Under Brownback, Kansas government kept shrinking. 'We've got a lot of damage to repair'

It’s no secret that state government in Kansas is smaller than it used to be.

But you might be surprised at how much smaller.

A review of workforce reports reveals that the number of non-university state employees shrunk about 25 percent between 2002 and 2016.

Fewer state social workers to handle vulnerable adult and child welfare cases. Fewer guards to secure prisons. Fewer troopers and highway patrol staff to keep highways safe. Fewer medical professionals to care for the mentally ill in state hospitals.

“The image people have is a faceless bureaucrat pushing paperwork, but in reality it’s public safety... that’s where the real effect of these policies and political talking points has come home to roost,” said Rep. Melissa Rooker, a Fairway Republican.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article179485646.html