By Steve Bell
Kansas City, MO – The House $9-billion budget passed today freezes higher education spending, sets a goal of a $113-million ($125 per pupil) increase in K-12 spending. Substantial cuts for Medicaid and other social services are included in the package. Senate leaders say the House proposal is still $40 million short on funds.
The Senate sent the House its school funding proposal that would phase in an additional $589-million over 5 years. Neither the Senate proposal nor the House budget require that the legislature actually fund the school proposals.
The nationwide FALCON dragnet operation involving local and federal law enforcement agencies cleared 250 outstanding warrants in the Kansas City area and resulted in the arrests of 140 violent felons who were still at large.
The American Association for the Advancement of Science has refused to participate in the coming Kansas hearings on evolution. Its policydirector says "It's not a debate. Science conclusions are not based on 'expert opinion.' They are based on data."