Area residents peppered legislators with questions and suggestions Saturday morning when they convened at the Lee Beran Recreation Center for the first in a series of Eggs and Issues meetings.
Consolidating counties and school districts, eliminating inefficient state government divisions, and freeing schools to manage their own budgets were among the ideas proposed by the audience as potential ways to ease the state's financial crisis.
Dan Markowitz of Olpe stood to ask several budget-related questions, including:
-- Could some ineffective programs be eliminated entirely?
-- Does Kansas have too many counties to support?
-- Is it the responsibility of schools to finance sports?
The legislators -- state Sen. Jim Barnett and state Reps. Don Hill and Peggy Mast -- said that consolidation of some school districts already has begun and more may be needed.
Hill said that Emporia State University professor Richard Schrock has done seminal work on the school district issue; Hill mentioned Reno County, with its seven school districts, as an example of an area where consolidation might be needed. Lyon County has three school districts.
Mast talked about state-financed programs that often are not evaluated for performance before their budgets come before the legislature.
"Instead, we look at the enhancements and what we can add into it," she said. "This year it's going to be different. ... I think it is time to revisit that and see what we can eliminate."
Hill said that having a biennial budget, rather than single-year, and a zero-based budget, rather than working from the previous year's allotments, could be an option.
"I'm hopeful that there will be meaningful changes," Hill said.
Barnett suggested eliminating the judicial review commission, a relatively new group that costs about $2 million and ultimately recommended not removing any of the judges reviewed.
"It was a political posturing maneuver," Barnett said, "and I think it could be done away with very easily."
One member of the audience recommended letting local people run local government. He illustrated the suggestion with a Lyon County situation currently under consideration at the state house.
"We voted that sales tax in ourselves, two to one, and now we've got to come to the legislature and say, 'Pretty please, can we do this?' You need to think about enabling legislation ... on the ways the scshools and counties do business."
Bill Barnes focused his suggestions on basic school operations.
"We need to let the school districts run themselves," Barnes said.
He touched on cutting on the inefficiencies created by fixed overhead, the need for districts to be able to access funds that currently are limited only for certain expenditures, and the need to "stop the use it or lose it mentality."
Mast spoke about a similar sentiment expressed by some in the legislature.
"This is your money; it's your decision how you spend it," she said, putting the sentiment into words. "What they want the most is just the freedom of how they operate..."
Rep. Don Hill, responding to a question from the audience, said that about 52 percent of the state budget is spent on education for grades kindergarten through 12.
If that category of education is not included in the projected budget cuts, other areas of state government would need to implement 14 to 15 percent budget cuts.
"It's my belief that that will not work, and that's why we'll end up with across-the-board cuts," Hill said.
Sen. Jim Barnett said that with higher education factored in, 64 percent of the state funds are spent on education.
"I have no qualms about spending funds on education," Barnett said. "I think that's the best place it could go."
Legislators expect to have some latitude on financing education during a time when state revenues are down, despite the court-ordered school financing that resulted from a lawsuit filed jointedly by several unified school districts statewide.
"Power to approve money rests with the legislature, not the courts," Barnett said.
Barnett said that, in addition to reduced tax collections, economic grown in Kansas has lagged behind other states, and efforts need to be made to attract and retain business, add jobs, and compete internationally. Low wages combined with high spending on health care are contributing causes to the problem.
Referring to an article in The New York Times, Sarah Wyrick talked to the legislative trio about an upcoming energy package and questioned the need for coal-fired energy plants in Holcomb, in light of the coal ash spill that polluted water in Tennessee and the belief that other energy sources are more promising and cleaner for the future.
"I just think it's a silly thing to invest money in a plant that may not go on-line," Wyrick said.
She also asked legislators about the possibility of housing prisoners from Guantanamo at Leavenworth, which she desscribed as a maximum-security prison.
"I think we should not close our minds," she said.
"This is the topic du jour, whether you're reading The New York Times, the Wall street Journal, or The Emporia Gazette," Hill said of the energy questions.
A study on global warming recently released by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration questioned the reality of global warming from manmade emissions, Hill said.
He acknowledged that theories about global warming are "controversial science," and added, "We can't escape the fact that our energy demands are growing."
Another member of the audience questioned whether there would be money for the highway fund and whether that fund also finances the Kansas Highway Patrol.
Mast said her understanding was that KHP is paid for through the highway fund.
Barnett said that the state owes money to the highway fund, as it does to other funds. He said that pursuing expanded rail service would provide the state with cleaner air, passenger service from city to city, and less wear-and-tear on state highways. However, developing the rail service would carry its own costs.
"The question is, 'Where do we come up with the money?"
A woman in the audience cautioned legislators that it is time to do away with the old divisions, such as Democrats vs. Republicans or the interests of western Kansas vs. eastern Kansas.
"I don't think the voting public will have much patience with this," she said.
Mast later commented on an attitude developing among legislators.
"I've been inspired by the unity of everyone ... and the realization that it has to be done," she said.
Legislators said they were concerned about the budget cuts facing the state, both immediately, to contain the 2009 budget, and in the future, for the Fiscal Year 2010 budget.
Taking funds away from social programs at a time when more people need those services will be difficult.
"It's very gut-wrenching to think about cutting some of the programs that are so crucial to vulnerable members of society," Mast said. "... How can we cut something ... when we perceive there's going to be more dependency on those agencies?"
The legislators agreed that they state House and Senate need to take action quickly to trim spending from the Fiscal Year 2009 budget that will expire on June 30, so they can begin working on the Fiscal Year 2010 budget that will start on July 1, 2009.
"Next year, we're looking at over a billion-dollar deficit and it's going to get worse before it gets better," Barnett said. "There's going to be a major contraction of expenditures."
The next Eggs & Issues meeting will begin with refreshments at 8 a.m. on Feb. 14 at Presbyterian Manor. The meeting will start at 8:30 a.m.
Eggs & Issues is presented by the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters, with sponsorship assistance from local businesses.
josiesbar (anonymous) says...
"Next year, we're looking at over a billion-dollar deficit and it's going to get worse before it gets better,"
So should you REALLY care that people are smoking in bars right now?
January 24, 2009 at 2:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
spuds4all (anonymous) says...
I know one way to save money ALL government paid employees should only make min wage they set the standard let them follow it. And I mean start at the top (governor) and work down to the dog catcher.
January 24, 2009 at 2:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
overworkedunderpaid (anonymous) says...
I have been a State employee for 12 years, have a bachelors degree, I work overtime many weeks but don't get paid for it because we are not allowed ot. However, if I don't work without pay, the work doesn't get done. I am constantly bashed by people who think state employees don't do anything and get paid so much money - I would invite any of you come to work with me one day & see just what I do with your taxpayer dollars (currently $34,000 annually). I do an excellent job but have not received a merit increase in 10 years and now they want to cut my salary & hours. The TWO reasons I have stayed with the State have been job security and somewhat decent health insurance. I could probably double my salary in the private sector and may do that with job security going out window with current job.
I do have question on school financing. What is average salary of a principal at any public school? How many principals does the Emporia public school system employ? I have heard principals make $60,000 to $100,000 - I don't know if this is correct or not, could someone please tell me?
January 24, 2009 at 4:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
spuds4all (anonymous) says...
I'm not surprised your upset but it's hard to keep our mouth shut when we look at the city fixing a water leak and there are 15 guys standing there watching one guy using a shovel. So my advice is next time you need help go get 2 or 3 of the guys without shovels.
January 24, 2009 at 10:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
spuds4all- Boy, you should be a carpenter. because you sure hit the nail on the head. I to have seen this type of city work ethic and not only on water leaks. And this sort of thing probably goes on everywhere, County, State and Federal.
Just think if you have between 4 and six guys standing at a job site while one guy is actually working and all are getting paid between $9.00 and $13.00 per hour thats between $36.00 to $54.00 per hour on the low end and $52.00 to $78.00 per hour on the high end and only one guy is doing anything. And if 1 or 2 of these guys are supervisors it could be even more. And if the job takes 4 hours, well, I will let you do the math. It can add up very quickly.
January 24, 2009 at 11:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
Unnecessary expenditures can be found everywhere. Our state governer and legislaters should take their lead from President Obama and freeze all State wages, at least the Governors and State Legislators wages, just as President Obama put a freeze on all Federal Government employee wages, including his own.
January 24, 2009 at 11:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
spuds4all (anonymous) says...
No not a carpenter I used to work for the city till I got fired for using 2 shovels. Sorry just kidding I was a home inspector.
January 25, 2009 at 12:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
spuds4all (anonymous) says...
overworkedunderpaid
I just want to say I'm sorry for snapping back by telling you to get help from the guys with out shovels. But you are between a rock and a hard spot, guilt by association or in today's language profiled. There is more waste in gov. today than ever before and the only way they can think of to fix any thing is to throw money at it and hope it will fix itself. The bailout is a good example of this, and the only way I can think of to stop this is to take there money away and that includes tax'es. But that would be illegal but then again in the original by laws of the IRS it is illegal to use private business to collect tax'es also income tax is voluntary. Also do we need to pay the ex president 240k for the rest of his life then pass that on to his spouse, NO limit it to 5 years, I mean if he's 35 to start and serves 1 term then lives to 75 thats $9,600,000.00 then his wife lives another 10 years thats another 2.4 mil not to mention the cost of the security people as well. We need to limit all elected officials to four years at a time, if they want more then wait 4 years and run again this would stop the lifers from taking over and passing it on to there children. If other family members from the same wood pile want to run then they must wait 1 generation so there is no family pressure to do things this way. You see I look at all gov. employees as my employees and if you cant follow my rules then hit the bricks and as my employee you will never have more power than me or make more money than me and if you don't like that don,t apply, remember the employer not the employee makes the rules but ALL must follow them.
January 25, 2009 at 7:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
spuds4all (anonymous) says...
Sorry everyone when I said the gov. employee is my employee I was speaking as Joe Q Public. (my wife slapped me on the back of the head and said who do you think you are, now get out there and do those dishes).
January 25, 2009 at 7:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
spuds4all (anonymous) says...
OK the dishes are done now I can hit on overworked's point of the school system I don't understand why home schooled children score 2 times higher on all tests than public schooling but with that in mind, our public schools test below all other countries and have a very large drop out rate and we have to lower college entry exams to meat the students because some cant read or wright. On the other side home schooled kids test higher, have better work ethic's and are more productive also they hold higher paying jobs. Just looking at that I say home school and that is what the Bible teaches as well (train them up in all righteous ways). If we the parents followed this rule and home school our children they would be an asset to this entire nation even if everyone taught only 6 of the 10 commandments that focus on how to treat people the crime rate would drop and respect would rise. Now that we don't need our failing school system look at all the money that people would save through tax'es. Lets see maybe spend it on better living you mean like the American dream for everyone. Sorry I don't think so the gov. needs more tax slaves so throw more money at the school to make more stupid people so they can add more taxes and that way they can get bigger and bigger see how it works? We say give us liberty or give us death and the gov says give us your money and your lunch to. I'm not alone if you look in the right places you will hear its time for another Boston tea party.
January 25, 2009 at 8:52 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
Well, spuds, it's very simple. A home-schooled student learns at his or her own pace while the public-schooled student often has to wait for the slowest (read disinterested) student is being prompted to catch up. In this generation, they are slowed even further by the number of school days required for testing. The tests themselves are working against their intended goal. But, as I've mentioned on other forums, an influx of "forward thinkers" (thoughts that originated in heathen cultures centuries before) came into our universities, convincing students that the tried and true practices of the day were flawed to an unreasonable degree. One of the things they promoted was higher learning--the more you trust your own reasoning and logic, the less you will trust a higher power. Remove absolute truth and replace it with relative truth, and we are on our way to a Godless society. What would be more logical in an atmosphere of higher learning, than to insist that anyone teaching and molding young minds MUST be educated in higher learning institutions as well. The majority of students bought it (who were they to argue with such educated minds--especially those who threw out absolute truth and righteous principles and discounted them to nothing?). Then as those students went into their chosen professions--psychology being a major draw--they decided that a home-schooled student was socially withdrawn, introverted, and a drain on society instead of a contribution. This was decided on hypothesis of relative truth--the evidence that easily disproved that thought was the centuries of society that had existed prior to these thoughts, the society that formed their country and they themselves came from--and absolute truth was abandoned. As a result, junk psychology put a negative stigma on home-schooling and to this day, many people who know nothing about it think they know that it is bad.
Oh, and have your wife send you over to my pile of dishes. : )
January 25, 2009 at 11:09 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
toofast (anonymous) says...
Maybe we should be teaching the kids how to read and write instead of how to play sports. How much of the school budget and time is used for sports? I believe in raising well rounded children but it seems as though the emphasis is on athletics not on education.
January 26, 2009 at 3:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
eiggohp (anonymous) says...
A couple of good suggestions made here today.
I worked in the school system for many years, and I know for a fact that athletics get more attention and money than education.....I paid the bills~~~ Just let an AD or coach want something (like new uniforms to "look" good when the old ones were perfectly fine), and they got it immediately~~ A teacher had to beg for something and then it was usually denied.
Also about the workers.....this has been a pet peeve of mine for a long time....local, county, state, federal.....1 man working and 9 standing watching him....with 6-7 trucks doing nothing~~~~ MONEY CAN BE SAVED!!!
January 26, 2009 at 3:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )