As city commissioners work on economic development projects to bring new jobs to Lawrence, there’s an uneasy fact hanging over their efforts: State budget cuts could undo much of their work.

With Kansas University and Lawrence public schools being the two largest employers in the city, a $400 million shortfall in the state’s budget could cost Lawrence jobs.

“There’s no doubt about that,” Mayor Rob Chestnut said.

But Chestnut said it is unlikely that the Lawrence City Commission would take an official position on Gov. Mark Parkinson’s proposal to increase the state’s sales tax by 1 percent and cigarette taxes by 55 cents per pack.

“That is a much larger issue,” Chestnut said. “There are so many moving parts at the Statehouse that it probably is not wise for us to weigh in on just one particular element of the state budget.”

Instead, Chestnut said the city likely would keep sounding its regular message that legislators should continue to make funding for higher education and K-12 education among their top priorities.

City Manager David Corliss said he was still reviewing the details of the governor’s proposed budget, and will attend a meeting in Topeka on Thursday that goes over the governor’s proposal in more detail.

At first glance, he said, there does not appear to be any specific proposals to reduce state payments to cities, such as through the city’s share of the liquor or gasoline taxes.

But if legislators ultimately reject Parkinson’s tax proposals — which have drawn strong opposition — Corliss said city funding from the state could be in jeopardy.

“The way I look at it,” Corliss said after Parkinson’s State of the State Address, “it is one day down and 89 more to go.”