boost the supply of fiscally responsible lawmakers at the Statehouse – but only if they consider their choices thoughtfully in the coming days, and then follow through by voting on Aug. 2 and Nov. 8.
This story was originally published June 2, 2016 at 12:07 AM with the headline "State’s fiscal mire deepened; need new lawmakers."