Editor’s note: This is the first of two stories focusing on the potential effects of the proposed state budget by Gov. Sam Brownback. Tuesday’s story will focus on reaction from local school districts.
Emporia Arts Council
The proposed state budget by Gov. Sam Brownback could hurt arts and mental health efforts locally but it may not have much direct impact on city and county governments.
As part of his proposed budget Brownback is seeking to no longer provide money to the Kansas Arts Commission. His plan is for the commission to gradually become a privately funded nonprofit organization. He estimates the move would save the state almost $575,000 during the next fiscal year.
The commission provided the Emporia Arts Council with $20,000 last year in grants, roughly 10 percent of its budget.
Melissa Windsor, Emporia Arts Council executive director, said she is concerned about what this proposal will mean to arts funding locally.
“We understand the economy makes this a tough budget process, but arts are part of economic development,” she said.
A great example of that will open this month, Windsor said.
The $2.8 million 15,000 square-foot arts center will be used by a number of different groups and individuals and is expected to draw out-of-town visitors. There is a gallery space, a theater, offices, art studios, classrooms and the EAC art and gift shop.
Windsor said a vibrant local arts scene has a far-reaching impact, including making Emporia a more attractive place for businesses to locate and a venue where children learn.
“If funding goes away, there will be a loss in educational outreach,” she said.
Windsor said she didn’t want to speculate about whether the Kansas Arts Commission could exist as a nonprofit group. Since it’s just a proposal at this point, she remains hopeful that arts funding won’t ultimately take a big hit.
Mental Health Center
Beyond arts there are several other agencies that could be negatively impacted by state budget cuts, including mental health. Brownback’s proposal calls for community mental health centers to lose $15.2 million. And that’s on top of $20 million that has already been cut, said Bill Persinger, executive director for the Mental Health Center of East Central Kansas.
Persinger said it’s early in the session so he’s reluctant to jump to any conclusions. However, if the cuts are a reality, it would mean more bad news for clients.
Doing some rough math, Persinger said they could lose $450,000, which is about 5 percent of the budget.
“It will make our jobs more difficult and will lead to things like adding to the consumer waiting lists,” he said. “This could be a game changer. I don’t think anyone will like the impact felt by these cuts.”
Like Windsor, Persinger remains optimistic the reductions in funding are far from a done deal. He expects a fair amount of discussion in Topeka about what the cuts would mean.
Local government
As for local government funding, City Manager Matt Zimmerman said most of the state money had previously been cut. While there might not be a direct impact on the city, the state’s budget could have see an indirect effect if other agencies in town lose funding, he said.
Those organizations could be looking for other funding sources, including potentially asking for money from the city or county governments.
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Well if the state is cutting funding and the city and county are cutting funding, and the average Kansas family has to cut their funding, wouldn't it behoove those agencies affected to cut their funding? In a perfect world none of us would have to be concerned with money troubles. Alas, all is not perfect with the world;>(
January 17, 2011 at 12:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Landa (anonymous) says...
Steve, cutting MH funding, means mentally ill individuals will not recieve the levels of care that they need. I know the money needs to be cut somewhere, but proper mental health care can save the state TONS of money by preventing crime, abuse, and many other things.
I guess there is really no good solution, but can't they cut somewhere else? MH took a huge cut last year, as did SRS. Both services in place to prevent problems, fix problems early, and save the lives of child and adult victims. Ugh. Frustrating.
January 17, 2011 at 1:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bobhornet (anonymous) says...
Landa, don't expect the people who post on here to read carefully or understand your common sense reasoning!
January 17, 2011 at 1:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MisterO (anonymous) says...
Bobhornet said, "Landa, don't expect the people who post on here to read carefully or understand your common sense reasoning!"
Well, bob...perhaps you, with your vastly superior intelect, would care to explain it to the lowly ignorant savages who post here.
You should be careful of your nose's angle. If it points much higher, you might drown during the next rainstorm.
January 17, 2011 at 2:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Landa, and bobhornet, cut somewhere else? Tell us where.
My post said, "in a perfect world'"
We are not in a perfect world.
For the past 5 years my budgets have been adjusted downward, so have most other average workers. We have had to make do and do without because of income cuts. Most government agencies have not , (well maybe in the last year, some did). Our state is broke, worse than broke. The only way to get back on track is to cut services and hope the economy improves. Will it affect some of those in need? Yes it will. The economy has affected those of us not so much in need also. Perhaps it's time for charities, churches and family to take the lead in taking care of those in need.
Frustrating indeed !
In the words of a famous democratic president;
"Ask not, what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." or something like that.
January 17, 2011 at 3:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Tomorrow we will hear how the school boards have cut to the bone and there is no room left to cut without affecting "the children". In all businesses lately cuts have been made in upper management and those left with jobs have had to take on extra duties. Maybe our school boards should take a hint from private business?
January 17, 2011 at 3:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Buffalo_Breath (anonymous) says...
I agree with Landa ... cutting MH services proves to be "penny-wise, pound-foolish". Those services will not become unneeded just because they become unfunded, and the lack of treatment will cause increases in workload and spending elsewhere ... ask any law enforcement agency what happens when mentally ill people in their community go untreated ... they find their way to law enforcement, jail, etc. I feel very much the same way about the prospect of closing KNI in Topeka ... it's like they think if the building is closed, the problems it is addressing will cease to exist, when in reality they will increase rapidly, noticeably, and expensively.
C'mon, Sam. Be smart.
January 17, 2011 at 4:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sail (anonymous) says...
This will be a fight between tax payers and tax consumers.
January 17, 2011 at 5:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
When my child was on a waiting list for help, none of these people who are crying about cuts to their budget were willing to help for free. Where were they? Nowhere to be found. We were on a list for over a decade and the agency that kept that list could care less about our struggles. They looked us in the eye and said there was no money as they spent money remodeling their offices and decorating their foyer with tropical plants. They would get additional funding but instead of taking people off the waiting list, they purchased a new fleet of vehicles for their staff and hired like minded people to be their personal assistants. Fortunately, I met a wonderful person who sits on a board that funds these agencies and was able to break through the bureaucracy and get resourced. Oh my god, once there was money you should have seen the line of fleet vehicles in front of my home asking to be picked to help. Each with a different logo magnet on the side. Where were they for the past 12 years? No, I didn't hire any of them. I hired the people who had helped me for free. That was another fight but at least the good guys won.
If they loose funding they can auction off their fancy desk and decorations, let their personal assistants go and actually try to do the work that they say they do. If they are as passionate about helping people as they claim, funding cuts won't hurt much.
Of course this is all my opinion for what it is worth.
January 17, 2011 at 5:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pingeon (anonymous) says...
The problem is that money needs to be cut. Cut it here or cut it there, it needs to be done. No matter where it comes from, someone is going to be upset. When your revenues decline, you cannot keep the same budget level.
January 17, 2011 at 5:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Here is a novel idea. Instead of cutting services, how about cutting the wages of those providing the services? We need to pay high wages to get qualified workers? Don't think so, there are a lot of young people just graduated with degrees that are looking for work.
Much like REWBA states above you don't need fancy buildings and the newest fleet of vehicles to provide these services.
In government you have budgets to use.
The trouble is if you don't use your budget 1 year you will most likely get a smaller budget the following year. So any government worker is going to make sure they spend every last penny, and then ask for more.
I think these cuts could be instituted without the sky falling.
the American dream is being ruined by greedy me me's
January 17, 2011 at 5:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
eccentriceric (anonymous) says...
that's too bad Brownback is cutting the funding for the Mental Health center. this town has a lot of mentally challenged people and cutting it back is going to hurt a lot of people. The SRS cutbacks last year caused me not to be able to get my cracked tooth fixed at the health department. i still don't have the money for that. if the Health department would have got me in sooner medicaid whatever would have paid for it.
January 17, 2011 at 7:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bobhornet (anonymous) says...
I'm surely not trying to portray myself as a person of "superior intelect"! But Landa and Buffalo raise a great point: sometimes service cuts can don't save money in the long run. My snarky comment merely tried to point out that a lot of the folks who post on here don't often consider the ramifications of the fiscal decisions we make.
Right now, we probably don't have a choice but to make deep cuts. I suspect, however, that ten years from now we will pay for some of the cuts we make today.
January 17, 2011 at 9:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
bobhornet, I bet you are right. Only because of past budget cuts and their proven long term results.
The last round of cuts hit the end user without much change to the administration or their "perks" such as offices, secretaries, interior decorator's, new office furniture, personal assistants, company cars, 40 hour work weeks, self approved overtime, performance bonuses , vacations, health, dental, retirement, office coffee and doughnut fund, office supplies and the list goes on an on for full time staff. Yet the part time personal care attendants hours were cut and they never got none of those "perks".
I suppose that the same will happen this round because no one oversees these agencies to ensure cuts are equally distributed and the pain is shared by all.
When society discovers the problems that result, they will toss tons of cash into the top of this money eating machine where very little reaches the bottom. Very little at all.
January 17, 2011 at 9:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
eccentriceric,
I would suggest pulling that CRACKED TOOTH. You can get by without it, trust me.
They are after all, your teeth. Why should I pay for them. Suck it up and pay for your own teeth or gum your food. I KNOW it can be done.
And bobhornet, you may be right about the future, but that is the future and we are broke today.
January 17, 2011 at 9:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
CRACKED TOOTH?
This is what trips my trigger. eccen whatever, pops off about their cracked tooth.
Why do people feel that the government owes them ANYTHING, LET ALONE EVERYTHING?
I PAID FOR MY FALSE TEETH, because I didn't want to gum my food, but believe me it can be done. And it pisses me off knowing my tax dollars are paying for someones cosmetic dental care. Pay for your own teeth, or do without, you won't starve.
January 17, 2011 at 10:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY;
a lost trait of the American Dream.
January 17, 2011 at 10:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
Ever consider it a possibility that maybe with the MHC being here, that is why we have so many "mentally challenged people" around town to begin with? Build it they will come?
January 18, 2011 at 1:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tbluma (anonymous) says...
Steve/neighbor
Great points
January 18, 2011 at 9:31 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cityslicker (anonymous) says...
Excellent points Steve. The days of saying "we do good things" are in the past. We need to be more accountable for tax payers dollars. We will show you the money when you show us the results.
January 18, 2011 at 5:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
whatisthewhat (anonymous) says...
The nonprofit arts and cultural sector is a $153.5 million industry that generates $15 million in local and state revenue.
People who attend community arts events also shop, spend money on gasoline, dinner and childcare -- contributing to local economies.
Businesses want to locate in communities that support quality of life such as schools, arts programs and libraries. Without those, cites are unable to compete in the marketplace.
Cities thrive, grow, attract and retain businesses when the arts are supported. Investment in the arts increases the capacity of Kansas citiesto build tourism and broaden their tax base.
January 20, 2011 at 12:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sail (anonymous) says...
ohhhh k,Emporia has a great arts community,are they special and should be given a pass in this economy?I dont think so.We are all in this boat, get your oar wet and pull your weight with the rest of us.
January 20, 2011 at 12:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
RIGHT ON SAIL!
Emporia is blessed with giving people and because of this we have a beautiful new arts center right next door to the Granada theater. ( IT IS NICE AND I AM IMPRESSED) They may be tourism draws to the Emporia area. So may the numerous bars and grills in the area, but we don't depend on, or ask for tax dollars to support us. So it is now up to Melissa and her staff to get out there and hustle for the business and the tourist dollars. also the private donation dollars from the supporters of the arts. She has proven they can do it before and I am sure they can do it again without tax dollars.
January 21, 2011 at 8 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
eccentriceric,
Sorry kid, not much sympathy for your cracked tooth here either. I pay for my own dental work and vision care too by saving for it. Many people don't have dental or vision in their health care policies. You should save as much as you can and put it in a special slush fund for a specific purpose like dental. If it's a big problem, try to secure a short-term loan or find a regular dentist who will take payments.
Now, I agree with those calling for slashing the budget. Something has to give somewhere, and everyone has to support their share of the burden. Sorry Arts people, this means you too. Until another time when there is more to go around, you need to take less.
Now, let me drop a large unsightly object into this punch bowl of ours. This will either make you very angry, or you will cheer at the news. Some have already begun to call for this idea -- states being allowed to go bankrupt and therefore be relieved of their debt and pension responsibilities. Yes, some are blaming state pensioners like KPERS for causing all the shortages of money in state coffers. I don't know where Kansas stands on this. Yet.
Hmmm, what was I saying about a slush fund?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41188877/...
January 21, 2011 at 8:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
whatisthewhat,
from another thread concerning tourism.
DIRTY KANSA
This is a perfect example of private individuals working together to have a great time, all while helping the local economy with tourism / guests. Last years race was, by all accounts a fantastic success with motels sold out, and world-wide advertising, (FREE), from the people participating.
The Mohns and Browns, two local business owners worked with others to put this together and were aided by Emporia Main Street volunteers. They put in hundreds of hours at no pay to bring this event to Emporia. They are saying this years event will be even larger and I am sure they will accept any and all help to make this another great attraction to our area. All at no cost to the taxpayer !
January 21, 2011 at 8:45 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
some figures to make you think. fy2009 ended june 2010.
Gaming Revenues Fund - Fiscal Year 2009
Economic Development Initiatives Fund
$42,432,000
Juvenile Detention Facilities Fund
$2,496,000
Correctional Institutions Building Fund
$4,992,000
Problem Gambling Grant Fund
$80,000
State General Fund
$15,621,042
January 21, 2011 at 9:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES FUND Program or Project
FY2009
KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Operating Grant
15,408,558
Older Kansans Employment Program
323,779
Rural Opportunity Program
2,056,395
Senior Community Service Employment
4,234
Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns
229,127
Strong Military Bases Program
367,456
TOTAL - Commerce
$18,389,549
KANSAS TECHNOLOGY ENTERPRISE CORP. (KTEC)
$7,534,430
BOARD OF REGENTS
Vocational Education Capital Outlay
2,565,000
Technology Innovation & Internship
180,500
TOTAL - Board of Regents
$2,745,500
KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Extension System and Ag Research Programs
$293,911
WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY
Aviation Research
$4,948,577
Aviation Classroom Training Equipment
$2,500,000
TOTAL - Wichita State University
$7,448,577
TOTAL EDIF
$36,411,967
All money from lottery sales
January 21, 2011 at 9:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Just a thought, and I know it would take some changes from our reps, but,
Maybe a little less for econ development and some more for corrections building fund, (prisons). At least it would be something concrete to show for the money.
I also don't see ESU on any of these allotments.
January 21, 2011 at 11:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )