Critical budget debate to begin this week

? In good or even average financial times, legislators typically start making important budget decisions in late March or early April.

But this is a bad year, and the Senate already faces a critical debate on state spending.

Republican leaders will find out whether their 30 senators can stomach immediate reductions in agency budgets. Democratic leaders expect none of their 10 to back any such plan.

Senate Republicans plan to caucus Tuesday morning on a bill revising the current budget, with Senate debate scheduled Tuesday afternoon and final action set for Wednesday.

If Tuesday morning’s meeting reveals a shortage of GOP support, the afternoon’s debate will be canceled and the Senate will take up other budget-fixing proposals, including tax increases, Senate President Dave Kerr said.

“We’re not going to waste people’s time,” said Kerr, R-Hutchinson. “This will not come back up. This is a one-vote opportunity.”

The bill before the Senate would cut $54 million from the general fund budget of $4.5 billion in fiscal 2002, which ends June 30. Many Republicans also want to freeze spending in fiscal year 2003.

The measure would spare public schools while trimming funds immediately for higher education, social services, the prison system and administrative agencies. The lowered appropriations would form the starting points for the new budget.

Republican Senate leaders like Kerr say the decision must be made quickly. Agencies continue to spend money and have less left with each passing day, making it more difficult to absorb any cuts that may come.

State Budget Director Duane Goossen said if the debate about immediate cuts continues too long, any effort is merely symbolic.

“It’s almost that way now,” he said.

Immediate cuts would be only part of a package necessary to balance the budget for the next fiscal year, when state revenues are expected to trail spending commitments by $426 million.

Kerr also helped draft a plan to allow the state to dip into its rainy day funds and has endorsed a plan to increase taxes on tobacco and alcohol by $87 million during the next fiscal year.

Gov. Bill Graves has proposed averting some spending cuts next year by raising $228 million through higher sales, cigarette and motor fuels taxes, as well as increased vehicle registration fees.

“In every agency, they’re going to confront things they don’t like doing,” Goossen said.

Democrats and some Republicans oppose the bill before the Senate because of the proposed cuts.

For example, the Department on Aging would lose $2.9 million, and Secretary Connie Hubbell has said the money most likely would come out of programs that provide meals and in-home services to seniors.

The Department on Social and Rehabilitation Services would lose $12.6 million, and critics fear that would mean less money for the mentally ill and disabled.

“I don’t see it passing the Senate,” said Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka.

Graves does oppose immediate cuts, though he hasn’t said he would veto the bill.