Lawrence-area legislators reacted Friday to Gov. Sebelius’ remarks this week about the state possibly not accepting a school cost study that called for at least a $400 million funding increase.

“Basically, she doesn’t want to have to advocate a tax increase when she’s running for re-election,” said Rep. Tom Sloan, R-Lawrence.

Sloan and others predicted the Legislature would adopt a multiyear funding increase, likely with the recommended extra $400 million to $470 million from the Legislative Division of Post Audit’s study spread during several years.

A tax increase or the use of extra money from gambling may not be in store, they said.

“It may help many of our school boards if they know how much money they can count on for the next two to three years,” said Sen. Marci Francisco, D-Lawrence. “That may be the best we can do until the court tells us differently.”

The Kansas Supreme Court last year accepted $290 million in extra funding and ordered lawmakers to conduct the study.

Sloan; Francisco; Rep. Paul Davis, D-Lawrence; Sen. Roger Pine, R-Lawrence; and Rep. Barbara Ballard, D-Lawrence, answered questions from constituents for more than an hour during the Capitol Connections series, hosted by the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce at the Lawrence Public Library.

Davis said the Legislature had become famous for disregarding studies that it had commissioned.

“I hope this is not another one that goes by the wayside,” he said.

Davis also said the study was “right on” when it stated that the Legislature was giving too much funding to rural school districts, but he acknowledged that it “would take a lot of courage” for legislators to take money away from rural districts.

Pine said he would push for extra education funding to be spent on prekindergarten and kindergarten programs, particularly for at-risk students.

The delegation also fielded questions on topics of higher education, renewable energy and the bill that would eliminate property taxes on new machinery, which passed the House this week.