School funding plan taking shape, despite bill’s collapse

? Legislation that combined a pledge of more state aid for schools with a huge tax break for married couples sank Wednesday in the House, but key elements of a possible school finance plan began to emerge.

Rejected on a 71-51 vote, the bill proposed an additional $137 million for schools — as sought by Gov. Sebelius in the first year of her three-year school finance plan — and gave local school boards more power to raise property taxes.

But the patchwork bill did not specify the source of the new funding, and it had other provisions that troubled House members: a $30,000 minimum salary for teachers, and an increase in the $6,000 income tax deduction for married couples to $20,000.

Legislators had said Tuesday the higher deduction would cost the state $150 million, but revenue officials on Wednesday put the figure at $387.7 million.

Sebelius has proposed to increase state aid to school districts — currently $2.6 billion — by $304 million over three years through higher state taxes on sales, property and personal income.

In a statement Wednesday, she noted that local school boards are already making staffing decisions.

“I remain ready to work with all responsible legislators to do what is right for Kansas children, families and schools,” Sebelius said. “But legislators must be willing to set aside their election-year agendas, roll up their sleeves and work with me in good faith.”

House Speaker Doug Mays, R-Topeka, said the outline of a plan to increase “is starting to take shape.”

Mays and House Democrats said that while the price tag of a plan remains in flux, there is support for the notion of tying additional money to increased local control over school budgets.

“I expect we’ll see the combination again,” Mays said.

A “yes” vote was a vote to pass the bill. A “no” vote was a vote against the measure.Of the 80 Republicans, six voted “yes,” 71 voted “no,” and three did not vote.All 45 Democrats voted “yes.”Voting yes: Tom Sloan, R-Lawrence, Barbara Ballard, D-Lawrence, Paul Davis, D-Lawrence, Tom Holland, d-Baldwin.Not voting: Rob Boyer, Olathe.

Under the bill rejected Wednesday, school districts could increase local option budgets — financed with property taxes — from the current cap of 25 percent to 30 percent of their total general fund expenditures. Ninety of the state’s 302 school districts have reached the limit.

Democrats said they will continue to push for the first year of Sebelius’ plan, along with the increase in local option budgets. They said the combination is a compromise that addresses students’ needs.

In the past, moderate Republicans from Johnson County have sought to increase local option budgets. On Wednesday, only one of 20 Johnson County Republicans in the House — Rep. Jim Yonally of Overland Park — supported the bill.

“We’re going to continue to push this debate until the Johnson County moderates wake up and realize this is the best game in town,” said Assistant Minority Leader R.J. Wilson, D-Pittsburg.

Sebelius has said she would support more local control over property taxes if legislators also put more state money into public schools.

Wilson said Democrats would continue the push Thursday when the House debates a new finance formula offered by a Shawnee Mission administrator who spent more than a year drafting it. School funding would be based on assessed property values, similar to the system that was used before 1992.

Under that old system, school districts relied more heavily on local property taxes than state revenues to fund their operations. Today, the opposite is true.

In a 1991 lawsuit filed by medium-sized districts, Shawnee County District Judge Terry Bullock issued a pretrial ruling saying that old system was unconstitutional, prompting a major overhaul by legislators.

In December, Bullock issued a preliminary ruling in another lawsuit filed by parents and administrators in Salina and Dodge City. Bullock agreed with the plaintiffs’ claims that the 1992 formula discriminates against poor and minority children.


School finance is HB 2560.

On the Net:

Kansas Legislature: http://www.kslegislature.org