The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

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November 24, 2009

Kansas: State agencies confront cuts in budget

The Associated Press

TOPEKA, Kan. — Gov. Mark Parkinson’s $259 million in cuts to the Kansas state budget doesn’t mandate layoffs or furloughs of state employees, but some officials say it may be just a matter of time.

Legislators began digesting the cuts Tuesday, hearing from state budget director Duane Goossen, who outlined what he called an “unprecedented situation” marked by four years of declining state tax collections.

“We have never experienced anything like that before,” Goossen told the House Appropriations Committee. “Clearly, next year is a difficult one, as well.”

Highway maintenance faces one of the biggest cuts. Some $50 million in the Kansas Department of Transportation’s projects and operating budget is being eliminated, the money shifted to other state programs. KDOT has lost $229 million in budget cuts since January.

“Cutting projects will impact jobs, not only of contractors but of suppliers. It will also eliminate the spinoff spending that happens in communities during construction,” said KDOT Secretary Deb Miller. “We’re going to do a lot fewer maintenance jobs and that will result in rougher roads and more vehicle maintenance.”

The state has about 38,500 employees, including some 15,000 on university campuses. About 21,000 workers are covered by Kansas’ civil service system.

The most recent cuts were prompted by a Nov. 5 revenue estimate that forecast Kansas will collect $235 million less in taxes than previously anticipated. Parkinson responded by keeping his promise to legislators to balance the budget by the start of the January legislative session.

Parkinson said state agencies had the flexibility to decide how to implement the cuts. Some agencies will see layoffs and some will furlough employees to save money.

Rep. Kevin Yoder, an Overland Park Republican and chairman of the House budget committee, said policy-makers must continue to look for ways to do more with less, including fewer people.

“We have miles to go. Many states have gone to furloughs and reduced wage costs,” Yoder said. “Nobody enjoys that. But we can’t be expected to operate at the level when unemployment was half as high.”

Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Davis wrote employees Monday that only $5 million of an expected $8 million increase to finance court operations statewide would be funded through June 30, 2010. Salaries and employee benefits consume 98 percent of its $97 million appropriation of state tax dollars.

Davis said the remaining shortfall means 12 furlough days for nonjudicial employees. District court offices in 33 of the state’s 105 counties already are closing an hour early each day.

“It is impossible to know for certain at this time, but this turn of events increases the likelihood of at least some period of involuntary leave,” Davis wrote.

Unemployment in the state stands at 6.4 percent. State legislators point out that businesses also have had to bring labor costs in line with revenues.

But the union for state employees says it would be unfair to balance the budget entirely on state workers.

“We understand this is a shared responsibility for all state government, however, agencies must understand the importance of employees and the services they provide,” said Jane Carter, executive director of the Kansas Organization of State Employees.

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