House Appropriations Adds More Money for Schools (KS)
April 26, 2010
Kansas House Appropriations committee members voted Friday to increase 2011 school funding in the state by replacing part of some expiring federal stimulus funds with state money.
Members voted to restore $85 million of a total $172 million in federal funds that run out midway through the fiscal year beginning July 1. The increase, which the committee previously had resisted, reduces a previously projected $85 million year-end surplus to $11 million.
Legislators are scheduled to reconvene Wednesday in Topeka to choose between this latest House plan and a Senate budget proposal that restores the full $172 million, but also requires more than $400 million in new taxes or other additional revenues.
With that in mind, state Rep. Kevin Yoder, a Republican from Overland Park and Appropriations committee chairman, had some cautionary words for his House colleagues when recess is over next week.
“I’m hopeful that many legislators are concerned about the economic climate and be careful before going on a spending spree on the House floor,” Y oder said. “Legislators that want to bring additional spending on the House floor should identify the revenue sources … identify where the money would be coming from.”
This budget version is built around receiving about $131 million from the Federal Government under an extension of higher Medicaid cost percentages the feds have been paying for states—70 percent instead of 60 percent. That bill has passed the U.S. Senate and is being considered in the U.S. House.
In addition the budget is based upon money that will be received from lower Medicaid costs by eliminating abuse of the program that is supposed to be the final option for Kansans. The estimate is that about $68 million can be generated by going through the system case by case and eliminating those who have other insurance options.
“Medicaid is just supposed to the payer of last resort,” said Alan Conroy, Kansas Legislative Research director. “Private companies will work through and try to determine and make sure the Medicaid program is the payer of last resort.”
The committee also approved change recommendations from five subcommittees concerning social services, education, agriculture and natural resources, general government and transportation.
“This bill is markedly better than the bill several weeks ago,” Yoder said.
During the discussion of changes to social services, activists outside the committee room began chanting “shame on you.” The discussion continued amid the chants for about five minutes until the activists were notified that the lawmakers had heard them.
Budget writers also voted to restore $5 million of a previous $10 million reduction in additional funding for the Kansas Board of Regents. That will b ring the Regents back to fiscal year 2006 funding levels at about $747 million.
The bill also eliminates all open job positions in state government, some of which have been around for years without being filled. If an agency wants to hire a new employee, it will have to justify the hire, with the exception of law enforcement like the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.