Brownback speaking at Topeka Chamber of Commerce event. (Photo by Stephen Koranda)
Governor Sam Brownback pitched his education proposal to business leaders at a Topeka Chamber of Commerce event today (TUE). Brownback’s plan would simplify the school funding formula and give local districts more freedom to raise property taxes. Brownback has said his plan could help end lawsuits over education funding. A coalition of school districts is again suing the state over the issue. Brownback says the lawsuit could demand the state increase funding by up to $1 billion. He says that would require cuts to other areas of state government programs or increases in taxes.
Critics of Brownback’s plan have said it doesn’t do enough to reverse recent cuts to education funding and likely won’t protect the state from lawsuits over school funding.