Graves may look for school aid down the road Graves weighs options

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Mar 3, 2001 by ROGER MYERS Capital-Journal

EDUCATION

By ROGER MYERS

The Capital-Journal

Gov. Bill Graves apparently is taking seriously the adage that education is the road to success.

Legislative leaders hinted Friday that Graves is considering dipping into the state's highway funds to finance the significant increase in state aid to education that he is tentatively scheduled to unveil March 13.

At a news conference Friday, Graves declined to say what he will do, but offered, "I would go so far as to say that probably is an option."

Legislators said the governor could be considering a scenario in which the Kansas Department of Transportation would be asked to issue more highway bonds in order to free up some of the state general fund money that is currently transferred to KDOT.

The Comprehensive Transportation Plan passed in 1999 calls for 9.5 percent of the state sales tax to be transferred to the highway fund in the coming fiscal year, which begins in July.

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, said he didn't know how much more in bonding authority the governor was proposing for KDOT, nor how much in general fund money the governor was trying to free up. The 1999 transportation plan gave the KDOT secretary authority to issue up to $995 million in transportation revenue bonds.

The governor warded off most questions about his school finance plan and how he intends to fund it.

"Last time I was foolish enough to answer specific questions about any of the elements we might be looking at in funding anything, it became headline news," he said.

The governor said he has decided what elements will be in his school finance plan, and commented that it will offer an additional increase in base state aid per pupil that would exceed the $50 he already has recommended for the coming school year.

Graves noted that a number of legislators want more accountability and performance incentives in a school finance plan. It was an apparent reference to the kindergarten-third grade initiative package being developed by the House Education Committee and the sales tax increase-funded school finance plan developed by the Senate Education Committee.

The House education panel's K-3 initiative calls for more testing of pupils in kindergarten through the third grade and more funding to provide extra help for youngsters who aren't meeting standards, plus money for summer school for low achievers.

The Senate Education Committee's proposal, which the Senate Republican majority is scheduled to discuss during a caucus Tuesday, calls for funding of the mentor teacher program, competitive grants to schools whose pupils meet or exceed state standards, and a teacher scholarship plan.

Graves said there are many options available for funding his program, including higher sales tax, increased taxes on liquor and cigarettes and shifting money from other programs.

"I wouldn't be surprised if there are some adjustments in the governor's budget," House Speaker Kent Glasscock said during his weekly news conference. "But if the governor's proposal is close to the Senate Education Committee proposal in total dollars, he's got a lot of work to do."

The Senate proposal would increase state funding of schools by $246.7 million over three years, in addition to the $68 million increase in education funding Graves already has proposed in his budget.

Senate President Dave Kerr, R-Hutchinson, also hinted Graves may be looking at the state highway fund for money to help finance his schools initiative.

"I think the governor is going to range a little more freely than he did in development of his proposal for education than the proposal the Senate Education Committee presently has on the table," Kerr said during his weekly news conference.

Marty Matthews, the KDOT information officer, said a political newsletter had speculated that the governor might try to get some of his school plan funding from the transportation plan. But he said he didn't know if anyone in KDOT is working on a plan for more bonding authority.

See GRAVES, page 8-A

Graves