The media reports that many fiscal issues confront Governor Laura Kelly and the 2019 Legislature. An unreported vital issue is funding of the Kansas Water Plan (KWP).
For Fiscal Year 2019, the Governor recommends a State General Fund (SGF) Transfer of $2.75 million and an Economic Development Initiative (EDIF) Transfer of $0.5 million, totaling $3.25 million for the Kansas Water Plan. This amount is woefully inadequate.
I respectfully request Kansans to ask their legislators to take the following actions with respect to the KWP in Fiscal Year 2020 and thereafter:
- To fully restore the $6 million State General Fund Transfer and $2 million Economic Development Initiatives Fund Demand Transfer, totaling $8 million in Fiscal Year 2020 and thereafter.
- To fully recover the denied SGF Transfers and EDIF Demand transfers totaling over $77 million since their statutory establishment by the Legislature in 1989.
- To support the dedication of 1/10 of 1 percent of state sales tax revenue to provide a more adequate, reliable, and long-term financial support of the Kansas Water Plan.
- To support a required super majority vote, for example 80 percent, of the Legislature to transfer monies from the KWP to non-KWP purposes.
The “2019 Kansas Water Authority Annual Report to the Governor and Legislature” contains useful information. For example, pages 12 and 13 show in feet the 2017-2018 groundwater level changes and the years remaining until 0% reservoir storage occurs.
It also shows past year’s progress in meeting the challenges, which is appreciated. But much more and faster progress is needed to resolve challenges. Kansans can access the “Report” by typing “Kansas Water Office” in the search box of their computers.
Kansans are continuing to lose their surface and ground waters. They can reverse these trends by asking their legislators to take the above actions.
Allyn O. Lockner,
Topeka