Local lawmakers react to governor's address, budget proposals

    Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' annual State of the State address emphasized broad themes rather than details of how to plug the state's budget hole.
    And that focus disappointed Sen. Tim Huelskamp, a Fowler Republican who was hoping the governor's speech would include specific proposals for closing the gap.
    "It was very disappointed that in a time of the largest budget deficit in state history, that the governor has made no concrete proposals in the State of the State," he told the Globe on Tuesday. "She offered false assurances, I think, to many Kansans that somehow, it would be fairly easy to balance this budget. It is not."
    Huelskamp also complained that Sebelius' budget proposals, which were released Tuesday, relied on one-time money and gimmicks to balance the books.
    The state is facing a $186 million deficit for the current fiscal year, which could top $1 billion in FY 2010 if the Legislature doesn't take steps to fix the problem.
    The deficit has become the most pressing issue facing the Legislature, since the Kansas Constitution requires the state to balance its books before fiscal year 2009 ends on June 30.
    Sebelius said during her State of the State address Monday night that she would propose eliminating programs and freezing state hiring to close the gap but would try to shield essential services from budget cuts.
    Then on Tuesday, Sebelius unveiled a budget plan that includes freezing state spending on schools, cutting universities' spending and slashing aid to cities and counties. Other proposals include cutting $101 million from some state agencies' budgets, requiring agencies to turn over $31 million in regulatory fees to the state general fund and canceling out previous reductions in estate and corporate franchise taxes.
    The governor's budget plan does not call for raising taxes to fix the budget gap.
    The revised budget for the current fiscal year calls for $13.6 billion in total spending, which would drop to less than $12.9 billion in FY 2010.
    Additionally, the governor's plan avoids cutting state aid to schools but cancels a promise to put even more money into public education.
    Rep. Pat George said he did not oppose any of the budget cuts that Sebelius had proposed, but he noted that holding K-12 education harmless would be tricky given the current economic climate.
    "We need to be careful over the next couple of months that by protecting one agency or group of agencies, we don't cause an overwhelming hardship in another area of the state," the Dodge City Republican said. "So I guess we certainly need to proceed cautiously in our cuts. Do what's necessary, but also protect the integrity of the state."
    George said like many of his fellow Republicans, he thought across-the-board reductions in state spending would balance the 2009 budget more quickly than a series of targeted cuts.
    Rep. Melvin Neufeld, R-Ingalls, said if lawmakers do not amend the 2009 budget to fix the deficit, they may be forced to reduce state spending across the board.
    "You need to use strategy and try to identify those things that are less necessary than the ones that are more necessary in the budget and not do across the board if you can avoid it," he said. "But we could get put in a position where you can't avoid across-the-board cuts."
    Sebelius' spokeswoman, Nicole Corcoran, has said that she thought the governor would veto any across-the-board cuts in the current budget.

    EDITOR'S NOTE: The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    Reach Eric Swanson at (620) 408-9917 or e-mail him at eric.swanson@dodgeglobe.com.