TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Gov. Sam Brownback’s budget proposals would hold state spending on its higher education system flat over the two fiscal years that begin in July. The recommendations outlined Wednesday by Brownback would keep total spending on state universities, community colleges and vocational colleges around $2.5 billion for the fiscal year that begins in July and the following fiscal year. Current spending is a little more than $2.5 billion, or about 1.7 percent higher than Brownback is proposing for both of the following fiscal years. But his budget proposals assume less funding for infrastructure projects and don’t include any…
Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback once proposed closing a state hospital for the developmentally disabled in Topeka, but his latest budget proposals would keep it open through at least June 2015. Proposals released Wednesday by Brownback include a recommendation that the budget for the Kansas Neurological Institute remain roughly the same, about $28 million for the fiscal year that begins July 1 and for the following fiscal year. The hospital has about 150 residents and serves severely disabled patients. In 2011, in his first month in office, Brownback proposed shutting down KNI within three years and moving its…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas Supreme Court hopes to end emergency surcharges that people pay to file lawsuits and get marriage licenses. The court wants legislators to rely more heavily on state tax dollars to finance the court system. The judicial branch is proposing a 16 percent increase in the tax dollars it receives for the fiscal year beginning in July. The increase would be about $17 million, to $123 million from the current $106 million. The Supreme Court administers the court system. The increase would allow the courts to eliminate $11 million in extra fees. The judiciary’s total budget…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) Copper thieves have been targeting pivot irrigation systems in rural Sedgwick County. The Wichita Eagle reports that the thieves are yanking copper wire from the pivots to sell as scrap. Sedgwick County sheriff’s Sgt. Scott Plummer said in a statement that there have been at least six confirmed thefts involving pivot irrigation systems in rural northwest Sedgwick County over the last three months. The thefts have caused more than $18,000 in damage and a loss of copper worth more than $15,000.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Supporters of the way Kansas puts judges on its highest courts hope to persuade legislators to drop a proposal for changing the process. House and Senate committees planned to hear testimony Thursday against changing the Kansas Constitution to give the governor and legislators more power over appointments to the state Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. Backers of the current system of having applicants screened by a nominating commission say it eliminates politics. The commission picks three finalists for each opening and the governor makes the appointment, with no role for legislators. The proposed change would still…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas would use some of its highway dollars to help cover the cost of busing children to and from public schools under Gov. Sam Brownback’s budget proposals. Brownback proposed Wednesday that the state divert $193 million normally set aside for highway projects to school transportation programs during the two years beginning in July. The diversion would be almost $97 million in each of the next two fiscal years. Brownback’s administration said the state still will complete the 10-year, $8 billion transportation program that it started in 2010. When the state has faced budget problems in the past,…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Members of several Kansas farm organizations will gather in Topeka next week to talk with lawmakers on issues vital to their industries. The Kansas Grain and Feed Association, Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council are sending members to meet with legislators Jan. 23 at the Topeka Country Club. Senate President Susan Wagle and other legislators will talk about their outlooks for the 2013 legislative session. Lobbyists from the farm organizations will give briefings on their top concerns.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas education officials are asking for public comments on new science standards for public schools. Comments received through Jan. 29 will help refine a final draft of the Next Generation Science Standards. That’s part of a state-led effort to create national standards for science education for kindergarten through 12th grade. The effort is similar to the Common Core standards adopted by states for reading and math. The new science standards should be completed in March.
Cathy continues talking about her journey and today she has other survivors tell a little about theirs. [mp3-jplayer]
On today’s InFocus, Cathy talks with Linda Weis, President of the Kansas Arts Foundation and member of the Creative Arts Industries Commission of the State of Kansas. Cathy then switches gears and talks to Peter Van Kuren, Manhattan Regional Airport Director. [mp3-jplayer]