Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback says he is “looking at everything” to fill a projected $279 million budget deficit for this fiscal year, including the possibility of tweaking the state’s income tax policy.
The Wichita Eagle reports the governor spoke briefly to reporters Monday while leaving a meeting of the State Finance Council. He said he wasn’t aware before this month’s election that the state would hit a budget shortfall this fiscal year, which ends in June.
On top of this year’s projected deficit, the state faces an estimated $436 million hole for the next fiscal year.
The state’s nonpartisan Legislative Research Department considers Brownback’s income tax policies the primary cause of the state’s deficit.
The governor didn’t say when he would unveil a plan to plug the budget hole.
