Press Releases

WICHITA – On Wednesday, Governor Laura Kelly hosted the eighth and final stop on her statewide listening tour, ‘The People’s Budget’, in Wichita. Joined by Adam Proffitt, Director of the Budget/Secretary of the Kansas Department of Administration, and nearly 120 Kansans, Governor Kelly wrapped up the tour by discussing Kansas’ fiscal future with the audience.

“I appreciated the engaged Kansans who attended the final stop on The People’s Budget tour in Wichita last night,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “From health care to transportation infrastructure, Kansans shared their insight on many topics that I will take into consideration when I create another fiscally responsible budget proposal to present to the Legislature in January.”

In Wichita, Kansans asked Governor Kelly to continue supporting increased access to health care by funding substance abuse programs, boosting access to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), expanding health care in rural areas, and bolstering mental health services. Additional topics discussed include strengthening transportation infrastructure and increasing public transit options, funding public libraries and the Sunflower Summer program, and continuing to invest in services that prevent children from entering foster care.

Governor Kelly added food drives to each stop on ‘The People’s Budget’ tour in partnership with the Kansas Food Bank and Harvesters – The Community Food Network. In Wichita, Kansans donated 211 pounds of non-perishable food items to the Kansas Food Bank. Kansans who wish to donate food to their local food banks can find additional information about in-demand items here.

‘The People’s Budget’ tour launched on October 9 in Salina, and included stops in Hays, Garden City, Kansas City, Kansas, Leawood, Emporia, and Pittsburg, before concluding in Wichita last night. Throughout the tour, nearly 820 Kansans attended the events and donated a total of 2,341 pounds of food to local food banks in the final seven communities.

Photos from ‘The People’s Budget’ tour event in Wichita are available for media use below:

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