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2010 Kansas State Budget The House Appropriations Committee has been working hard on the 2010 budget. The committee has been successfully crafting a bill that takes the necessary steps to ensure that Kansans are not continually faced with overwhelming debt as the economy struggles. Preserving prudent funding for education Much has been misconstrued regarding reductions in the rate of spending for K-12 funding. The committee worked hard to retain its commitment to our children by capturing and utilizing every federal stimulus dollar available for public education. Parents and teachers should be encouraged that it has remained our top priority. Because of the state’s deficit of more than $1 billion, cuts to all areas were unavoidable. However, education received the smallest reduction of any state agency. Based on total expenditures per pupil on a statewide average in 2008, the per-pupil funding was only cut .002% in 2010. Total state spending for K-12 education (total spending includes administrative costs etc.) is up 4.9%. (This figure is based on 2008 numbers.) Even though this represents a slight decrease over the 2009 spending, education will be funded at a level much higher than two years ago. Ideally we would be able to fund all state services to their fullest extent. However, with education making up more than half the budget, cuts are necessary in order to not completely destroy budgets in other areas such as social services, public safety, transportation, etc. These agencies all play a vital role in the function of the state and our well-being as taxpayers. In many cases, with additional federal support, such as money for Title 1, Kansas public schools will see more money than they did last year, even with the adjustments made in committee. It should also be noted that most districts have significant contingency funds, totaling over $100 million, which are far greater than the reduction made in the 2010 budget. We anticipate working the bill on the House floor in the coming. I will keep you updated and provide an overview of the bill in the next newsletter. National Bio Agro Defense Facility (NBAF) A press conference was held on Thursday, March 19th to update everyone on the new partnership the Kansas Bio Science Authority (KBA) is seeking with the National Bio Agro Defense facility (NBAF) in Manhattan. This facility and subsequent partnerships and investments are adding a much needed boost to the Kansas economy. In addition to the highly publicized goals of protecting the nation’s food supply and agricultural economy, the KBA is working with the NBAF research facility to secure a National Cancer Center designation for the University of Kansas. The pursuit of this vision has emerged as another great opportunity for Kansas. We are already known for our top-tier pharmacy school at KU and are now set to use our clinical research organization and drug discovery and delivery expertise to significantly expand cancer research and care. This type of investment keeps our highly educated college graduates in the state, stimulates the Kansas economy, and provides much needed services to the Kansans and the nation. It is an honor to serve as your Representative. My door is always open to discuss your individual cares and concerns. If you have any specific questions about the 2010 budget, please to not hesitate to contact me.
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| Copyright © 2009 Owen Donohoe Campaign, Rebecca K. Chapman, Treasurer. |
