Topeka — Gov. Bill Graves on Thursday made official what he said last month the budget he will present to lawmakers Monday is unacceptable because it would require deep cuts in education, social services and highways.
Graves released his detailed budget and immediately condemned it. He said that on Monday the first day of the 2002 legislative session he will unveil a plan to raise more money to restore some of the proposed cuts.
Kansas State Budget Director Duane GooSsen unveils the $4.3 billion Kansas state budget, which is about $300 million short of covering the current level of state services. Goossen told members of the press Thursday that Gov. Bill Graves will announce adjustments to the printed budget Monday during his State of the State speech.
The $4.3 billion spending plan is about $300 million short of a conservatively-figured budget that would cover the cost of the current level of state services, Graves officials said.
The state budget has been thrown into a tailspin because of falling revenues, the national recession and skyrocketing growth in the number of low-income people requiring medical services.
Graves said he was bound by law to present a budget in balance with existing revenue, but was quick to note that he would not accept such a plan.
"In order to continue funding vital services at an acceptable level, I will separately present a package of targeted restorations and a funding package to make the restorations possible," Graves wrote in a letter prefacing the budget. The letter was addressed to "Dear Kansan."
Graves' budget director Duane Goossen previewed the two-volume, 831-page spending plan, which is generally released the first day of the legislative session.
But Graves officials said that because the governor outlined the budget during a news conference Dec. 14, they wanted to make the detailed budget public as soon as possible.
Release of the budget, with its dire predictions, also puts more pressure on lawmakers to consider tax increases. Many legislative leaders, including Senate President Dave Kerr, R-Hutchinson, have said no new revenues are needed.
But Goossen said that without additional funds, "we go backwards essentially in education, transportation and social services. Some pretty tough decisions have to be made in social services and the rest of state government is squeezed down."
Goossen declined to say whether Graves would veto such a budget, but said he doubted the Legislature could pass it because it would be too politically unpopular.
Under the plan, spending on K-12 education would be cut $90 million, or $158 per pupil from $3,870 per student to $3,712.
Higher education would be cut about $27 million, or about 3.8 percent, and no funds would be expended for higher education reforms the Legislature had promised earlier.
Kansas University operations would be cut about $9.5 million $5.4 million at the Lawrence and Edwards campuses and $4.1 million at the medical center.
The budget proposal would also make cuts in highways, social services, prisons and programs for senior citizens.
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