Legislators in both parties have been slow to embrace Kansas Governor Sam Brownback’s proposal to fund all-day kindergarten programs across the state. The lawmakers are questioning whether state revenues will be sufficient to sustain the program once it is fully phased in and costing $80 million a year. Their concerns are based on projections that indicate declining revenues may soon force them to either make significant budget cuts or raise taxes.
Responding today (FRI), Brownback said his proposal is affordable.
Speaking at a Statehouse news conference, the governor said if he didn’t think the state could afford to fund all-day kindergarten programs across the state he wouldn’t have proposed it.