We anticipate seeing charts showing an “increase” in state funding vs. last year, because we’re changing education accounting again, just like there was an “increase” when KPERS was rolled into education funding. Money raised locally will now be routed through Topeka, and local banks will miss out on a significant amount of deposits.
“But Sen. Laura Kelly, the ranking Democrat on the Senate budget committee, says the matter may not be that simple.
‘If that 20 mills from every little school district comes to the state treasury,’ Kelly said, ‘I don’t know how that would not be considered at that point state money.’
Moreover, she said, this may be a “disingenuous” attempt to make it look like schools are receiving more dollars.
Kelly said she suspects most legislators weren’t aware the change was part of a bill related to mineral severance taxes and oil and gas depletion funds, which also included a provision to put mineral severance taxes toward schools. http://cjonline.com/news/2014-06-17/property-taxes-schools-be-rerouted-through-state-treasury