The Kansas budget has been the spotlight of the upcoming elections and it will continue to be the spotlight when the legislature reconvenes in January.

Currently the state is operating on a $15.3 billion budget in fiscal year 2015, which began back on July 1st. In fiscal year 2014 the state saw a budget shortfall of nearly $700 million, and that shortfall is expected to continue if something is not done in the near future.

Duane Goossen, served as the Director of the Kansas Division of the Budget for 12 years under three Governors, Bill Graves, Kathleen Sebelius and Mark Parkinsons. Goossen was the guest speaker during Tuesdays Junction City Rotary Club meeting and he explained that currently the state’s expenses are much higher than the revenues coming in.

“Up until now the state has been able to cover the difference between low revenue and high expenses by using the states savings account, but the savings account is just about out,” says Goossen. ” Very soon now the state is going to have to make revenue and expenses line up, somehow. Likely what that means is expenditure cuts.”

In order to make the revenues and expenses line up Goossen said that it’s incredibly likely that the legislature will make extensive cuts to the states general fund in January.

Goossen said that the reason for the revenue shortfall is related to tax policy changes in 2012 and 2013, lowering the amount of income taxes the state receives. Those tax breaks will continue to decrease through 2018.