Capitol Comments
February 3, 2003
The Senate Ways and Means Committee passed out of committee and brought to the full Senate
a supplemental appropriations bill last Tuesday. Provisions of the bill were
recommended by former Governor Bill Graves and current Governor Kathleen Sebelius in order
to address some of our most immediate concerns regarding the Kansas budget.
There were many major provisions in the bill, some of which were easy to cast a supportive
vote, and some of which caused pain in voting. Some of the major provisions
include:
- Elimination of remaining FY 2003 payments to the Cities and Counties for Demand/Revenue Transfers - $48 million which included the Local Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund, County and City Revenue Sharing Fund, and Special City and County Highway Fund.
- Non Repayment of a loan from the Kansas Department of Transportation - $94.6 million.
- Special Revenue Fund Transfers - $35.1 million. Transfer of ending balance in the Kansas Endowment for Youth Fund; transfer remaining balance in the Senior Services Trust Fund; transfer of the uncommitted balance of the Long Term Care Loan and Grant Fund; transfer funding from the Worker's Compensation Fund of the Kansas Insurance Department; transfer funding from the Waste Tire Management Fund of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
- Supplemental funding for the Board of Indigents' Defense Services - $1.3 million which is designed to avoid a delay in payments to attorneys and expert witnesses who have performed work in representing Kansas in Court.
- Add additional appropriations for the Department of Corrections - $3.9 million which will take care of unanticipated increases of inmates for the per-capita-based food service and medical contracts, and will restore funding and operation of the four minimum security correctional facilities, the Labette Boot Camps, and the adult residential centers in Johnson and Sedgwick counties which have been scheduled to close due to revenue shortfalls.
- Additional state aid for the State Department of Education - $4.6 million. While the actual student enrollment count is not increasing, the composition of the student body is changing which, in turn, affects special weightings in the school finance formula. There are more children who financially qualify for free lunches, require bilingual education, and more students who are qualified to receive additional funding through the vocational weightings.
- Transfer to the Department of Aging - $3.8 million. The transfer of this amount to the state Medicaid match fund will cover shortfalls in the approved FY 2003 budget and are programs that the state must match by federal law.
- Additional funding for Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services - $12 million. This funding adjusts for caseloads in four areas; medical, nursing facilities for mental health, adoption and general assistance for the vulnerable.
The Senate tentatively approved its version of the bill on Tuesday. Excepted out of the Senate bill is Governor Sebelius' proposal to move funding for the Kansas Highway Patrol into the Department of Transportation budget, as well as transferring about $10 million from the underground tank storage fund. Whether we see these two items come back on another budget bill will remain to be seen. The debate was a little confusing as to whether we will or will not take these measures up in the future. It is very possible 70 additional Highway Patrol jobs are dependent on the passage of these measures.
The entire Legislature is faced with big challenges in the 2003 and 2004 budgets. The challenge we face in completing the work on the 2003 budget, which covers the remaining time in the current fiscal year which ends June 30th, must be solved soon to prepare the body to tackle the 2004 budget. Time is not on our side to seriously address the difficult problems we face. This is no time for partisan game playing, Kansans deserve more from those who they elect to be a part of the solution rather than be a part of the problem we face.
IN CONCLUSION
I still have page dates available for March 13 and April 9. This is a wonderful experience for students to see the Legislature in action. Should you have students interested, please call my office.
I appreciate the many constituents who have contacted me thus far by telephone, e-mail,
or written letters with suggestions and concerns in regard to the legislative
session. Your input allows me to work effectively for you. With my
heavy committee work I am not always available to take your calls but Betty Manning, my
Office Administrator, will get your messages to me. You can reach me via e-mail
at ggoodwin@ink.org or Goodwin@senate.state.ks.us. My
address is State Capitol, Room 403-N, Topeka, KS 66612; telephone (785) 296-7381 or
1-800-432-3924.
Copyright © February, 2003 by Jamiebro Publications. All rights reserved.