Gov. Mark Parkinson announces more budget cuts
By The Emporia Gazette (Contact)
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson announced $259 million worth of spending cuts Monday, reducing funds for highway maintenance and education to shore up a troubled state budget.
The cuts are the fifth such reduction for the state budget year, which ends June 30. Parkinson said Kansas was in historic times, never before seeing two consecutive years of revenue declines, let alone the four-year trough it faces now.
"This has been particularly challenging for the 2010 budget, which has been absolutely decimated by this decline in state revenue," Parkinson said. "There are no longer any easy answers."
The Democrat's plan also calls for drawing down an additional $85.9 million in federal stimulus dollars given to states to prop up budgets. That leaves $189.6 million remaining from Kansas's allocation.
Republicans said Parkinson was helpful in making the cuts, but thought he could have gone deeper in cutting spending without borrowing from transportation funds or federal funds that will be needed next year.
"I applaud the governor's effort to make what are some very difficult decisions," said Rep. Kevin Yoder, chairman of the House budget committee. "What we didn't see and hoped to see were real, significant reductions in government spending."
Legislative budget analysts said Monday that even with the governor's cuts, Kansas already is looking at a 2011 budget hole of as much as $400 million.
Parkinson made the cuts in response to a Nov. 5 revenue estimate that foretold a gap of $260 million between state revenues and approved expenditures. Parkinson said he could not promise there wouldn't be further cuts next spring when the next revenue forecast is given.
Policy-makers use the revenue forecast as the basis for setting the state budget. Estimates are made twice a year, taking into account trends in the economy.
Parkinson said every agency took a hit and will have to adjust accordingly.
"I am genuinely sorry," he said. "There is no way to sugar coat this. This will have negative affects across the state."
The governor promised legislative leaders earlier in the year that he would balance the budget through cuts before the 2010 session begins in January. He said Monday that work on the 2011 budget year begins immediately, but wouldn't commit to pushing to raise taxes to cover future revenue shortfalls.
Legislative action will be required to make permanent Parkinson's cuts, which include a $50 million reduction to the Kansas Department of Transportation for maintenance, $36 million for K-12 schools and $2 million for higher education. Medicaid reimbursements paid to providers, such as doctors, nursing homes and services for the disabled, were reduced 10 percent, or $22 million.
Parkinson said state agencies would have flexibility in responding to the cuts, which may include layoffs or furloughing employees.
Yoder, an Overland Park Republican, said cutting wage costs was the way the state could reduce spending, much like the private sector has been forced to do when the economy slumped.
House Minority Leader Paul Davis, a Lawrence Democrat, said state budget cuts could have been avoided over the past decade if not for tax cuts enacted by Republicans while spending increased.
"This goes far beyond 'trimming the fat' from state agencies," Davis said. "These cuts are now doing severe harm to our public schools, community colleges and universities and the most vulnerable Kansans who are relying on state services to survive this economic downturn."
Derrick Sontag, state director of Americans for Prosperity, which favors smaller government and opposes tax increases, said Parkinson should continue to look for ways to cut inefficiencies and for long-term solutions to end the budget crisis.
Parkinson cautioned school districts not to consider suing the state for additional funding, as they did in 1999. That suit resulted in a 2005 Kansas Supreme Court ruling and a spending increase of nearly $1 billion over the past four years.
Comments
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Posted by Steve_Corbin (anonymous) on November 24, 2009 at 7:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS when more people are employed by the government sector than in the private sector.
For 4 years the private sector has suffered pay-cuts, lay-offs and job losses. Retirement savings and 401K's have lost their value, some by 50%.
For 4 years the average working person has had to live on less income and make hard choices and decisions on their spending and saving habits. We have had to make cuts in our budgets and spending, and it has affected some familys quality of living.
The old days of working for the government and being guarenteed a living for life are over, or they should be.
Times are hard and it is time for government to start making the hard choices we have been doing for the last few years.
If it means less funding for programs and furloughs or lay-offs
those in government should stop belly-aching and deal with it.
Two Questions:
Has anyone in the private sector in Emporia been given a pay raise in the last two years?
With all of our government ran programs are you better off now than you were 10 years ago?
Posted by goodoleboy (anonymous) on November 24, 2009 at 9:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'll bite:
I know one major employer that I consider to be a part of the Emporia private sector because so many live here: Wolf Creek.
As for the 2nd question I do not think that government run programs are the problem, more like government ineptitude. Starting 2 wars we could not pay for, enacting no child left behind and not paying for it, expanding medicare in 2003, tax cuts on the rich, ignoring the housing problem while it was still manageable, etc. I think that bad decisions and biting off more than we could chew in regards to policing the world is more to blame for the decline.
Posted by methusla (anonymous) on November 24, 2009 at 9:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
goodoleboy
I agree with you on most of what you say, except Wolf Creek being a major employer for specifically Emporia ! However I do agree with the second part of your question 100% and your comment not only applies to Federal govt., but local government as well ! I also believe that if all the citizens of the U.S., States, Countys and Citys will take back " THEIR/OUR " governments and holding all elected officials accountable for their bad decision making and elliminating the corruption and control that the wealthy individuals, corporations, etc. have on our elected officials, you/we as taxpaying citizens, may just start to see some real initiative and problem solving come to the forefront and see a government that will be representative of all the people and not just the powerful, influential few who are now in control and dictating policy and decision making !
Posted by goodoleboy (anonymous) on November 24, 2009 at 9:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I mentioned Wolf Creek because many of the employees reside here and make a good wage, thus they help support our tax base.
You bring up a good point about local government though, I remember the Visitor's Center discussion awhile back and had a chuckle. It's projects of this nature and the new artificial football field out at the middle school that just make no sense to me at all.
Posted by haclark (anonymous) on November 24, 2009 at 10:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ok, we need to make cuts and changes in how business is done by the state. But to put it all on the backs of the ones who can least afford it is the height of stupidity. Why have we not heard of any furloughs for the judges and legislators, why have none of them offered to forgo some pay to help balance the budget? After all it was the leaders in the statehouse that got us into this mess to begin with. I will not blame one party or the other, they all have some ownership in this whole mess.It was not just one party in the statehouse. Also there are a lot of unanswered questions in this whole thing, what abojut one income families? Who will pay for their health care, after all if you are out of work, the premiums still must be paid, what about their seniority, does it go on or stop and restart, how can they feed their families, no money, no food, no unemployment, man this must make the Govenor, and the representatives real happy, or do they just NOT CARE ABOUT ANYONE BUT THEMSELVES...When will we stand up and say enough is enough? Get rid of them and let us get people who remember it is not their money they are spending. I would be more inclined to think they cared about the mess they made if they took some action on themselves, but that is never going to happen, they do not have enough intestional fortitude to stand up and do it. I feel for the state workers, most are not paid as much as people in the private sector get, and they will suffer for the attitudes and the bad management of the elected officials..
Posted by giggles (anonymous) on November 24, 2009 at 10:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Didn't you hear goodoleboy? That past discussion of the visitors center may move back to the forefront because the city wants to generously donate 25,000.00.
Posted by Steve_Corbin (anonymous) on November 24, 2009 at 3:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey giggles,
I just read part of the Guvs plan on cutting the budget. It includes a real hit to Emporia and all cities in the state. As a club owner here in town I pay to the state a 10% tax on all drinks and beers sold, It used to be that the city would get back about 90% of those taxes to help pay for special parks projects, mental health services, and the EDA, (through the school board). Now the state is going to keep 100% of the liquor tax collected to help balance the states shortfall.
That means the city of Emporia will have anywhere from thirty to ninty thousand less tax revenue that it used to get. Then where will that funding come from? Everyone needs to e-mail their commissioners tonight and tell them this is NOT the time for a $25,000.00 donation to the Chamber of Commerce.
Go to the city of Emporia web page and get their e-mails tonight, before tommorows meeting.
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