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| Kan. plan targets schools, prisons |
| By The Capital-Journal |
| Published: 01/14/2009 |
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KANSAS - Details of Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' plan for escaping the state's financial calamity emerged Tuesday but served only to intensify Republican criticism of her approach and set the stage for a partisan battle over spending. Sebelius' approach didn't include new tax increases and sidestepped GOP demands for across-the-board cuts to deflate a projected $945 million revenue shortfall in the current and next fiscal years. Duane Goossen, secretary of the Kansas Department of Administration and director of the budget office, walks members of the media through the details of the state budget Tuesday morning. Republican leaders say Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' budget cuts don't go far enough. Duane Goossen, the governor's budget director, said Sebelius believes it is best to close gaps in the current 2009 budget and the future 2010 budget by spending down reserves, blocking nonessential hiring, delaying phaseout of business and estate taxes, slashing university appropriations, closing prison facilities and freezing aid to K-12 public schools. The governor's recommendations call for an $80 million reduction in payments to cities and counties and have as a backup plan a $45 million cut to local units of government if state revenues continue to falter. "I don't think there's a lot that anybody would really like to do," Goossen said. "This year, we have to find solutions. We are proposing things that are hard." The strategy outlined by Goossen in briefings with legislative leaders and Statehouse reporters didn't come close to satisfying Republican lawmakers who believe state spending, including jobs, must be cut deeper to resolve the crisis. Read more. If link has expired, check the website of the article's original news source. |
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