Topeka ? With a sense of urgency, Gov. Sam Brownback on Wednesday renewed his call for reforming school finance, the public pension system and taxpayer-funded health care.

Brownback, a Republican who took office last week, assigned top Republicans in the Legislature to produce reforms and have them on his desk to sign into law this session.

“We are staring at a structural budget problem that doesn’t go away,” Brownback said at a news conference.

Standing beside Brownback were Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, Senate President Steve Morris, R-Hugoton, and House Speaker Mike O’Neal, R-Hutchinson.

The funding problems have plagued state government for more than two years as revenues decreased during the recession.

In the face of a current estimated budget deficit of $550 million, Brownback has proposed cutting base aid to schools, eliminating or merging eight agencies, and wiping 2,000 unfilled positions off the books.

But even if those proposals are implemented, Brownback said, the state still faces a “continued huge structural deficit.”

The Kansas Public Employees Retirement System has a $7.7 billion long-term gap between projected revenues and promised benefits, and Medicaid costs are skyrocketing as more Kansans fall into poverty and need to access services.

Brownback said if he and legislators fail to get control of the three core areas of government there will be additional layoffs, furloughs and cuts to Medicaid providers.

Brownback put O’Neal in charge of developing legislation that will define what the state is required to fund for schools to comply with the Kansas Constitution.

O’Neal said the state’s responsibility probably falls somewhere between all that is offered now in schools and the basic reading, writing and math.

Colyer, a physician and former legislator, will tackle Medicaid funding with a number of Cabinet secretaries and budget director Steve Anderson. Medicaid provides health care to the poor and those with disabilities.

Colyer said Medicaid funding is “now on a path that is going to the stars.” He asked for reform ideas to be submitted by Feb. 28 to Kansas Health Policy Authority Medicaid director Barb Langner.

And Morris will take the lead on KPERS. Morris said there are no quick fixes to KPERS’ funding problems, but that he hoped to put together legislation that stabilizes the system. KPERS officials are quick to point out that current benefits are safe but that more funding is needed long term.

Brownback said he hoped Democrats would join the effort. Republicans hold commanding advantages in the Legislature, 92-33 in the House and 32-8 in the Senate.

Democrats said the issues cited by Brownback are continually worked on by the Legislature and defy easy answers.

“We need to take however much time it takes to make sure that we get it right and not do something quickly for the sake of expediency,” said House Democratic Leader Paul Davis of Lawrence.