Cash Reserves Archives - Kansas Policy Institute

With $1 billion in reserve, schools don’t need a $200 million gift 0
- Education
- January 17, 2022
Gov. Laura Kelly’s budget proposal to gift $200 million to schools this year – on top of a court-mandated $243 million increase – isn’t needed for several reasons. It’s just an election year stunt to paint opponents as being unwilling to ‘fully fund’ public education. Under Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, the Legislature deferred about half ofREAD MORE
Achievement gaps persist despite KSDE claims 0
- Tax & Spending
- December 13, 2021
Deputy Commissioner of Education Brad Neuenswander last week told legislators that achievement gaps began to close after funding was "restored," but as is often the case with KSDE, both claims were misleading. Funding was increased, not cut, and achievement gaps have remained persistently wide. Legislators were told that proficiency – Levels 3 and 4 onREAD MORE
2021 Legislator Briefing Book also has good value for taxpayers 0
- Tax & Spending
- January 14, 2021
Our 2021 Legislator Briefing Book is designed to give legislators and taxpayers a quick-reference guide that provides background and perspective on state spending, tax facts, economic conditions, and K-12 education. It’s all government data, but much of it is hard to find. And the data often contradicts what you’ve heard from media and government officials. READ MORE

Federal bailouts of state budgets hasten fiscal disaster 0
- Tax & Spending
- September 16, 2020
Early this month, Governor Kelly testified to Congress, asking for federal bailouts of Kansas’ billion-dollar budget shortfall. However, bailing out Kansas’s budget shortfall cements poor fiscal management, puts Kansans at financial risk, and hastens a federal fiscal disaster. According to the Kansas Legislative Research Department, Kansas went from an ending balance of $1.1 billion in
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School cash reserves set new record at $2.3 billion 0
- Education
- September 14, 2020
In yet another affront to students and taxpayers, school districts increased cash reserves by $107 million last year, setting a new record of $2.3 billion. The largest portion, operating cash reserves, increased from $942 million to $998 million. Cash set aside for debt payments went from $605 million to $649 million, capital outlay reserves increasedREAD MORE
Kelly’s K-12 budget plan favors government over taxpayers 0
- Education
- June 26, 2020
When Governor Kelly signed the school funding bill in 2019, she knew it would create large budget deficits within two years. One highly placed source asked her what she would do if the state ran short of money, and she replied, “Well if we can’t afford it, I’ll just tell the court we can’t afford
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