Month: February 2015

Governor cuts education $44.5 million

Gov. Sam Brownback today announced additional cuts today in the wake of declining income for the state.

The governor today announced an additional 2 percent cut to higher education and a 1.5 percent cut to kindergarten through 12th grade education. The cuts total $44.5 million and would be made in the first week of March.

“I am calling on the Legislature to reform equalization factors in the current school finance formula over the next 30 days to stall the increase of $54 million in Local Option Budget State Aid and Capital Outlay State Aid spending that was not appropriated by the Legislature in the Fiscal Year 2015 budget bill,” Gov. Brownback said. “By reforming the equalization factors, the legislature could, and should, restore the 1.5 percent allotment.”

The governor mentioned a recent grand piano expenditure of $48,000 for Sumner Academy as “symptomatic of the inherent flaws in the current formula. That money could and should have been used to hire another teacher to reduce class sizes and help improve academic achievement.”

“The dramatic increase in state education funding that has occurred over the last four years is unsustainable,” the governor said. “School districts are estimated to have approximately $381 million in reserve fund balances to help them offset the smaller than expected increase in state funding. The Kansas Department of Education should work with school districts to help them with any cash flow challenges that may arise.”

The Kansas National Education Association stated that the cause of the reduced Kansas revenue was the governor’s income tax cuts.

“The simple fact of the matter is that the tax cuts demanded by Gov. Brownback and passed by the Legislature have decimated the state’s revenue stream,” the Kansas National Education Association stated in its newsletter today.

“The Kansas economy is lagging most other states including our neighbors, revenue collections continue to come in below expectations, and still the Legislature is hesitant to address the underlying problem of unsustainable tax cuts,” the KNEA stated.

Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools to serve as host of conversation about education in Kansas

The Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools has been chosen to be the host of one of the upcoming “listening tour” sessions that the Kansas State Department of Education is conducting throughout the state.

The session, titled “Kansas Children, Kansas’ Future” will take place from 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18, at the Central Office and Training Center, 2010 N. 59th St.

The purpose of these conversations is to bring together parents, educators, local school board members, higher education representatives, legislators, members of the business community and all other interested parties to discuss the future they want for Kansas children and the role they believe Kansas education should play in supporting that envisioned future, according to a spokesman. Attendees will work in small groups to discuss questions such as:

• What are the characteristics, qualities, abilities and skills of a successful 24-year-old Kansas?
• What is the role of K-12 education in achieving this future and how should K-12 measure indicators toward that success?
• What is the role of higher education in achieving this future and how should higher education measure indicators toward that success?

The outcomes of these conversations will be collected and used to begin building the state’s strategic plan for education. This represents a tremendous opportunity for residents, staff and community leaders to have a voice in shaping the future of education in Kansas.

KCKPS is one of 15 that will take place in locations across the state. For other sites or more information, visit the KSDE website, www.ksde.org.

UG meeting Thursday to include public hearing on diversity and public safety recruitment

The Unified Government meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, at City Hall will include a public hearing on the mayor’s and Department of Justice Task Force on diversity and public safety recruitment.

The public is invited to make comments on recruitment and hiring of police officers, firefighters, and other public safety employees.

Before the regular meeting, a special session is scheduled at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, in the fifth conference room of City Hall, 701 N. 7th St., for a final bond and note sale. After that will be a presentation by the Mid-America Regional Council’s Homeless Services Coalition.

Several other topics are on the 7 p.m. meeting agenda.

Among the other topics:

– A Stormwater Quality Education Grant Program, a requirement of the UG’s Stormwater Management Plan and the EPA consent order. The cost of the program would be $30,000 from the stormwater utility fund.

– Approval of the Solid Waste Master Plan.

– A resolution to waive building permit fees and sanitary sewer connection fees for new residential home construction in 2015.

– Changes to the UG’s policies on family and medical leave to comply with federal regulations.

– Acceptance of a grant of $15,000 per year for three years to promote activities and make improvements to new and existing trails. The Latino Health for All Coalition received the grant from the CDC under the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health program. The trails involved include two new levee trails.

– An ordinance setting the occupation tax for digital billboards. The ordinance listed in the agenda called for a per person annual occupation tax of $2,500 for those working with billboards of less than 300 square feet, and $10,000 for those working with billboards of 300 square feet or more. This amount was changed at the meeting to $680 for less than 300 square feet, and $2,718 for 300 square feet or more.

– A report on travel and community event expenses of the mayor and UG commissioners.

– Resolutions issuing municipal temporary notes at $60.4 million, and at $7.1 million.

– Ordinances and resolutions issuing general obligation improvement bonds of about $29.9 million, $3.8 million, $5.2 million, and $21.9 million.

– A resolution to increase the budget to construct a building for fire maintenance and supply and water pollution control sewer maintenance construction, operations, records, mapping and pump station operations and maintenance. Previously, the UG had authorized $1 million for the fire department building and $3.2 million for relocation of the sewer facilities, but the cost is now estimated to be $6 million, according to agenda documents.