The state of Kansas is facing a projected budget deficit of more than $350 million dollars in the next fiscal year.

Geary County Commissioner Florence Whitebread made a point to area legislators not to pass it down to the counties. Whitebread and other members of the commission met with legislators on Tuesday at the Geary County Office Building. She told JC Post, “We know the state has a big debt to pay off. Don’t send it back to the counties and expect the counties to supplement, and pay for things that the state should be covering. And I think that was the biggest message we tried to get across. The counties cannot absorb any more.”

State Senator Tom Hawk told JC Post the state has a budget that unfortunately has to be cut. ” AWe have to get our revenues straightened out. There’s a structural imbalance that we as legislators recognize. I think the county commissioners recognize that to. And that’s going to be the priority, and also have the school finance formula that has to be corrected and devised over this next session. The plate’s pretty full.”

The commission typically meets with area legislators on annual basis ahead of the upcoming session of the Kansas legislature.