Gov. Sam Brownback cuts 44.5 million in funding for schools and higher education [View all]

Gov. Sam Brownback announced Thursday that he will cut funding for public schools and higher education to help keep the state solvent through June, a move that has sparked anger from some lawmakers and education advocates after his previous promises to safeguard education funding.

The automatic cuts do not need legislative approval and will go into effect March 7. The governor will cut the state’s regents universities by 2 percent and public schools by 1.5 percent across the board, for a combined savings of $44.5 million.

The cuts were announced after the state missed its January revenue expectations by $47 million.

Brownback’s announcement came just minutes before the Kansas Senate met to debate and vote on a bill to fix the budget. That bill does not affect school funding, but would move money out of the state highway fund and other dedicated funds to meet state expenses through the end of June. In all, the budget bill makes nearly $250 million in fund transfers and spending reductions.

Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article9351788.html