Keep the money coming, please.
That was the message city, county and school officials delivered Thursday to Douglas County's delegation to the Kansas Legislature.
The comments came at a breakfast sponsored by the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce.
The state faces deep budget cuts this year and local officials are worried they'll be forced to fill gaps in services trimmed by the state. They're also worried legislators will decide to withhold tax funds that typically go to local governments.
"The county is not here to ask for anything," Douglas County Commission Chairman Bob Johnson told legislators. "We're here to ask you not to do anything to us."
But Rep. Tom Sloan, a Lawrence Republican, had a message of his own.
"Listening to what you all want," Sloan said, "you're in for some rude awakenings."
To make up a projected $426-million budget deficit, he said, legislators must make deep cuts in some programs especially the Kansas Department of Transportation just to maintain other services. Budget increases seem to be out of the question.
Sen. Sandy Praeger, R-Lawrence, and Rep. Troy Findley, D-Lawrence, suggested that a tax increase or expanded gambling might raise needed revenues.
"The revenue pie has to get bigger," Findley said.
Praeger said the state would have had an extra $920 million in its coffers this year were it not for various tax cuts passed in recent years.
"It's no wonder we're struggling now," she said. "Let's recapture not even call it a tax increase let's recapture 10 percent of that."
Rep. Ralph Tanner, R-Baldwin, said there is little political will to raise taxes or expand gambling.
It might be possible, however, to tap into money Kansas received from the settlement of a lawsuit against major tobacco companies.
"We need to focus on what we can do, short of a tax increase, to enhance revenues," Tanner said.
The 2002 legislative session starts Monday.
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