By JIM MCLEAN

Kansas tax revenue has come up short once again. The Department of Revenue announced Tuesday that total state revenues for February were $56.7 million under projections lowered just four months ago to adjust for worrisome economic trends.

Individual income tax receipts were $27 million short of projections. Sales tax revenue was $12.3 million short.

Revenue Secretary Nick Jordan said a downturn in the oil and gas industry was dragging down the economies of several Midwestern states including Kansas. Democratic legislative leaders said the income tax cuts Gov. Sam Brownback pushed through the Republican-controlled Legislature in 2012 remain at the root of the state’s revenue and budget problems.

As he has in response to previous shortfalls, Brownback insisted his tax cuts were not to blame.

“This is an economic problem, not a tax policy problem,” he said in a statement issued minutes after the revenue numbers were announced.

“These numbers reflect a declining national and regional economy.”

Brownback said he will oppose any effort to adjust the tax cuts despite calls from some influential Republicans to restore taxes on the pass-through incomes of more than 300,000 business owners.

The governor said he would instead focus on “managing spending.” To that end, he ordered an immediate 3 percent cut in the budgets of the state’s Board of Regents universities, requiring them to reduce their approved budgets by $17 million with only four months remaining in the fiscal year.

In an opinion piece published recently by several Kansas newspapers and broadcast Tuesday on Kansas Public Radio, former Kansas Budget Director Duane Goossen said even though Brownback sold the tax cuts as a way to stimulate the state economy, his real goal may have been “squeezing down” state government.

“If you truly bought into the argument that giant tax cuts would lead to prosperity without hurting schools and highways, you’ve been had,” Goossen wrote.

“Meanwhile, those wanting Kansas to spend less regardless of the consequences have met success.”

Goossen, a former Republican legislator, served as budget director for 12 years under governors of both political parties, starting with Republican Gov. Bill Graves.

The lower-than-expected revenue numbers will present an immediate challenge to lawmakers returning Wednesday to the Statehouse after a brief mid-session break.

Prior to the break lawmakers approved a series of spending reductions and one-time fund transfers to erase a projected $200 million shortfall in the fiscal year 2017 budget, which takes effect July 1.

But those measures won’t be enough to cover the February revenue shortfalls or any that may occur in subsequent months this fiscal year.

The preliminary budget plan also doesn’t include any of the additional money that likely will be needed to satisfy the recent decision by the Kansas Supreme Court declaring the state’s existing school funding formula unconstitutional.

Jim McLean is executive editor of KHI News Service in Topeka, a partner in the Heartland Health Monitor team.

MANHATTAN – First responders were called to Manhattan High School West Campus on Wednesday morning due to a gas odor in E-Hall of the school.

Just after 9 a.m. the school building was temporarily in a “shelter in place” mode, and students were not allowed to pass to their next classes, according to a media release from the school.

 

Call to Manhattan High West Campus was a report of carbon monoxide. No CO found and no patients at this time. @usd383 @RileyCountyPD

— Manhattan Fire (@ManhattanFD) March 2, 2016

 

School health officials and Emergency Medical Service staff checked ten students and staff who complained of symptoms.

There were pilot lights out on the several of the gas ovens in the school kitchen, which could have been the culprit, according to the school district.

Just after 10 a.m., all students were given permission to pass to their fourth period class.

The entire building was monitored by both the Manhattan Fire Department and Kansas Gas Service, and the affected area was ventilated.

At no time did any of the detection equipment utilized by either Manhattan Fire Department or Kansas Gas Service indicate any abnormal readings.

LYON COUNTY- A Kansas woman was injured in an accident just after 7a.m. on Wednesday in Lyon County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Pontiac Grand Am driven by Anna Michelle Metcalfe, 37, Hartford, was north bound on Kansas 130 just north of Hartford.

The driver lost control of the vehicle and it rolled into south ditch.

Metcalfe was transported to Newman Regional Medical Center.

She was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

NEWTON – Law enforcement authorities in Harvey County are investigating a suspect after a Tuesday evening altercation.

Just after 6:30 p.m. Newton Police Officers responded to the 1000 block of North Boyd Avenue on a report of an emotionally disturbed man armed with a knife, according to a report on social media.

When officers tried to contact the man, he ran out of the back of the apartment and was confronted by an officer.

The man refused to follow instructions and took an aggressive stance toward the officer, according to police.

Believing he was still armed with a knife, the officer deployed a less lethal gun, which fires little rubber balls similar to those shown in the photo. It sounds like a lethal firearm but police wanted to assure those who witnessed the incident, it was not.

The man may have suffered bruising but had no permanent injuries, according to police.

Officers also used a taser to safely take the man into custody.

The man, whose name has not been released, was transported to Newton Medical Center for a physical and mental assessment.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 24-year-old man has been charged in four bank robberies and a jewelry store robbery in Wichita.

Terence L. Thomas is charged with four counts of bank robbery, one count of robbing a commercial business, one count of brandishing a firearm during a robbery and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction.

If convicted, Thomas faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison for the counts of bank robbery and robbing a commercial business. For the charge of brandishing a firearm during a robbery, he faces no less than seven years.

He also faces up to $1,750,000 in fines.

By James Hoyt

KU Statehouse Wire Service

TOPEKA – Approximately 30 people gathered in front of Wescoe Hall at the University of Kansas Monday afternoon to protest the scheduling of Saturday’s basketball game. They also established a Facebook page to protest.

Protestors want a change in game time. The KU vs. Iowa State matchup is set for 3 p.m. Saturday, the same time the Kansas Democratic presidential caucuses are scheduled to begin. The Republican caucus vote is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., which demonstrators also found inconvenient.

Protest organizer Daniel Walker, a University senior from Overland Park, said the game’s schedule will adversely affect KU athletic department employees and others who wish to participate in the Democratic and Republican caucuses.

“KU is a public institution that has a moral obligation to making sure that its students and its faculty can attend things like these important events,” Walker said.

ESPN is in charge of scheduling and said it could not change the game’s time.

“Working with the Big 12 Conference, we set the time for ESPN’s national telecast of Iowa State at Kansas, per the normal scheduling process. Due to other live national game commitments on ESPN Saturday, we are unable to move the telecast time,” an ESPN spokesperson said.

Assistant Athletic Director Jim Marchiony said in a statement Monday that he recommends that students vote.

“We support every Kansan’s right to be involved in the political process and regret the conflict with the game time. We will encourage any KU student who has responsibilities at Saturday’s game, and who wants to go to the caucus, to go to the caucus,” Marchiony said.

Curtis Hall, Douglas County Democratic Party chair, expressed concern that fans who would otherwise go to the caucuses might choose to go to the game instead. He also noted that game time traffic could pose an issue for caucus-goers.

Kansas basketball coach Bill Self doesn’t plan on voting in the caucuses. He said neither the game nor the caucuses would be affected negatively by the scheduling conflict.

– Edited by Leah Sitz