Governor Not Backing Off School Cuts

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback’s budget director says he’s not planning to back off cuts in funding for public schools and state universities even though tax collections were better than expected last month.

Budget Director Shawn Sullivan said Wednesday that the state’s revenue picture is still too uncertain.

The state collected $22 million more in taxes than expected in February after revenues fell short of expectations in December and January.

Brownback announced in late January that he’d cut aid to public schools in the current budget by $28 million and funding for state universities by $16 million. The reductions are scheduled to take effect Saturday.

The governor acted to avoid a budget deficit on June 30.

The state’s budget problems followed aggressive income tax cuts in 2012 and 2013.