State funding to Kansas State University has steadily decreased over the last ten years.

Despite that news, KSU President Richard Myers said he doesn’t anticipate any budget cuts in the remainder of fiscal year 2017.

“We don’t have much time to adjust if they give us a cut, but that’s been pretty much ruled out and I think we all breathed a big sigh of relief,” said Myers. “Anything is possible, the Legislature is still in session, but we think we will not take a cut in this fiscal year.”

Monies from the State to KSU have decreased by nearly $40 million over the last decade.

“It’s over ten years, but it’s a little bit here, a little bit there; and some of it was late in the fiscal year, so you can’t plan, you can’t do the kind of budgeting you’d like to do with any certainty,” said Myers.

K-State is among the worst in the Big 12 conference when it comes to employee salaries.

“If you look at our overall salary structure compared to the rest of the Big 12, we’re not at the top – we’re at the bottom, and it’s not a place we want to be,” said Myers. “Your revenue streams are the State and tuition, so [depending on] how the State budget stabilizes and then can we get our enrollment turned around, we’ve had a dip here in the last couple of years.”

Myers noted that there is an effort in the Legislature to rewrite tax laws and create more tax revenues for fiscal year 2018 to which he stated, “that would be spectacular, and might lead to more certainty around our budget here at Kansas State.”

Nearly all of Kansas’ public universities have increased tuition costs amid budget cuts to higher education.

Fiscal year 2017 ends June 30th.

Changes for foster care could be coming in the future.

A member of the Kansas House Children and Seniors Committee, Dave Baker, says that committee has been gathering information and hearing testimony on foster care and future changes that may be necessary.”There is a proposal out there to do inspections on home schooling, make sure those students are actually learning things and the condition of the house, and some of that.”

Baker said on the senior side, they are working on electronic monitoring in care homes where it is requested by residents. “The care homes can work out the details with them. That’s going to be a major change. You stop and think about that on the care homes, with all the different things that go on in those facilities that’ll be quite an adjustment for some of them.”

Baker added they also have to deal with all of the dfferent paperwork and backlog in the KanCare system. “So we’re working diligently on that, and I’ll be out in the District ( 68th ) this next four-five months talking to everybody involved in the care home facilities and getting some direction on what we’re going to do on that this next year on changing some legislation.”

The American Legion Post 45 in Junction City will host the 2017 Geary County Fishing Derby on May 20 at Geary County State Lake south of Junction City.

This is for local children, ages 8 to 17. One hundred spots are available, with sign-up April 1st through May 19th or until all spots are filled.

Poles, tackle, bait and a t-shirt will be provided, prizes will be given and there will be a barbeque after the derby.

Contact the American Legion Post 45 at 201 East 4th Street, call 238-2432, or email al45earlcgormley@gmail.com. There will be a meeting for all participants on Friday May 19th at 6:30 p.m. at the American Legion.

REST OF TODAY
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