(AP) — Kansas higher education officials are depending upon Republican Gov. Sam Brownback’s political momentum working on fellow GOP conservatives to preserve existing state funding for public universities and colleges.

Brownback began touring university and community college campuses last week in what his administration described as an effort to highlight the importance of higher education to the state and its economy.

The governor and other Republicans want to position Kansas to phase out individual income taxes, but the state must stabilize its budget over the next few years.

Brownback proposes to cancel a decrease in the sales tax scheduled by law for July. If lawmakers don’t agree to that plan, they’ll find it difficult to follow his recommendation to avoid cutting higher education funding.

Both chambers have approved cuts.