Hello from Topeka.

I want to thank the Graham, Rooks and Phillips County Farm Bureaus for hosting the legislative updates in Hill City, Plainville and Agra. It is always good to listen to the concerns of the 110th District. Also, over this past weekend I participated in the Republican Caucus in Phillipsburg.

One concern voiced to me has not changed; many people want to know how the state budget will be balanced. The budget was passed in mid-February this year and was signed by the Governor on Friday and included two line item vetoes dealing with spending the governor wanted. One was the 20-million-dollar loan for the new HVAC unit for the Capital area and the other was STAR Bonds for projects in Wyandotte County, which would be used to try to lure the American Royal from the Missouri side of Kansas City to the Kansas side near the National Ag Hall of Fame. These projects may be needed, but at this time I believe we need to focus on short term solutions to balance the budget.

As tax revenues continue to come in lower than forecasted it will mean more cuts, as it looks like the votes are not there to repeal the 2012 tax plan or raise taxes in any form. We must balance the budget which means tough choices have to be made, and K-12 school funding will need to be addressed too, adding to the challenge.

One of the committees I sit on is the General Government Budget Committee. This week we are reviewing some of the recommendations of a study conducted last year to find efficiencies in state government. Some of these can be done without legislative action while others would need to be changed through the process. Recommendations range from bidding out services like state printing and managing some insurance services, to paying state bills in such a way as to gain the best advantage for the state of Kansas.

The time for the blame game is over.

We are scheduled for First Adjournment on March 25th, which leaves us limited time to do things the right way, rather than late night, all or nothing bills which have consequences that we cannot afford.

Please reach out to me if you have concerns, questions or issues that need to be addressed. You can keep up on things by following and liking Ken for Kansas on Facebook. During the session I can be reached: Ken Rahjes, Kansas State Capitol, 168-W, Topeka, KS 66612; Phone: (785) 296-7676; Email: [email protected]; or 1798 E 900 Rd, Agra, KS 67621; Cell: (785) 302-8416 or [email protected].

You can also track bills and get specific information by going to kslegislature.org. I look forward to seeing you when you are in Topeka or out and about in the district.