Hello from Topeka!
We are back in full mode of bill introductions and review of budgets and ideas to make our lives better.
Last week, Governor Kelly delivered her second State of the State address.
The Republicans offered a response to what was heard:
1. Fiscal responsibility
The governor’s vision includes squandering the state’s current surplus and lead the state down a road of financial instability. This includes her plan to reamortize KPERS which will balloon state debt and will require all Kansans to pay more out of their pockets. This credit card tactic will inevitably divert funds away from critical programs like mental health services, our foster care system, and our highways. At the end of FY 2019 the state had a surplus of $1.1 billion, or 15.7% ending balance. The governor’s budget cuts that figure in half to $533.3 million, or 6.8% ending balance.
2. Civil discourse
Both Republicans and Democrats have been invited to embrace civil discourse with training designed to break down partisan barriers and encourage productive policy conversations. Through efforts like this, we can make our state government more about solutions and less about election-year promises.
3. Growing Kansas instead of growing government
Governor Kelly seeks to add more government programs and grow spending, hoping in turn to grow Kansas. We know that this is the wrong path for Kansas. Limited government partnered with private investment that fuels the fires of innovation and renewal will cultivate authentic growth. This growth that the governor seeks to foster cannot be stimulated by continuing to treat taxpayers’ pockets like an ATM.
Bottom line
The state cannot continue to spend more than it brings in, leaving all Kansans like us to pick up the tab. We need to grow Kansas through limited government and private investment rather than growth stimulated by bigger government reaching into taxpayers’ pockets.
Early this week the Value Them Both Amendment—Constitutional Amendment to Protect Both Women and Babies has taken center stage in the Federal and State Affairs Committee.
This proposed constitutional amendment in response to the Kansas Supreme Court’s 2019 overreaching ruling on the case of Hodes & Nauser v Schmidt.
The ruling puts at risk broadly supported regulations like bans on brutal late-term abortion and taxpayer funded abortions, parental notification requirements and clinic safety standards, leaving both women and babies without even the most basic health and safety standards. The Value Them Both amendment will remedy this ruling and restore the foundation for basic regulations to be placed around the abortion industry and will place the power to regulate the abortion industry back in the people’s hands where it belongs. Value Them Both was introduced and heard by committees this week, and once passed by two-thirds majority in each chamber, it will be placed on the ballot in August of 2020 for the people of Kansas to weigh in.
The text reads as follows:
"Because Kansans value both women and children, the constitution of the state of Kansas does not require government funding of abortion and does not create or secure a right to abortion. To the extent permitted by the United States Constitution, the people through their elected state representatives and state senators may pass laws regarding abortion, including, but not limited to, in circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest or when necessary to save the life of the mother."
Bottom line: The Legislature has passed previous abortion regulation measures. The Value Them Both amendment will protect both women and babies from what could soon be an unregulated abortion industry created by the ruling Hodes & Nauser v. Schmidt. Kansans should have the right to vote on this issue so they can decide whether they want Kansas to be a pro-life state or not.
What would the legislative session be without talking about KPERS?
Governor’s KPERS Plan—Second Verse, (Nearly) Same as the First. The governor unveiled another attempt to balance the budget on the backs of retirees and current state employees. In 2019 she proposed a plan to reamortize KPERS which would have left a legacy of debt amassing to $7.4 billion, all in the name of funding the governor’s spending increases.
The Legislature saw through this credit card tactic and rejected the bill (HB 2197) on a vote of 36-87.
This year’s proposal is much of the same, an increase of debt totaling to $4.4 billion in effort to carry out Governor Kelly’s unsustainable budget to “save” $130+ million. It is evident that engaging in this borrowing scheme only leads to fiscal instability which ultimately will jeopardize the efficacy of government services which hurts all Kansans.
In response to this proposal, KPERS Executive Director Alan Conroy provided the following information:
• Under the governor’s proposal, the amortization period would be extended 25 years (adds 10 years to current amortization) for unfunded actuarial liability (KPERS State/School). This requires adding $4.4 billion in additional payments.
• Reamortization is projected to delay KPERS reaching the 80% funded ratio by seven years (2036, not 2029)
• Reamortization requires a payment of $268.4 million at end of current FY for prior missed KPERS State/School employer contributions. The Legislature previously authorized payments over 20 years for those missed contributions.
• Paying KPERS obligations early does not improve the actuarial funding of KPERS, but does get the payment to KPERS more quickly for investment.
At the expense of $4.4 billion in debt, the governor’s proposal “frees up” additional SGF funds to prop up her budget:
FY 21—$130.9 million
FY 22—$132.4 million
FY 23—$157.9 million
FY 24—$162.9 million
Bottom line: The governor’s KPERS reamortization proposal includes short term “savings” at the expense of accruing debt totaling $4.4 billion. The same plan was voted down by the House just last year, and was even denounced by the governor herself in 2017. Our children and their children shouldn’t have to pay tomorrow for Governor Kelly’s increased spending today.
Sorry this week’s column is long, but lots of information I wanted to share. I now have a newsletter, let me know if you would like to subscribe or you can go to kenforkansas.com.
When you come to Topeka during the session, my office is still located in Room: 149-S. My phone number is (785) 296- 7463 and email is: [email protected] and you can always try my cell number at (785) 302-8416. When you call or write you might hear from Jan Kohlers, who is my assistant during the session.
I look forward to seeing you around the 110th District. It is my honor to by your representative.
Ken Rahjes (R-Agra) is the 110th district state representative in Kansas.