Solving school funding and a budget deficit could be at hand if reason were to prevail, Rep. Kent Thompson told the Register Sunday afternoon.
The immediate challenge is a $380 million shortfall for the fiscal year 2017 budget, which, by state law, must balance by June 30.
“We have to find revenue, or makes cuts, that’s all there is to it,” Thompson said.
Even if tax revenues continue to surprise at the current pace — February’s was $37 million in excess — the state would still find itself short by better than $200 million.
Can cuts be found to exorcise the budget demons? “Not without them causing a great deal of pain,” Thompson observed. “Education spending makes up 67 percent of the state budget.” School funding already has been cut so much teachers have been furloughed, programs affected and, in some cases, numbers of school school days reduced.
NOW TO the new elephant in the room.
On Thursday the Supreme Court ordered more funding for schools. The justices did not put a figure on the revenue shortage in public education, rather admonished legislators to settle on a formula and let its funding be the guide.
“We don’t know how much money we’re talking about,” Thompson said. “Friday I heard everywhere from $350 million to $400 million and one up to $800 million.”
Legislators were given until June 30 to respond to the court’s order.
A best-case scenario with information at hand, an additional $350 million, would add $700 million collectively to the budgets of the next two years. And that’s on top of a $1.1 billion deficit forecast for the 2018 and 2019 fiscal years.
Thompson thinks the House is a little ahead of the game — “We’ve come up with two or three options that are viable” — and passed the one Brownback vetoed.
With the new information, is Brownback likely to reconsider his steadfast stand on supply-side economics? Thompson has strong doubts. “I think he’ll veto whatever (income tax restoration) we come up with.”
The alternative?
“Right now, I just don’t know. Tomorrow (this) morning, I’m going to get up, shave, put on my coat and tie and head to the Capitol,” he said.
