Lawmakers are now sifting through Governor Laura Kelly’s first budget.
Kelly provided a budget that would end fiscal 2019 with a nearly $700 million balance, pay for a 2.5-percent pay raise for state employees, add almost $100 million for K-12 schools to account for inflation, infuse $9 million into higher education to account for past cuts and set aside $14 million to start the Medicaid expansion process.
Kelly says the budget accomplishes all these funding goals and others without raising taxes or tapping highway funds to the level of past budgets. Some Republicans, however, including Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning, say the governor’s plan underfunds the Medicaid expansion and has issues when it comes to repaying KPERS.
Senate Vice President Jeff Longbine of Emporia says Kelly’s plans follow her stated goals from earlier this week.
Longbine also has concerns about the KPERS plan, which would reamortize payments — including not making any payments for fiscal 2020. That’s a concern shared by 60th District Representative Mark Schreiber.
Longbine says the budget is structurally sound and gives the state a positive ending balance. Schreiber says he agrees with Kelly’s approach of adding an inflation factor to K-12 education and Kelly’s goal of more funding for foster care.
More reaction from area lawmakers is coming this weekend.
