The elephant in the Kansas Capitol every year is state funding for education. This year is no different and the elephant is getting restless. So are legislators. HE DISCUSSED a few of issues, including his decision to vote for a bill passed by the House last week that has been characterized as being discriminatory against gays and lesbians. BOTH HOUSES are considering bills to deal with appraisal of Ash Grove Cement’s plant in Neosho County and Coffeyville Resources in Montgomery County.
“School finance is hauntingly quiet,” Kent Thompson, 9th District representative, told the Register Sunday afternoon.
The Supreme Court has yet to give its opinion on a lawsuit that claims Kansas is not adequately funding K-12 education.
“We’d like to know where we stand,” Thompson said.
For perspective, base state aid to education this school year is $3,838 per pupil, down from $4,400 in 2009-10. Also, the number would have been closer to $4,500 this year if the Legislature had adhered to promises made before the recession hit, when education funding fell victim to budget cuts.
If the state’s high court decides funding is “not adequate,” legislators will be faced with deciding what is and how to fund it. More conservative members have railed about what they call the court’s interference and that they may fight a decision they find unacceptable.
A show-down of monumental proportions may be brewing.
Deciding funding is the Legislature’s job, Thompson maintained. “The Supreme Court can’t appropriate money, that’s the Legislature’s role.”
It is the responsibility, however, of the high court to interpret the state constitution, to which legislators have pledged their support.
“It’s been a matter of hurry up and wait,” on the court’s decision, as well as other issues that have surfaced since Thompson was appointed last fall to fill the 9th District vacancy created by the death of Ed Bideau, Chanute, who was elected in 2012.
“Everything moves slowly, slower than I had thought it would,” Thompson said. “That’s good, though. There’s a lot of committee work” that goes into the run-up to decisions on bills “and there’s a lot to learn.”
He serves on Tax, Health and Human Services and Vision 20-20 committees.
“The Vision committee has been very interesting. We’re looking at things that may happen 10, 20, even 50 years from now. It gives an interesting view of the future.”
“The bill grants only those legal rights already provided in the federal civil service act with respect to an employer’s duty to accommodate the religious beliefs of employees,” Thompson said.
In Kansas marriage other than between a man and woman is illegal. The bill makes it clear employers can deny services if their religious convictions pose a conflict in dealing with potential customers or employees.
In the case of a government service, Thompson said if an employee were offended, another person would be obligated to provide the service.
“While marriage is an issue about which thoughtful and sincere people can disagree, we should all be able to agree that the government should not punish anyone for the views they hold on this sensitive issue,” Thompson said.
Thompson said the bill is structured to respect the rights of Kansans on both sides of the marriage debate.
While the House passed the bill, HB 2453, Senate President Susan Wagle announced Friday it wouldn’t pass as written in the Senate.
In addition to school finance, Common Core has been a topic.
Common Core sets out nationwide standards for primary subjects — such as math, English and science — with the goal for all U.S. students to have attained the same basic knowledge by the time they graduate high school.
“I’ve heard both sides,” Thompson said, but has no strong feelings about Kansas moving in another direction. “It (Common Core) seems to be working and it is current law.”
He doubts if a move afoot to eliminate state aid for large scale school construction projects is likely to find traction.
That’s important locally with consideration being given to construction of new USD 257 schools, which under current law would draw state support of almost 50 percent.
In both cases machinery and equipment were appraised as real estate, which increased property tax obligations by substantial amounts.
The contention is that machinery and equipment should be considered personal property, which would be exempt from property taxes under a law instituted in Kansas several years ago.
In the House, a bill sponsored by Ash Grove that would exempt most parts of commercial cement plants from property taxation passed the House Taxation Committee. In the Senate a bill being considered would have such companies appraised by the state, as is done with utilities, including gas and oil production.
‘Hurry up and wait’ in the House
