By JOHN MILBURN
Associated Press Writer
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Estimates for Kansas tax collections for the remainder of the state’s fiscal year are cut by $235 million as forecasters see continued weakness in the economy.
The reductions Thursday mean Kansas government will have 4.2 percent fewer tax dollars to finance services than previously estimated in April. Kansas began its fiscal year July 1.
Gov. Mark Parkinson says the news is a challenge, but manageable. He renewed his promise to legislators that he will balance the state budget by the time the 2010 session begins in January.
Forecasters did project a 2.5 percent increase in tax revenues for fiscal year 2011, but cautioned that the growth will be slow coming as Kansas continues to feel the effects of the recession.
The revenue estimate prompted the chief of the Kansas Supreme Court, Justice Robert Davis, to issue a letter to all court employees today predicting court closures and unpaid involuntary leaves for all employees if an $8 million budget cut isn't restored by lawmakers when they meet in January.
The Legislature had already cut $15.9 million this year from the court's budget.
The Kansas Board of Regents issued a statement this afternoon that also talked of dire consequences if the universities sustain a bigger budget cut.
The statement pointed out that the university system had already been cut $100 million and added:
"We think it’s important for Kansans to understand that further cuts to higher education will jeopardize their opportunity to enroll in and complete academic programs.
"Additional cuts will produce severe consequences, and there’s no doubt that qualified Kansans will be denied access to programs that are vitally important to the future health of the state’s economy."
And Parkinson and the rest of the paid politicians want...
to give how many millions to Patterson and Illig while the people will suffer the loss of jobs, hours cut, services cut, higher fees every corner you turn, higher costs for education since big biz and developers don't want to pay their full tax dollars and want the wide open handouts......send Cerner's big project with the loss of huge sales tax dollars via Star Bonds back to Bannister Mall in Missouri along with the Dept. of Commerce Secretary who went there a few weeks ago.....save the Kansas taxpayers some big bucks.....the big corporations aren't creating new jobs - the new jobs are coming from the small business owners who hopefully pay their taxes and not ask for handouts like the average citizens do. Stop taking care of the big boys and start taking care of yourselves by starting at the ballot box.