2013 Newsletter Header
January 20, 2013 - In This Issue:
Denning Swearing In
Jim Denning and Four Senator Colleagues Swearing In
Quickfacts
  • 16,000 private sector jobs added in 2012, well above the previous record.
  • Education Weekly ranks KS in the top 20 for education spending per student.
  • 62% of Kansas' budget goes to education, dramatically higher than the National state budgets averaging 35.3%
  • Total funding per student in KS is $12,378, well above the Base State Aid Per Pupil of $3,838; and the $4,492 the courts opined.
  • 54-cents of every dollar spent on education funding is going into the classroom.  The legislature had requested 65 cents go directly into the classroom.

LEGISLATORS RETURN TO THE CAPITOL
First Woman Elected as Senate President
Wagle Susan

Legislators returned to the Capitol for a historic beginning to the 2013 Session. The Senate elected its first woman President-Senator Susan Wagle (R -Wichita). Senator Jeff King (R-Independence) was elected Vice-President of the Senate and Senator Terry Bruce (R-Hutchinson) was elected Majority Leader. Senator Anthony Hensley (D-Topeka) will serve as Minority Leader.  I was proud to nominate Senator Wagle for Senate President.

 

The first major update to the chamber's rule in over three decades passed the Senate with a resounding 39-0 vote. The Senate also passed an amendment to the Joint House-Senate Rules adding a provision referred to as "pay-go." Under "pay-go," if the full-Senate is debating a budget bill and an amendment is offered to increase spending in one portion of the budget, offsetting decreases in spending must be found in another area of the budget. The senate adopted this rule to not only ensure fiscal responsibility, but to also cut down on politically motivated amendments-also known as "gotcha votes."

GOVERNOR BROWNBACK'S STATE BUDGET
Kansas Economy is Growing
Where Does Money Go
Where Does The Money Go

The Kansas economy is growing and Governor Brownback's budget is designed to encourage further economic growth. On Wednesday, the Governor laid out more details for a two-year budget proposal that provides a 7.5 percent ending balance at the end of each of the next two fiscal years. The Governor's budget fully funds essential state services while keeping State General Fund (SGF) expenditures neutral the next two years.

 

Among many other things the proposal would:

  • Fund the current Base State Aid Per Pupil (BSAPP) at $3,838 in FY2013 and $3,852 in FY2014.
  • Save $15 million by having the Kansas Department of Transportation take over daily operations of the Kansas Turnpike Authority.
  • Eliminate the state home mortgage deduction while keeping in place the deduction for charitable contributions and the earned income tax credit.  70% of Kansans do not claim the mortgage deduction.  Instead they take the Head of Household standard deduction.  The standard deduction is $9,000.00.  Most taxpayers fall under the standard deduction.  Of course, the Federal mortgage interest deduction is still available.  This will be heavily debated in the budget process.
Click here for the entire text of Governor Brownback's State of the State Address.
SENATE LEADERSHIP COMMENTS ON COURT SCHOOL FINANCE RULING
Senate Vice President Jeff King (R-Independence)

(Excerpt) "I am deeply disappointed in the Court's decision to raise taxes on Kansas families by over $500 million. The court did not care about the considerable investment made by Kansas taxpayers in public education. The Court completely ignored that Education Weekly ranked Kansas in the top 20 states for school funding just this week."

Jim Denning

Jim Denning for Kansas Senate

11184 Antioch, Suite 290

Overland Park, KS 66210-2420


913.345.9416

Paid for by "Jim Denning for Kansas Senate"
Kathy Vance, Treasurer
STAY CONNECTED

Like us on Facebook  Follow us on Twitter