Topeka ? A tax increase of more than $400 million would be required to provide more funding for education and other government services, a key legislator said Wednesday.

Education officials are pushing for an increase in state aid of at least $20 per pupil during the fiscal year that begins July 1. They said Tuesday that public schools can be funded adequately only with a tax increase of at least $300 million and that tapping into the state’s cash reserves isn’t an answer.

Aid to school districts is now $3,870 per pupil, accounting for $2.3 billion of the state’s budget.

But Senate Ways and Means Committee Chairman Steve Morris said that $300 million wouldn’t be enough to provide that funding without tapping into the state’s reserves, also known as the Rainy Day Fund.

“It would cost another $110 million on top of the $300 million,” said Morris, R-Hugoton. “It would be difficult getting that through the House and even through the Senate.”

Current state law requires that the Rainy Day Fund contain cash equal to 7.5 percent of state expenditures. Morris said he would like to see that level raised to 10 percent but knew that such a change wouldn’t be possible in the current budget climate.

House Speaker Kent Glasscock said he hopes lawmakers increase education spending.

“There is increasing support for education,” said Glasscock, R-Manhattan. “My hope would be we could get more money for schools.”

Lawmakers must deal with school finance while trying to close a $700 million revenue shortfall in the state budget. The Legislature reconvened Wednesday and is considering a budget proposal worked out by House and Senate negotiators during the two week-break that would keep school funding at its current level next year.

While waiting to learn how much money they will get next year, school districts across the state are already making plans to cope without an increase in state aid.

In Bird City, Cheylin schools Superintendent Dave Zumbahlen said that declining enrollment over the past few years had already forced cuts. For six years, the district has used a four-day schedule for classes to save money on transportation.

Zumbahlen, who also serves as principal and school administrator, said the district had combined some teaching assignments and consolidated administrative positions.

“I don’t know what more they can do as far as consolidation,” he said.

Zumbahlen said legislators have few options.

“The only way I can see them financing it is raising the income tax and sales tax,” he said.

The superintendent said he would be willing to pay higher taxes to fund education and believes most Kansans would as well.

“I don’t mind paying a little more tax, whether sales or income taxes, as long as it fair for all the people,” he said. “We should at least be fair to everybody.”