Kansas Budget Talks Suspended

Legislative negotiators in Kansas have

suspended talks on a new state budget with major issues still

unresolved.

House and Senate negotiators have been working for weeks to

reconcile differences between the chambers over the roughly $14

billion budget for the fiscal year that starts in July. But no

talks were scheduled after meetings Tuesday, and it wasn’t clear

when the negotiators would convene again.

Issues still on the table are plans to provide cities and

counties with funding for property tax relief, and how to finance

an increase in state aid to public schools.

Budget negotiations often bog down during the Legislature’s

annual wrap-up session as other issues become intertwined in the

debate.