TOPEKA – Gov. Sam Brownback has signed a controversial school finance bill and drawn predictable reactions. The law is a result of a Kansas Supreme Court ruling in “Gannon vs. Kansas,” in which the court ruled that how the state gives school financial aid to school districts for Local Option Budget tax levies and capital outlay tax levies are unfair, and therefore unconstitutional. The new law addresses the financial equity issue ordered by the court, Brownback said. The new law will put money in the classroom to benefit students and teachers. The bill provides $126 million to correct the equity issue in local option budget property tax levies and for local capital outlay property taxes. State senate president Susan Wagle said the law returns control to the local school districts and communities. Although John Robb, attorney for the group “Schools For Fair Funding”’ said the bill appears to meet the supreme court’s equity order and that some less wealthy school districts will see benefits, he said the bill also contains unnecessary policy items that don’t benefit students, including corporate vouchers for private schools, funding cuts for at-risk students and eliminating tenure for teachers. Kansas Democratic Party leader Joan Wagnon called the law Brownback’s latest attempt to deceive Kansans that education is his top priority.
Wednesday, April 23, 3 p.m.
