We’ve been here in the statehouse since 8:30 this morning and we’re approaching dinner time now. And we have nearly nothing to report.
There had been hopes that this would be the last day of the session but that is looking less likely as the minutes roll by.
The budget committee has been meeting on and off all day and much of the debate in there has been over education.
First, they are adjusting the cuts to universities such that KU and KSU will get larger cuts; PSU and ESU get smaller cuts and WSU stays about the same. This issue was pressed by Senator LaTurner (R-Pittsburg), a strong supporter of the Governor’s tax plans that have moved the state to near-bankruptcy and caused several highway projects in his district to be delayed or cancelled. LaTurner has sent a letter to the Governor begging him to let the transportation projects in his district go forward. LaTurner is also the brains behind a bill capping the ability of local units of government to raise tax dollars that could be used to offset state losses. His avid support of Brownback is costing his district plenty and he faces a strong challenge in his re-election bid this fall. So far he has only managed to get PSU’s cut down to about $750,000 instead of $1 million.
The next debate on the bill is over K-12 education. House members want to “put a fence” around K-12 funding, prohibiting the Governor from cutting K-12 funding going forward. Senate negotiators don’t want to protect K-12. At this time it looks as if the report will go to the House floor with the K-12 protection.
Of course, the bill also contains the delay in KPERS payments as well as the delay in paying KPERS back. The state would be off the hook for the delayed KPERS payments until 2018. The bill contains a provision that calls for KPERS to be given any money that comes in above the revenue estimates. Since the estimates have not been hit 11 of the last 12 months, it is unlikely that KPERS will get any payments any time soon.
The Senate is now out until 8:00 pm at which time they will consider some conference committee reports but not the budget report. That has to go through the House first. The House is not expected to have the budget report ready until around 11:00 pm.
A budget debate could take them past midnight and going past midnight requires a special vote. Additionally, there is some thought that the budget might not have the votes to pass.
All of this means that ending the session tonight is looking more challenging. We anticipate being back tomorrow or maybe moving into next week.
