Web posted
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Kansas Senate panel rejects governor's plan for free parks
By CARL MANNING
Associated Press Writer
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- The Senate Ways and Means Committee has rejected Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' plan to allow Kansans to use state parks for free.
Sebelius included the plan in her proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1. She wanted to set aside $1.6 million in general tax revenues to make up for the fees the Department of Wildlife and Parks would lose.
Last year, the state cut admission fees to its 24 parks in half for Kansans, to $4.20 per vehicle. The change was designed to increase park use, and Sebelius and some legislators believe Kansans will be even more eager to visit them if they can get in free. They would still have to pay for overnight camping.
However, some senators worry that allowing free admissions will lead to more crime in the parks. They also said they would like to have another year to assess how well Kansans are responding to half-price admissions.
''I think it would be good to give it another year,'' said Sen. Carolyn McGinn, a Sedgwick Republican who is chairwoman of a subcommittee on the department's budget.
McGinn's subcommittee deleted Sebelius' plan from the proposed Department of Wildlife and Parks budget. The Ways and Means Committee ratified the spending plan on a voice vote Friday.
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SCHOOL AID: Schools in tornado-ravaged Greensburg and flood-striken areas of southeast Kansas will get some financial help from a Senate-passed bill awaiting House action.
The bill allows school districts to use their enrollment count for the 2006-2007 school year, before the disasters reduced student numbers, for the next three years, starting in the next school year. The current school year is covered by allowing the districts to average enrollment for the previous three years.
Because school district budgets are based on enrollment, using a higher number means they wouldn't see a drastic cut in funding. The bill, which passed 40-0 Thursday, would give districts time to rebuild their enrollment.
House Minority Leader Dennis McKinney of Greensburg said the school district in his hometown lost 80 percent of its tax base and the city, 90 percent of its tax base, after a killer tornado in May all but wiped the town off the map.
''There are generally positive feeling about the bill, but there are some members who want to make it's for those in the greatest need and won't be abused.'' the Democratic leader said.
Aside from Greensburg, the bill would apply to school districts in Erie, Iola, Osawatomie, Coffeyville, Independence, Neodesha and Fredonia.
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NUCLEAR OPTION: The Senate Utilities Committee will hear from a Kansas State University professor next week about nuclear energy as a viable option for generating electric power, Chairman Jay Emler said.
''If we seriously not going to think about coal, then we need to start seriously thinking about alternatives,'' said the Lindsborg Republican.
He said wind and solar energy won't provide enough power to make up the shortfall in coming years.
His committee drafted the Senate-passed bill allowing two coal-fired electrical plants in western Kansas. The Sebelius administration denied an air-quality permit for the plants, citing concerns about carbon dioxide emissions.
As for his views on nuclear power, Emler said, ''My mind is open.''
Kansas has one nuclear power plant, Wolf Creek, near Burlington, which has been in use since 1985.
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VIRTUAL SCHOOLS: Virtual schools have grown in the state in the past decade, the Senate Ways and Means Committee was told.
A report by the Legislative Post Audit Division said that in 1998 there were 63 students in one school and a decade later, that has grown to 2,000 students in 28 virtual schools operated by 26 school district and service centers.
Virtual schools are operated by districts over the Internet, offering courses and interaction between teachers and students. Courses taken count the same as those taken in a classroom.
The report said it costs districts less to operate a virtual program but they get the same amount of state money per pupil as for traditional students.
It said virtual schools also attract some who weren't part of the public school systems, including those who were home-schooled or in private schools. It also said dropouts returning to earn a degree make up 19 percent of virtual school enrollment.
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UNDER THE DOME: Friday is the 33rd day of the legislative session, out of 90 scheduled. ... The House on Monday will debate its version of legislation allowing construction of two coal-fired power plants in western Kansas.
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Associated Press Writer John Hanna contributed to this report.
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