Rep. Bob Grant, D-Cherokee, quipped that he was bunkered in to avoid potential attackers infuriated by Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson’s proposed budget cuts.
“I think we all knew what was coming,” Grant said. “I don’t know whether we knew that it was going to be as bad as it was.”
At a news conference Monday, Parkinson announced a plan to reduce state spending by $259 million in the budget year that ends June 30, in large part to deal with state revenues that continue to fall below estimates. Two of the biggest cuts come from axing $50 million in highway maintenance projects and a combined $38 million for K-12 and higher education.
“I don’t know what else you can do,” said Rep. Julie Menghini, D-Pittsburg. “Are any of these cuts wise? Do we have a choice? I really don’t know.”
Pittsburg USD 250 and Southeast USD 247 were hit the hardest of local school districts. Pittsburg will lose close to $274,000, with Southeast set to drop $231,000.
“They got hit pretty bad,” Grant said. “I’m sure everybody else feels that they were smacked pretty hard too. I don’t know what else could have been done.”
The cuts to Pittsburg State University don’t appear to be as substantial. While exact amounts won’t be available until next week, university officials estimate that PSU’s cuts will likely be somewhere in the neighborhood of the $100,000 figure that Fort Hays State is estimating.
“We don’t really have a specific amount that we will be cut. It does appear to be down compared to other cuts we’ve had lately. This amount is not as severe as the previous ones we’ve had,” said Ron Womble, PSU public relations director.
PSU has already been cut $4 million this year. PSU will hold budget meetings on Dec. 3 at 10:30 a.m. in 107 Grubbs Hall, and again at 3:30 p.m. in 409 Russ Hall to address the amount.
Meanwhile, the Kansas Department of Transportation said its budget cuts would cost the state jobs and impact the quality of the state’s highway system.
KDOT will transfer $50 million from the State Highway Fund to the State General Fund to address the state’s financial crisis. Transportation Secretary Deb Miller said the transfer would result in the elimination of highway preservation projects, such as resurfacings, and important equipment purchases.
The Substantial Maintenance program, designed to protect the state’s highway investment, will be reduced by $50 million. But because those projects are paid out over more than one year, that reduction will only save $25 million this year. KDOT also will reduce planned equipment purchases, including dump trucks, tractors and mowers, by 50 percent; halt several studies; and indefinitely suspend the purchase of equipment for a Wichita traffic management project.
