Topeka — Gov. Bill Graves says he's worried that if legislators don't approve a large increase in spending on public schools this year, they'll miss their opportunity to improve education.
Graves told reporters during a Friday news conference that he doubts the Legislature can approve a major school finance initiative in 2002, when all 125 House seats and statewide elected offices will be filled in the November general election.
"If we don't do it this year, I think we will be politically incapable of doing it next year," Graves said. "This is the year that this needs to get done."
Graves outlined a new school finance proposal this week. Combined with the budget recommendations he made in January, it would increase spending on public schools by $179 million during the state's 2002 fiscal year, which begins July 1.
The governor proposed raising the state's sales tax from 4.9 percent to 5.1 percent and increasing taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel by 2 cents a gallon. The money raised by the fuels tax increases would replace general tax revenues now set aside for transportation projects.
A Senate plan would raise an extra $75 million for education in fiscal 2002 and $400 million over three years. It would increase the sales tax from 4.9 percent to 5.5 percent by July 1, 2004.
Neither chamber has debated a school finance bill, nor has any committee endorsed a plan for raising extra money for education.
"Right now, I'm looking for dance partners," Graves said. "There's still room on my card."
Leaders still are trying to assess how legislators feel about a tax increase. Senate President Dave Kerr, R-Hutchinson, and House Speaker Kent Glasscock, R-Manhattan, have said repeatedly that they don't think a tax increase will pass.
"It does make me nervous that we have not gotten a better sense yet of where people are on school finance," Kerr said.
Graves said many legislators aren't embracing a tax increase because the state cut taxes aggressively in past years. When he ran for re-election in 1998, Graves touted those tax cuts, which amounted to $1.8 billion during his first term.
"Kansans have a great deal of common sense, and they understand government services do cost money and one of our most important government services is the public education system," Graves said.
Graves said he doesn't want to gamble on whether legislators will be open to approving a school finance plan during an election year. The Kansas Constitution prevents Graves from seeking a third term in 2002.
"I'm not willing to, you might say, just put governing on hold for the last two years of my term in office," he said.
No comments
Commenting is turned off for this story.