Senate deadlocks on school funding increase

? The Kansas Senate on Friday deadlocked again on school finance — this time rejecting a $109 million increase that would have raised state sales and income taxes.

Opponents said the tax increase would fall heaviest on those who could least afford to pay it.

“What we are doing is cold-hearted to the poor of our state, uncaring for the downtrodden and insensitive to the people who are unemployed,” state Sen. James Barnett, R-Emporia, said.

But supporters said the proposal would help the poor by providing schools with enough money to avoid cuts in programs and services.

“If we do not fully fund our education system so that students can learn the arts, and be a part of band and orchestra, where will the students be? Or do we want to fill up the prisons?” state Sen. Donald Betts, D-Wichita, said.

The proposal failed 18-21 with one senator absent.

It would have increased the state sales tax from 5.3 cents per dollar to 5.45 cents per dollar, and added a 2.5 percent surcharge on individual state income tax. It also would have allowed school districts that are assessing the maximum of local school property taxes, such as Lawrence, to have increased that amount.

Under the plan, a family of four earning $40,000 per year, would have seen a $73 increase in statewide taxes for the year, or about $6 per month, according to state Sen. John Vratil, R-Leawood.

“That’s what this will cost to provide our school districts with enough resources to prevent personnel cuts, elimination of programs, elimination of services. Most familes throw away more than $6 per month,” Vratil said.

Funding would have gone to increase base state aid, programs for students at risk of failing, students learning English, and special education.

With the defeat, the focus returned to the House where leaders were developing a no-tax plan that has been rejected before by the Senate.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has spoken against previous no-tax proposals because they depend on delaying pension payments and dipping into cash reserves.

Lawmakers are in the 88th day of a 90-day session still wrestling over funding the $2.6 billion school system.