Topeka ? Getting copies of records, running for public office and incorporating a business in Kansas will become more expensive on Sept. 1, when the secretary of state’s office increases dozens of fees.

The higher fees result from the state’s budget problems, which led Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and legislators to require the secretary of state’s office to stop relying on general tax dollars to finance its operations.

Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh expects the higher fees to raise $1.5 million during fiscal 2004, which began July 1, and between $1.7 million and $1.8 million in fiscal 2005. The increases apply to statute books, documents filed by lenders and corporations, lobbyist and candidate filing fees and even Kansans who want to become notaries.

The office also is offering new services, allowing corporations to file documents electronically, then charging lower fees to encourage them to do so.

Thornburgh said he had mixed emotions about the changes. He said he viewed user fees as fair but believed some functions of state government — like elections, which his office oversees — should be financed with general tax dollars.

Some legislators defended the higher fees, saying such steps were necessary during tough budget times.

“Sad to say, we were lacking dollars to fund agencies,” said Rep. Bill Feuerborn, of Garnett, the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.

The fee for filing a company’s articles of incorporation will increase to $90 from $75, and amending them will cost $35 instead of $20. Filing articles electronically — a new service — will cost $84.

Filing for legislative and other state offices will cost $20 more — $1,725 for candidates for governor and lieutenant governor who run as a team.

Someone who wants a complete set of Kansas statute books will see the cost increase to $500 from $365.

And copying election records will cost 50 cents a page, instead of the current 25 cents.

For the secretary of state’s 2003 budget, almost half of the money, or $1.64 million out of $3.33 million, came from fees and the rest, nearly $1.7 million, came from general tax dollars.

The Legislature appropriated $3.55 million for the secretary of state for fiscal 2004, but cut its allocation of general tax dollars to less than $835,000. That means the office will have to raise more than $2.7 million from fees.