OTTAWA — Republican legislator Bill Otto had harsh words for the Republican house leadership and kind words for Democratic legislator Bill Feuerborn of Garnett. Otto said the leaders didn’t lead and spent more time trying to score political points than accomplish anything during the four-month-long session. A no-tax-increase budget offered by House leader Kevin Yoder that would have made even steeper cuts in services for the elderly, public education and public safety, Otto said during Saturday’s legislative coffee. That plan died and a compromise budget crafted by Feuerborn barely passed. His plan included a one-cent sales tax increase sought by Gov. Mark Parkinson. Rep. Willie Prescott, Ottawa, said he reluctantly voted for a compromise budget and the one-cent sales tax increase to fund it. Several essential programs had taken heavy cuts before and they had to have additional funding, he said. He said he would tend to agree with Feuerborn that the legislators need to look at other sources of revenue, including looking at higher income tax brackets. Sen. Pat Apple said some of the cuts made by legislators often backfired during this session. One example, by cutting $22 million from Medicaid-financed services, the state lost $70 million in federal matching money, which made the cuts even deeper, he said. He said he was at a loss to explain that cut. Rep. Tony Brown, D-Baldwin City, said the budget deal also included a new state transportation plan, which included money for the proposed BNSF intermodal at Edgerton. He said that would be a boost for the area’s economy.
Tuesday, May 25, 4 p.m.
