Gridlock in Topeka may seriously delay school budgets

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

The Hays school district may not have a budget from the state until July or later, according to Superintendent John Thissen.

Thissen spoke to the USD 489 school board Monday night about the gridlock in the Kansas Legislature on the budget and school funding.

The state budget year runs from July 1 through June 30. However, the state legislature, which will hit its 100th day in session Wednesday, appears to be nowhere close to coming to an agreement on taxes and school funding.

Thissen said the district already has made arrangements to pay its bills through the summer months. However, delays in the Legislature approving a budget means the district will be unable to approve its own budget.

Dale Dennis, deputy commissioner of education, told Thissen the Legislature may not have a final budget until July or the first of August.

“It will be a mad race to get [the budget] done in less than two weeks before school starts. It is a pretty scary time line,” Thissen said.

The district could be required to only staff essential personnel in July while the state is in budget limbo, but Thissen said he was not sure if this would be the case.

“Dale Dennis said he was optimistic that something would get through the Legislature, but he didn’t know where the governor and the judges will be,” Thissen said.

Kansas faces projected budget shortfalls totaling $887 million through June 2019.

The Governor has opposed attempts by the Legislature to eliminate tax exemptions for LLCs, which he championed, in order to balance the budget.

The Kansas Supreme Court issued a decision in March that Kansas’ funding of schools is inadequate.

The Kansas House rejected a proposal Monday that would have raised $1.2 billion in income taxes over two years to fix the state budget and provide additional funds for public schools.

The House was scheduled to have debates Wednesday on the two biggest issues before the Legislature on the 100th day of its annual session. See more on the latest by clicking here.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.