A Facebook posting this weekend had an ominous tone: “If you think your property taxes are high in Kansas, just wait. The Kansas school finance lawsuit could be costly.”
With this warning came a link to a story that purported if the Kansas Supreme Court rules in favor of school districts wanting adequate funding then expect to see property taxes go up by 55 percent; or sales taxes go to 9.8 percent; or income taxes increase 54 percent to fund total aid per pupil of a whopping $17,000.
Hogwash.
The doom and gloom is courtesy of the Kansas Policy Institute, an ultra-conservative think tank.
Of course what is truly scary is if our schools are allowed to founder.
Kansas schools remain seriously underfunded, even with a recent $40 million boost from this last legislative session.
Currently, state aid for funding is $3,838 per pupil. Studies have said it should be $5,723.
Since 2009, school districts have had to drastically cut teachers, staff, class offerings, supplies, as well as physical needs to buildings.
A teacher starting in Kansas can expect to be paid $27,840 — that’s 40th in the nation. For the last four years teacher salaries have been frozen.
For the second time in a decade, Kansas school districts are again waging legal battle against the state to fulfill its commitment to education.
There was a time we could be proud of the support we gave our schools. The recent tax cuts, however, create a serious setback.
Gov. Sam Brownback defends the tax cuts by saying they will bring new jobs. Trickle-down economics have failed in every other country — think Greece, Spain and Italy — and yet the governor assures us if the wealthy can get wealthier, that will encourage expansion in state industries.
By this methodology, Kansas will need to add 500,000 new jobs each paying $50,000 — starting today — to avoid economic ruin.
WHEN IT COMES to education, more — not less — is needed to compete in a global market.
