A review of Kansas 2011 legislative session

### September 30, 2011[edit]

TOPEKA, Kansas: Three more months are left in 2011. With very little developments in the state of Kansas, take a look back at some highlights of Kansas 2011 state legislative session:

##### Business tax deductions[edit]

In the 2011 session, the legislature allowed "expensing," a way for businesses to receive larger tax deductions for start-up costs such as new equipment and software.[1]

##### School funding[edit]

In July, state revenue officials forecast a revenue surplus of at least $175 million for FY 2011 (July 2010-July 2011), a pleasant windfall for policymakers that had cut $800 million out of the FY 2012 budget not six months ago. In response, state education administrators petitioned lawmakers to restore some of the funding for schools that was eliminated as part of Governor Sam Brownback's austerity measures.

Board of Education member Sue Storm was pessimistic about the prospect of reversing the cuts, which saw aid to Kansas public schools drop about $232 per pupil in the 2012 fiscal year. Others argued the board should ask for only a percentage of the funds back as a way to improve relations with austerity-minded legislators. Given the Republican legislative majority had proposed eliminating the state's corporate income tax entirely in the 2011 session, a measure that would cost the states about $200 million annually, House Majority Leader Paul Davis saw little reason to substantial increases in funding. He also noted the funding increases would need to be approved during the 2012 session in the midst of an election campaign, when legislators would continue to advocate for tax cuts.[2]

## See also[edit]

* Kansas 2012 ballot measures
* 2012 ballot measures
* Kansas Legislature

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1. ↑ Stateline.org, "States balance budgets with cuts, not taxes," June 15, 2011(Archived)
2. ↑ Kansas City Star, "Kansas Education Board wants state’s school funding restored," July 17, 2011