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Lawmakers say they don't know how bad things are for the Kansas budget (Share this)
WICHITA - The work has started on a solution to the state's money trouble. Amid proposed one-time fixes, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback's controversial business tax cuts could get a new look.
Many lawmakers say that when they arrived at the statehouse for Thursday's meeting, they still didn't know the details for just how bad things are for the Kansas budget.
Once they learned those details, many had their own ideas for how to fix the problems.
"There will be options provided by the legislature I believe as well," said Sen. Ty Masterson (R) Andover.
Several lawmakers have already decided what they won't do.
"I don't think you're going to get any support for anymore push-it-down-the-road fixes," said Mark Hutton(R) Wichita.
But what they will do is still up for debate.
More and more are looking toward rolling back the business tax exemption that many blame for the budget problems to begin with.
"I'm hoping that we get more converts on at least looking at the business exemption," said Sen. Jim Denning (R) Overland Park.
Senator Denning also told me.......ADD A SOUNDBITE HE SHARED....THAT DOESN'T MAKE AIR
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Denning says he thinks there's a chance a rollback would pass this year, based on conversations he's had with the governor's office.
I've been signaled by the governor's staff that if we gave him something on the LLC loophole fix, he would not automatically veto it," Denning said.
A proposed cut to school funding has upset several lawmakers.
"You know, we made a commitment when we passed the block grant that we wouldn't cut K-12 and I think a lot of people are saying they're not going back on their word," Hutton said.
Part of the reason for the House and Senate budget committee meetings in Topeka this week is so that lawmakers will have some sort of plan in place, maybe two or three of them, to offer the full House and Senate when they return to the statehouse next week.
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