Kansas Budget Negoiators Resume Talks

Legislative negotiators working on the

Kansas budget say state spending for education and other programs

is tied to a pending compromise on tax cuts.

The budget talks resumed Wednesday after the conferees made

little progress Tuesday. They’re trying to resolve differences

between the House and Senate on the $14 billion spending plan for

the budget year that starts July 1st.

A new tax bill that emerged Wednesday would blunt the effects of

a plan legislators approved last week. It would leave the state

with healthier ending balances and would not require significant

cuts in spending to balance the budget.

The budget negotiators met Wednesday and plan to resume their

talks Thursday ahead of a key vote on the new tax plan.