Topeka ? Republican House leaders today unveiled a public school finance plan that would increase state funding by $28.5 million and allow local school districts to raise local property taxes by $64 million.

House Speaker Doug Mays, R-Topeka, said a statewide tax increase “would be extremely unwise and damaging to our economy.” But giving local districts the ability to raise taxes would allow them to tailor their budgets to the districts’ needs, he said.

The plan received a negative reaction from Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat.

She noted that House GOP leaders refused to say where the $28.5 million would come from in a tight state budget.

“I’m alarmed by the fact there is no identified resource for the statewide funding, and there is about a $64 million property tax increase,” Sebelius said.

The plan would also include a new cost-of-living adjustment, in which 16 property-wealthy districts, including Lawrence, would be able to increase local property taxes to make up for the high costs in those districts.

In response to the proposal, Lawrence school Supt. Randy Weseman said, “It is what it is. It’s a tax increase whether it comes from the state or the local districts.”

AP story: House Republicans announce details of school finance plan Past school finance stories

In the 16 property-wealthy school districts, the mill levy could be increased to offset the cost of living. In Lawrence, that would provide an additional $1.16 million, Republicans said. A mill is $1 in taxation for every $1,000 in assessed property value.

The plan also would allow local districts to reduce or eliminate the $20,000 homestead school property tax exemption in order to increase funds for special education. Currently, the first $20,000 of assessed valuation of a home is exempt from the state’s 20-mill levy for schools.

The House GOP plan would direct the state’s $28.5 million increase to at-risk students and students whose first language is not English.

Sebelius said that part of the plan was encouraging and showed some “common ground” in identifying the need to provide extra funding for those students.

But overall, Sebelius said the plan relied too much on local property tax increases, which would further dis-equalize school funding between property-wealthy and property-poor districts.

Sebelius has proposed increases in state income, sales and property taxes to fund a $304 million increase over three years. But Republican majorities in the House and Senate have rejected that proposal.

Meanwhile, a state district court has declared the Kansas school finance system unconstitutional because it is under-funded and the method of distribution of school dollars discriminates against minority students. The state has appealed that case to the Kansas Supreme Court.

For more on this story, pick up a copy of Wednesday’s Journal-World.