News from Brownbackistan: Brownback defends using public pension funds to fill Kansas budget hole [View all]

[deminks]

http://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article4413431.html

Gov. Sam Brownback defended his decision to cut the state’s pension contribution to help fill a $279 million budget hole amid criticism from leaders in his own party Wednesday.

He said using funds from the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System was a way to prevent cuts to K-12 education, higher education and Medicaid, which together make up about two-thirds of the budget.

(snip)

King, who chairs the joint committee on pensions, said in a phone call that Brownback had shown unprecedented leadership on pensions over the past four years but that Tuesday’s move represented a major reversal.

“By raiding the KPERS fund, instead of continuing prudent reform, Governor Brownback is threatening to undo all of the hard-fought gains that we have made,” King said in an additional e-mail.

(end snip)

Most of the GOPer state legis have put in protections against recall for their govs. Kansas is no exception. As I understand, he has to be convicted of a felony first. Many, including the GOPers who supported him, are looking.