State Representative Lonnie Clark says one issue facing the legislature when they return to work in Topeka next month will be the need to address the “adequate funding” of education in Kansas.

According to Club President Ferrell Miller, Clark reported that $600 million would most likely fund both the equity and adequacy issues the State Supreme Court has directed the legislature to improve. Clark stated, “This would amount to about 38 – 38% of the State’s budget and would have an impact on other agencies to accomplish.”

State revenues are up during this fourth quarter of the year. Clark added that he expects cigarette and gasoline taxes to rise because those are some of the only things left to help pay for education. “It is not going to be easy for a number of years to get us out of a deep hole. We need time.”

Clark also intends to meet every two weeks with a representative from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to try to find a way to control the blue green algae at Milford Lake in particular. “Algae has been with us for years and you never get rid of all of it, but there has to be a way of controlling it.” Clark said that he hopes by working with others, controlling the algae can be accomplished.