Brownbackistan: Full Kansas meltdown: revenue woes, no school funding plan, transgender bigotry

[deminks]

Kansas government is in full meltdown mode. Wednesday was an absolute awful day for anyone hoping for strong leadership on key issues in Topeka.

To recap the most important events:

▪ Total tax revenues came in more than $70 million under estimates for May.

I’ve looked at the numbers closely and the most crucial villain is the income tax cut that Gov. Sam Brownback pushed through in 2012. The state is now taking in a breathtaking $650 million a year less than it did just three years ago, before the income tax cuts took full effect.

▪ The Senate and the House met but did not even attempt to do anything serious about the highest priority item on the minds of many Kansans: Will the Legislature approve a constitutionally valid plan to fund K-12 schools?

If they don’t do that, the schools will have to close on June 30, according to a recent ruling by the Kansas Supreme Court.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/yael-t-abouhalkah/article81199182.html#storylink=cpy

[Dont call me Shirley]

1. If they close the schools Kansas will be a Third-World state.

[Yupster]

2. When do schools usually close?

Ours are already closed.

[deminks]

3. What they mean is that the schools won't open again after June 30th.

Meaning there will be no school year starting in August. No school. Anywhere in Kansas. Nada. Nil. kids not in school except private schools. No teacher jobs except private schools. The legislature had one day to fix this. Today. They didn't even discuss it. They usually meet again for a week or two in the fall. Too late.

Unless the guvernator calls a special session and spends a lot of money he doesn't have, we are up sh*t creek without a paddle.

All this to cause a crisis with the Kansas supreme court, who has been trying to get them to pass a fair distribution for schools for ever since I can remember.

[sarcasmo]

6. Isn't this the Libertarian dream?

[Yupster]

10. So they've cut the education budget to zero

in Kansas?

[UTUSN]

4. k

[ChisolmTrailDem]

5. Kansas seems to in the grip of some sort of pilot program. nt

[demtenjeep]

7. we are living in horrible times in Kansas -yet I have yet to meet anyone admitting to voting

for that son of a bitch


I am experiencing the impact personally

my school program was gutted, I have been displaced from my school and shoved to another. We haven't had a raise in 8 years and haven't moved on our steps and tracks regardless of higher education or master's degrees. I was supposed to start getting longevity 2 years ago but have not because of the non-movement.


one of my children is waiting....waiting for a contract that may or may not happen because of the budget issues

my district had to cut over 25 million from next years' budget and the following year none of our schools will have certified librarians or nurses in school


paras had their income cut from 16 an hour to 11 and they can not work over a certain number of hours nor can they supplement by doing lunch duty or latch key or recess more than 2 outside things



brownback can go fuck himself

[Initech]

8. Can we admit the tea party is a complete disaster?

[gratuitous]

9. I wouldn't call Kansas "Brownbackistan"

Because from the sound of it, Afghanistan might send over some relief workers: "We heard you guys were really in trouble; we're here to help in any way we can."

[Hell Hath No Fury]

11. Isn't this part of the plan?

Now with no funding for the schools they can privatize the whole system like Louisiana did.

[bdwker]

12. Except for KS DUers, what a loser state.