Kansas legislators face tough budgeting decisions

Legislators who will be writing the state budget next year are beginning to see just how much of a challenge they face as special interest groups begin pushing for more money.

Members of the Legislative Budget Committee and the Joint Committee on Health Policy Oversight heard Thursday from various agencies about what they face. Advocates for the disabled and elderly urged lawmakers during a news conference not to cut essential services.

For example, mandated social services — such as Medicaid — are expected to cost the state $892 million in the fiscal year that ends next June 30 and $923 million in the following budget year. With federal matching funds, the totals exceed $2 billion each year, and cutting state funds reduces federal money.

Senate Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dwayne Umbarger said there simply aren’t any easy choices facing legislators next year.

“Whatever we do will cause pain, which we’d rather not do, but we can’t ignore what’s before us,” said Umbarger, a Republican from Thayer.

The latest economic forecast projects a $141 million deficit at the end of the current fiscal year, growing to $1.02 billion by June 2010 if left unchecked.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has asked agencies to cut their current budgets by 3 percent. She has said she hopes to protect public schools and social services caseloads both this year and in the budget proposal she is drafting for the next fiscal year.

But Umbarger said he expects the entire budget will be on the table.

He said eliminating a $141 million deficit means an across-the-board cut of at least 2 percent in fiscal 2009 and an additional 11 percent reduction in fiscal 2010. Taking public education and caseloads out of the mix would double those numbers.

“Everything has to be considered, but I’m not saying everything has to be treated in the same fashion,” he said. “It won’t be so dramatic if we make some of the cuts in FY09. Whatever we don’t address in the current fiscal year only compounds the problem.”

House Appropriations Chairwoman Sharon Schwartz agreed, saying, “There’s no easy solution without making some irresponsible cuts. I’d say there won’t be a rock left unturned.”

Schwartz is a Republican from Washington.

The Big Tent Coalition, an association of groups that advocate for the disabled and elderly, urged lawmakers not to cut funding for essential services for the disabled. They also want to increase funding for community-based programs and end waiting lists for some services.

“This is about priority setting. We’re here to advocate our priorities,” said Rocky Nichols, Disability Rights Center of Kansas executive director.

Nichols, a former House member, added: “If you cut many of the services, people are going to find ways to get those services that will cost the state more money.”