Spending limit poll

Officials backing the so-called Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights were upset that House Speaker Doug Mays, R-Topeka, has essentially said the proposal is dead this year. Americans for Prosperity, which backs TABOR, cited a poll that says 79 percent of Kansans favor the measure, which would require voter approval of tax increases and limit state spending increases to the rates of inflation and population.

But the second question of that poll cites common criticisms of TABOR, such as it would make it difficult to fund vital programs like health care because those costs outstrip the inflation rate, and it would hurt government’s ability to respond to crises. When asked if they still supported the proposal, those in favor fell to 48 percent with those opposed at 41 percent and 12 percent undecided.

School finance priorities

With criticisms increasing of the various school finance plans circulating in the Legislature, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius sought to get her priorities out front during a news conference Friday.

Sebelius said she would like a plan that funds full-day kindergarten statewide, has monies for auditing schools, and allows “flexibility” for school districts to have the option to increase their local property taxes.

“In a lot of districts, this is a critical way to enhance what the state is putting into schools,” Sebelius said.

Alan Rupe, the lead attorney for the plaintiff school districts, says he’s OK with local districts being able to supplement school funding with local funds, but it can only be done after the state has met its constitutional duty to fund schools at an adequate level.

“If you give local districts more local option budget authority without reaching adequacy, you have wreaked havoc with equity,” Rupe said.

Immigrant tuition tightrope

Rep. Ann Mah, a Democrat whose mostly Shawnee County district includes a little of Douglas County, tried to short-circuit an attempt to repeal a law that allows some undocumented immigrants to pay the less expensive resident tuition rates at state colleges.

In committee, Mah offered an amendment that would have nullified the law if a federal court determined the law was illegal. Supporters of repealing the law defeated the amendment, saying if a federal court ruled the law illegal, the law was history with Mah’s amendment or not.

Then when the vote was made to recommend repeal of the tuition break, Mah voted for it. She explained she polled her district, and a majority want to repeal the law.

When asked how she would vote when the bill is before the full House, she said she didn’t know yet.

Quote of the week:

We’ll conduct a smart foreign policy that matches the might of our military with the power of our diplomacy. The other party has got a monopoly on the tough, dumb strategy.”

– U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaking to the Kansas Democratic Party last week during Washington Days celebration

Things to watch:

1:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday: Hearings on Senate school finance plan.