Topeka ? House Speaker Doug Mays on Thursday said public schools would get a funding increase and it wouldn’t require new taxes.

Mays’ comments during an online question-and-answer period with the public seemed to fly in the face of comments from Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

Sebelius, a Democrat, has said more revenue was needed to comply with a Kansas Supreme Court opinion to fix the school finance system.

“To put out a school plan and not tell anyone how it is funded, I don’t think meets the test of the court or meets the questions of the parents and educators and business leaders about where we are going in the future,” Sebelius said.

During the online chat, Mays, a Republican from Topeka, was asked to handicap the chances that Lawrence schools would see an increase in state aid from lawmakers.

“I think it’s fairly definite that we will,” Mays said.

Asked whether taxes would be raised, Mays answered no.

“We believe that we can address the court’s order concerning school finance within existing means, and intend to do so, skeptics not withstanding,” he said.

Republicans have offered three school finance proposals ranging from $65 million to $445 million. The plans’ authors have said their proposals could initially be funded within existing revenue collections and projected growth in tax collections.

Transcript of Kansas House Speaker Doug Mays’ online chat

On another subject, Mays declined to speculate on his political future, including a possible run for governor in 2006.