15 June 2005

Governor: Schools can be strengthened without new taxes
Expanded gaming, school accountability must be part of solution, she says

TOPEKA, Kan. – With one week to go before the start of the Special Session for Kansas Schools, Governor Kathleen Sebelius today said we have an opportunity to improve Kansas schools this year without raising taxes.

The Governor called for expanded local gaming and increased school district accountability to be part of any solution, to ensure good schools for every Kansas child and to protect Kansas taxpayers and the Kansas economy.

“Yesterday, we got some good news about the Kansas economy. More people are working than ever before, and the Kansas economy continues to grow stronger. And because of tough decisions to cut spending and cut costs, we have restored our state’s financial health,” the Governor said.

“That means we can strengthen schools in every Kansas community, we can do it this year, and we can do it without new taxes,” she continued.

While the growing economy is providing new revenues this year, the Governor said Kansas communities should be given the option to expand gaming. This will help prevent projected deficits from beginning next year.

“In every community I visit, I hear from Kansans who are tired of seeing our gaming dollars being spent in Missouri and other states,” Sebelius said. “Paying for our investments in schools and a growing economy is what taxpayers expect us to do, because it’s what they do in their own homes and businesses. And so I call on the Legislature to pass gaming in this session.”

Accountability for school districts is also a must, so money is spent wisely on classrooms, not administration, she said.

“We must demand that dollars be spent on students, not on bureaucrats. This means good teachers in classrooms with fewer students. It will require that school districts be held accountable for every time they spend,” the Governor said.

“The way to guarantee a prosperous future is to invest in a great education for all of our children. We can do that, we must do that, and we can do it in the special session without a tax increase,” Sebelius said.

Senate committees begin meeting on Monday, June 20, while the House Speaker has so far refused to schedule committee meetings prior to the June 22 start of the special session.