Brownback offers revisions for 2013 two-year budget

Gov. Sam Brownback proposed revisions last week to the two-year budget the Legislature passed last session.

?Due to the growing economy in Kansas, we are now able to make targeted and reasonable investments in key areas of our state,? Brownback said.

The fiscal year 2014 revised budget is $30.7 million, or 0.5 percent greater than the budget passed by the 2013 Legislature.

It includes:

? $17.8 million to maintain base state aid per pupil at the current level;

? $11.7 million for health and human services caseloads;

? $9.3 million for the Career and Technical Educa?tion Initiative;

? $5.2 million to restore the regents? salary cap cuts.

The fiscal year 2015 revised budget is $429.8 million greater than the budget passed by the 2013 Legislature.

It includes

? $362.9 million for the Department of Corrections;

? $20 million to maintain base state aid per pupil at the current level;

? $16.3 million for all-day Kindergarten;

? $15.3 million for the Career and Technical Educa?tion Initiative;

? $5.2 million for a 1.5 percent salary increase for classified state employees.

The revisions to the fiscal 2014 and 2015 budgets reflect the governor?s promise to maintain the state?s essential programs, while targeting key areas for additional investment, according to his office.

Included in this proposal is an increase to maintain the current funding level of the school finance formula.

It also includes the cost to phase in all-day kindergarten, which guarantees every Kansas child has access to kindergarten.

According to his office, the governor?s technical education initiative has been successful and needs additional money to continue providing this education to all students wanting to access the opportunity.

During the 2013 session, the Legislature passed a budget that reduced the appropriation for the Kansas Depart?ment of Corrections in FY 2015. Brownback?s proposal restores the $362.9 million budget.

Brownback also has proposed a 1.5 percent salary increase for classified state employees. It would be their first salary increase since 2009.

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