Gov. Parkinson Outlines Plan To Balance Budget

Governor Mark Parkinson is calling for more cuts to the state budget and says he will support a sales tax increase.

Parkinson held a news conference in Topeka Friday morning. Parkinson has made a tougher seat belt law part of his plan for keeping the state budget balanced through the end of June.

He also announced Friday that he would cancel highway maintenance projects, suspend a payment into a disability fund for state employees and take advantage of extra federal funds.

Parkinson included a tougher seat belt law because it would attract additional funds from the federal government.

Some of his proposals require approval from the Legislature.

Parkinson is trying to erase a projected $88 million deficit in the current budget, caused mainly by lower-than-anticipated tax collections in February.

His plan includes no new cuts in education or social services spending.