How much are Kansans willing to cut in other areas to avoid cuts in public-school funding?

Dealing with the stateâÂÂs budget deficit is sort of like trying to plug the holes in a leaking dam. You can put your finger in one or two leaks, but you canâÂÂt reach them all. And although you might keep one section of the dam intact, the pressure on other areas will increase the hemorrhage or even topple the dam.

Kansans got a taste of this balancing act last week when Gov. Graves announced another round of budget cuts to try to reduce the stateâÂÂs deficit spending. Many Kansans have been passionate in their support for public-education funding, which represents about half of the stateâÂÂs budget. Previous cuts in per-pupil spending drew protests, and Kansans elected a new governor who pledged to preserve education funding.

In spite of what they wanted, however, many Kansans believed there was no way to avoid such cuts and, therefore, expected Graves to announce more education cuts on Tuesday. Their pleasant surprise when those cuts didnâÂÂt materialize may have turned to chagrin when they saw what other measures were necessary to avoid cutting public-school funding.

Across-the-board cuts will reduce spending on social services by $33 million and higher-education spending by $27 million. Local governments will have to do without $48 million in revenue-sharing payments they had been promised by the state. That includes $1.3 million to the city of Lawrence and $1.6 million to Douglas County. Not only will local governments have to absorb those losses, they will have to do so without adjusting their budgets and tax levies that already had been set for the year.

Across-the-board cuts are expected to reduce the number of Kansas Highway Patrol troopers on the road and force the closing of some campgrounds in the state parks. Graves also recommended that the Kansas Legislature agree not to repay $94 million it borrowed from the stateâÂÂs transportation fund to balance this yearâÂÂs budget. The loss of funding for highways and other transportation projects could put the stateâÂÂs economic outlook in jeopardy for years to come.

The State Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services still is assessing how to deal with its cuts, but it seems likely that most agencies will be forced to drop services on which they are losing money. Cost-cutting options set out after cuts last month included such areas as day-care, services for Kansans with disabilities and health insurance for children in low-income families.

Even for Kansans who passionately support public schools, these cuts are hard to accept. Even for those who opposed education cuts, the words of Paul Johnson, director of the Public Assistance Coalition of Kansas, may resonate.

âÂÂItâÂÂs inexcusable that K through 12 is off the table,â Johnson said. âÂÂItâÂÂs denying the most vulnerable Kansans access to basic medical care and safety versus minor cuts in education. IâÂÂm sorry, education needs to be on the table.âÂÂ

The latest round of cuts is a gut check for Kansas lawmakers. It probably isnâÂÂt right for Kansas leaders to take any budget area off the table as they seek to balance this yearâÂÂs budget. But as they approach next yearâÂÂs budget, are legislators who have pledged not to raise taxes really willing to cut enough services to balance the budget?

The most recent round of spending cuts have made many Kansans face the reality of what our state will look like if additional tax revenue isnâÂÂt raised. And they donâÂÂt like what they see. Hopefully, Kansas legislators will be ready to face the same reality when they return to Topeka.