This isn’t the first time state officials have floated the idea of having state university communities levy additional property taxes to support those schools.

The idea hasn’t improved with age, but it’s among the brainstorms being thrown out by state legislators as alternatives to Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ proposal to raise Kansas Turnpike tolls to finance repairs to university buildings.

It’s understandable that residents of Lawrence and other university communities would have a knee-jerk negative response to this idea because it would have a direct impact on their pocketbooks. But the idea of local taxes to support state universities also falls apart under a more unbiased analysis.

It’s true that communities benefit in many ways from having a state university in their midst. Lawrence certainly would not be the community it is without Kansas University. But those communities also bear considerable costs for providing services, such as police and fire protection, at those universities – universities that are located on state property that is exempt from local property taxes.

That’s why it makes no sense to compare a local property tax levy for state universities to the local levies many Kansas communities pay to support their community colleges. Those schools receive some state subsidies but they are local assets. They were founded by local initiatives and serve local needs. They are governed by local boards of trustees and own their own campuses. They are a true community investment.

The mission of state universities is statewide, and they are located on state property. Maintaining those schools, their programs and their facilities are a statewide responsibility.

Finding the money to address a $663 million backlog in repairs on state university campuses isn’t an easy task, but raising anyone’s property taxes to do the job is a bad idea. Property taxes already bear a disproportionate revenue burden in most Kansas communities.

The governor offered one plan that, while creative, isn’t palatable to some legislators, and it’s reasonable for them to offer other alternatives. However, taxing university communities is an unfair and illogical step that should continue to be at the very bottom of the Legislature’s list of options for funding the maintenance of state-owned university facilities.