Archive for Thursday, November 5, 2009
Statehouse Live: FORECAST IN: Recession continues, budget cuts likely;
November 5, 2009, 8:24 a.m. Updated November 5, 2009, 6:39 p.m.
Advertisement
Topeka — Kansas’ falling tax revenues took another dive Thursday as budget experts met and declared that the state remains mired in an economic recession.
The Consensus Revenue Estimating Group revised downward revenue for the current fiscal year by another $235 million. Combining that with increased caseloads for social services and increased school costs, the state is looking at a $460 million budget shortfall.
Gov. Mark Parkinson's budget director Duane Goossen (left), and Alan Conroy, director of the Kansas Legislative Research Department discuss new state revenue estimates Thursday in Capitol. The report shows continuing drop in tax receipts.
Gov. Mark Parkinson promised to balance the fiscal year 2010 budget before the legislative session starts in January.
“To Legislators across Kansas, I say this: In the coming weeks, I will take whatever steps are necessary to balance the 2010 budget before the Legislature returns; that is a promise I have made, and it is a promise I will keep,” Parkinson said.
But more budget problems await at the start of the legislative session as officials said Kansas won’t begin climbing out of the recession until later next year.
To bridge the budget shortfall will take significant cuts, tax increases or a combination of both officials said.
“It’s a tremendous hole,” said state Sen. Jay Emler, R-Lindsborg, and chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. “I don’t envy the governor at all on this one,” he said.
Public schools, which make up half of the state budget, are likely to take a big hit.
Mark Tallman, lobbyist for the Kansas Association of School Boards, said damage to education would be “high” with cuts at the level needed to fill the hole.
More like this
- Budget estimate declines by 4.2% 19 comments / November 6, 2009
- Regents Chairwoman asks legislators to put away the budget knife 7 comments / November 6, 2009
- Statehouse Live: Parkinson says budget cuts due next week; Federal health reform will save state money, study says 1 comment / November 17, 2009
- Tax increase more likely after economists deliver gloomy news March 9, 2002
- Budget shortfall to require governor’s action 12 comments / May 28, 2009
Top ads RSS
Marketplace
Arts & Entertainment · Bars · Theatres · Restaurants · Coffeehouses · Libraries · Antiques · Services
- Blog: Acting (Some Days, Most Days, Frequently And Occasionally) President Dan Wildcat Is Off Campus This Week . November 19, 2009 · 20 comments
- Forced insurance raises constitutional issue November 19, 2009 · 53 comments
- KU coach kinder, gentler November 22, 2009 · 22 comments
- Pride of LHS Marching Lions: Band looks back on winning season November 22, 2009 · 9 comments
- Shelter needed November 22, 2009 · 27 comments
- Blog: We Noticed November 19, 2009 · 136 comments
- On the street: Are you headed home for the holidays? November 22, 2009 · 16 comments
- Four decades in crisis mode November 21, 2009 · 22 comments
- Coach’s antics November 22, 2009 · 11 comments
- Blog: Palin Book Could Be Your Cheapest Source For Winter Fuel November 20, 2009 · 95 comments
- Pride of LHS Marching Lions: Band looks back on winning season November 22, 2009
- Wright’s role clarified November 21, 2009
- The cowboy way: Williamstown church ministry draws unique following November 21, 2009
- Minding your manners November 22, 2009
- Kansas’ Taylor bounces back from ‘freak night’ November 22, 2009
- Man-O-Pause: Biological changes with aging strike men as well November 22, 2009
- Calendar Girl: Cheer coach master of time management November 23, 2009
- Reward increased in missing person case November 21, 2009
- Brown lauds KU’s Mangino November 22, 2009
- Bush pardons man who helped Israel December 24, 2008
5 November 2009
at 9:07 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
toe (Anonymous) says…
Kansas will have a solution. Raise taxes, and significantly delay its recovery. Now would be a good time to consolidate schools, revise the constitution on the funding of schools, close a university, and reduce state employees.
5 November 2009
at 10:34 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
4getabouit (Anonymous) says…
Toe speaks with sound reason. There needs to be a masssive restructuring of school districts and school size. Some districts cannot be consolidated due to distance. However, many KS districts are just a few miles apart. Of the 300 school districts, over 150 are smaller in number than Central JHS. Small schools are also a fond memory. Get efficient or go under.
5 November 2009
at 10:51 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
BigDog (Anonymous) says…
Shortly (within the next week) after the new numbers are released expect Governor Parkinson to release allotments for state departments.
Don't be surprised if these reductions cause agencies to remove people from services and employees to be furloughed or laid off.
No being a doom and gloom guy but I have heard preliminary shortfall projections (which could be revised in this meeting) of $200-$300 million shortfall in the current year and $400-$500 million next year.
5 November 2009
at 11:35 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
avoice (Anonymous) says…
Toe has very good suggestions, and BigDog is right on target. Sticking our heads in the sand or hoping that things will get better does not change anything. The only way to solve a problem is to have the courage to take it on and deal with it. Too many people in this country as well as this state just want to get back to the way things were in 2006 as quickly as possible. Time for us all to realize that the way things were in 2006 is likely never going to come around again, at least not in our lifetimes (or our children's). Let's ramp up the efficiency in all our services, businesses and programs. From here on out, it's going to be about what is sustainable, not about how much everyone can grab for themselves or how little effort everyone can put into what they do.
5 November 2009
at 12:17 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
thepianoman (Anonymous) says…
Um, yeah, I'd say doom and gloom is an accurate description. Hundreds of millions in revenue shortfalls for the current and next fiscal year?? This is going to get really, really ugly…..For one not to say that this will not have devistating/crippling ramifications, has one's head in the sand…..The state has no choice but to do some super-extensive restructuring of school districts and state government, cause the funds continue to rapidly evaporate……
5 November 2009
at 12:22 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
thepianoman (Anonymous) says…
Just to clarify…..that hundreds of millions was not official…..that was big dog's projections…but I'm sure he's probably right….
5 November 2009
at 1:54 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
lawrenceguy40 (Anonymous) says…
Easy - end all state funding of KU. If those up on the hill are as good as they think they are, they will have no trouble finding extra cash or getting another job……
5 November 2009
at 2:52 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
threetoedsloth (Anonymous) says…
“Martin Hawver’s “Capitol Flash” reports that…” How is subscribing to (or not subscribing, and just getting it from someone else) another journalist's emailed newsletter and posting their content considered “journalism?” The figures should be readily available to anyone bothering to take the time to gather the information.
Haven't I read about newspapers being up in arms about online “news aggregators” doing this to them? The newspaper does the work, but the aggregator takes the content and the traffic to line their wallets. Oh, and the online aggregators have plead the, “But we gave them credit by citing their work,” so please don't give me that tired line LJW.
5 November 2009
at 3 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
jkealing (Jonathan Kealing) says…
threetoed—
You won't hear us ever complaining about Google or any of the other aggregators — they bring us traffic, which we can then monetize. There's nothing wrong with them or what Scott has cited here.
Jonathan Kealing
Online editor
5 November 2009
at 3:32 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
threetoedsloth (Anonymous) says…
Thanks for the clarification, Jonathan. Guess it must be other newspapers not liking that. Seem to recall a Washington Post reporter that was less than pleased that the article he'd spent weeks on got consumed almost verbatim by an aggregator, and he noted that resulted in very little traffic for the Post.
Am I correct to assume that LJW pays for a subscription to Hawver's Capitol Report to garner that content? Because I haven't seen any other means for accessing HCR.
5 November 2009
at 6:11 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
was_freashpowder2 (Alexander Neighbors) says…
IF the state of Kansas offered a land grab It would be an enticing option to get people into Kansas.