By Barb Shelly, Kansas City Star editorial page columnist
Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson's latest budget cuts seem sensible, if painful.
Anemic tax collections forced the governor to make reductions beyond those that the Legislature authorized during its session.
Parkinson took an additional $39 million from public schools, beyond the hit of $124 million they've already sustained. Colleges and universities lost an additional $15 million.
Social services, correctional facilities and public safety -- which already are operating near the margins -- sustained less damage in this round of cuts.
It's abundantly clear that Topeka is going to be a gloomy state capital for a long time to come. Even if revenues rebound somewhat, it will take years for Kansas institutions to catch up to where they were before the state's economy went south. University funding is back to 2006 levels, for instance.
Kansas House Republicans, taking their usual scorched earth approach, issued a scathing news release blaming the dismal situation on:
1) Departed governor Kathleen Sebelius, for letting government grow "uncontrollably" and;
2) Democrats in the Legislature, who "felt it was politically expedient to avoid making critical votes to tame the state budget."
This finger-pointing from the House GOP is absurd because, of course, Republicans hold an overwhelming majority in both chambers of the Kansas Legislature. Democrats on their own can't accomplish anything, good or bad.
House Republicans are right that the Legislature is going to need to make structural adjustments in the state's budget. The problem is, as everyone knows, there aren't any good options.
Advocates for K-12 education are already making noises about going back to court over funding reductions. More cuts to universities will gut perhaps the state's best asset. Prisons and social services are already on thin ice.
While accusing Sebelius of madly increasing spending during her six years as governor (mostly for K-12 education, per court order), Republicans conveniently forget to note that the Legislature, at the behest of the GOP, authorized tax cuts for businesses that equaled the increased spending for schools.
Any structural budget fix is probably going to have to reclaim some of that money. But, don't we know, it's a lot easier to give a tax break than to revoke it.
All of which is to say, it's looking like a horrendous legislative session coming up next year in Topeka.
Follow Barb Shelly on Twitter







Delicious
Digg
The best IT certifications
The best IT certifications material provider covers thousands of Certification Exams, such as Microsoft,Cisco, CompTIA, Oracle,IBM, Sun and other vendors
it examesIt is very importent, but definitely not a good .
An international panel of Microsoft Certified Partners for Learning Solutions discusses the fast-changing it training industry and customers' needs for ..
Jonathan Stewart White
Jonathan Stewart White Jersey
Julius Peppers Blue Jersey
Julius Peppers Team Color (Black) Jersey
Julius Peppers White Jersey
Keary Colbert Black Jersey
Keary Colbert White Jersey
Kenneth Moore Black Jersey
Kenneth Moore Blue Jersey
Kenneth Moore White Jersey
Maake Kemoeatu Black Jersey
Mike Rucker Black Jersey
Mike Rucker Blue Jersey
Sam Mills Black Jersey
1314qunide
ballet flats, wallets of Louis vuitton, Chanel, Gucci and many more. Retail and wholesale top quality knockoff bag, purses, ...
replica handbag retail&wholesale,burberry chanel gucci hermes Louis Vuitton dior prada,Best quality designer handbags,Free shipping-USA,UK,Canada
Our Replica
replica bags Catalog is packed with the dream replica handbags you deserve .