TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas officials will learn soon whether the state's tax collections in August met expectations. The report due today (TUE) from the Department of Revenue is coming a little more than a month after Governor Sam Brownback's budget director announced $63 million in adjustments to the state's $15.4 billion budget to lessen the chances of a deficit. The state finished its 2015 fiscal year on June 30 with tax collections $26 million short of expectations, and collections fell another $5.4 million short in July. Even with budget adjustments and sales and cigarette tax increases taking effect in July, the state won't have much of a financial cushion in cash reserves. Budget problems arose after lawmakers slashed income taxes in 2012 and 2013 at Brownback's urging as an economic stimulus.
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