NEW DCCC AD: “Formula” Exposes why the Brownback Agenda is Really the Yoder-Brownback Agenda

2014: Cuts From 2009 Were The “Genesis” For Kansas’ Current Education Funding “Crisis[.]” “Even though the state Constitution requires that it make ‘suitable provision’ for financing public education, Gov. Sam Brownback and the Republican-led Legislature have made draconian cuts in school spending, leading to a lawsuit that now sits before the state Supreme Court. … Kansas’ current constitutional crisis has its genesis in a series of cuts to school funding that began in 2009. he cuts were accelerated by a $1.1 billion tax break, which benefited mostly upper-income Kansans, proposed by Governor Brownback and enacted in 2012.” [New York Times, David Sciarra and Wade Henderson Op-Ed, 1/07/14]  

Kansas’ Credit Rating Was Downgraded Because Of The State’s Revenue Shortage. “S&P Global Ratings dropped its rating for Kansas to AA-, from AA, three months after putting the state on a negative credit watch. S&P also dropped the state’s credit rating in August 2014 … ‘The downgrade reflects what we believe to be structural budget pressures,’ S&P credit analyst David Hitchcock said in the agency’s statement. Kansas has struggled to balance its budget since Republican Gov. Sam Brownback successfully pushed the GOP-dominated Legislature to slash personal income taxes in 2012 and 2013 in an effort to stimulate the state’s economy … The S&P report cites the state’s ongoing diversion funds for highway projects to general government programs and says the state continues to underfund pensions for teachers and government workers. State Budget Director Shawn Sullivan said he takes issues with both criticisms but acknowledged during an interview that Kansas must do more to bring spending and revenues in line with each other. He also said the state needs to build up cash reserves that have been depleted by shortfalls in tax collections … Both S&P and Moody’s have criticized Kansas for not bringing its revenues and spending into line with each other — and its diversion of highway funds to paper over budget problems.” [Associated Press, 7/26/16]  

2016: Gov. Brownback Cut $30 Million In Education Funding. “Governor Sam Brownback on Wednesday announced statewide cuts in order to balance the Kansas budget… Higher education is taking a big cut in its funding.  In all, more than $30 million has been cut.” [KSN.com, 5/18/16]

2013: Brownback Has Presided Over Nearly $500 Million In Cuts To Public Education During His Time In Office. “Governor Sam Brownback, a Republican who has advocated for the tax cuts, has also said he would preserve adequate school funding and has proposed a reformed financing plan. But Democrats have criticized Brownback for presiding over roughly $500 million in cuts to public education, which Brownback authorized in 2011.” [Chicago Tribune, 1/11/13]  

Super:  Kevin Yoder’s Education Cuts

Super: “genesis” of crisis

New York Times, Op-Ed, 1/07/14

As Chair Of Kansas House Appropriations Committee, “Led The Effort To Cut Spending … And Fight Tax Increases.” “Prior to being elected to Congress, Kevin served as a State Representative in the Kansas Legislature for eight years, representing Leawood and Overland Park. Kevin chaired the House Appropriations Committee where he led the effort to cut spending, balance the state budget and fight tax increases.” [Yoder for Congress, About Kevin, accessed 10/12/16]  

2009: Introduced Deficit Reduction Plan That Cut School Funding By $53 Million As Appropriations Committee Chair. In January 2009, Yoder introduced a substitute bill for Senate Bill 23, the Kansas Senate’s Modified Budget for fiscal year 2009 in the House Appropriations Committee. The Associated Press reported “a House committee’s chairman floated a new proposal Friday for eliminating a state budget deficit, but his plan drew criticism over its proposed cuts in school funding. The plan from Rep. Kevin Yoder would make $327 million in adjustments to the budget for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30. Yoder’s Appropriations Committee debated the measure as an alternative to a budget plan approved by the Senate with bipartisan support…Yoder’s plan would reduce the aid schools have been promised by $53 million, while the Senate’s figure is only $7 million.” The substitute passed a voice vote in the House on February 4, 2009 and was signed into law by Governor Sebelius after additional amendments. [SB 23, 2/20/09; Associated Press, 1/30/09]  

New York Times Op-Ed: 2009 Cuts Were The “Genesis” For Kansas’ Current Education Funding Crisis. “Even though the state Constitution requires that it make “suitable provision” for financing public education, Gov. Sam Brownback and the Republican-led Legislature have made draconian cuts in school spending, leading to a lawsuit that now sits before the state Supreme Court. … Kansas’ current constitutional crisis has its genesis in a series of cuts to school funding that began in 2009. The cuts were accelerated by a $1.1 billion tax break, which benefited mostly upper-income Kansans, proposed by Governor Brownback and enacted in 2012.” [New York Times, David Sciarra and Wade Henderson Op-Ed, 1/07/14]  

Super:  Yoder backs Brownback Facebook 8/06/14, Facebook 6/01/10

2010: Campaigned With Sam Brownback, Pat Roberts, And Other Republican Candidates During A “Kansas Republican Party Clean Sweep” Tour. [Kevin Yoder for Congress Facebook, 10/27/10; 10/28/10; 10/28/10; 10/28/10]  

2011: Sam Brownback And Kevin Yoder Attended A Reception Together. [Congressman Kevin Yoder Facebook, 1/08/11]

2012: Yoder Did A Get Out The Vote Rally With Governor Sam Brownback At His Campaign Headquarters Ahead Of The Election. [Kevin Yoder for Congress Facebook, 10/28/12]  

2014: Appeared At Fundraiser In Support Of Brownback In Washington, DC At The Capitol Hill Club; Event Included $250, $500, $1,000, And $2,000 Sponsor And Donor Levels. [Political Party Time, 7/15/14]  

2014: Congratulated Brownback On His Primary Reelection Campaign Win And Called For “Unit[ing] As A Party” Heading Into The November Election. “Congratulations to Sam Brownback, Pat Roberts for Senate 2014 and all of the other deserving winners of last night’s Kansas Republican primary. Now we must unite as a party to keep Kansas red in November.” [Kevin Yoder for Congress Facebook, 8/06/14]  

September 2014: Canvassed Voters With Brownback Supporters. “Yesterday #teamyoder and I went door to door in Shawnee, but we missed you there! Sign up at http://yoderforcongress.com/volunteer.” [Kevin Yoder Twitter, @KevinYoder, 9/21/14]  

Super: “The plan from Rep. Kevin Yoder”

Associated Press, 1/30/09

Super: Hundreds of Millions Cut From Kansas Schools

The Plan To Cut $142 Million In Education Funding Included Preserving Tax Breaks For Corporations. “Lawmakers need to find $328 million to close the Kansas budget deficit, but so far there’s little consensus on where to find it. A plan to balance the budget failed on the House floor tonight. It included a $142 million cut to public schools and universities, a $39 million cut to most other state agencies and the elimination of state worker raises in the budget year beginning July 1. Lawmakers have already cut hundreds of millions in spending to offset deep revenue declines. They returned Wednesday to finish the work …  The authors of the failed bill said the hard decisions will only get worse if lawmakers don’t find consensus. ‘There are a billion reasons not to vote for this bill,’ said Rep. Kevin Yoder, an Overland Park Republican. Still, he warned that tonight’s vote increases the chances of a tax increase, or deeper school cuts. Democrats, led by Gov. Mark Parkinson, favor delaying the phaseout of the estate tax and corporate franchise tax. House Democrats voted no on the budget cuts Friday because the tax breaks remained intact. They were joined by enough Republicans to defeat the bill 62-53. ‘If you expect me to vote for a budget that cuts education and services but let big business walk away with a bigger piece of the pie, you’ll have to find your votes somewhere else,’ said Rep. Tom Burroughs, a Kansas City, Kan., Democrat.” [Kansas City Star, 5/02/09]

2009: Yoder Introduced $327 Million Deficit Reduction Plan that Cut School Funding by $53 Million; AP: “The Plan From Rep. Kevin Yoder[.]” “A House committee’s chairman floated a new proposal Friday for eliminating a state budget deficit, but his plan drew criticism over its proposed cuts in school funding. The plan from Rep. Kevin Yoder would make $327 million in adjustments to the budget for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30 … Yoder’s plan would reduce the aid schools have been promised by $53 million.” [SB 23, 2/20/09; Associated Press, 1/30/09]

Offered An Amendment That Cut $10 Million In Funding For The State’s Education Technology Infrastructure. On March 23, 2009 Yoder offered an amendment to “add $2.5 million state funding for the Wichita Center for Graduate Medical Education; delete $10 million funding for KAN-ED; add $108,150 funding for the Kansas Real Estate Commission in fiscal year (FY) 2010, but decrease that agency’s funding by $91,850 in FY2011; decrease the Kansas Attorney General’s operating budget by $2,727 and increase by that same amount funding for the Attorney General’s abuse, neglect and exploitation unit; increase funding for the Kansas State Treasurer by $25,567; delete funds transfers from the Kansas Insurance Department’s examinations fund to other assorted funds of that agency; transfer $298,099 from some funds of the Kansas Department of Commerce to other funds of the same agency; increase funding for the Kansas Department of Education’s operating expenses and decrease funding by the same amount from the agency’s KPERS contributions for its employees; and, increase funding by $1 million for the Kansas University Medical Center.” KAN-ED is operated by the Kansas State Department of Education and is a “a private, secure, and high-speed statewide network built for use by members of accredited K12 institutions, higher education institutions, hospitals, and libraries of Kansas.” The amendment passed by voice vote on March 23, 2009. The bill containing Yoder’s amendment ultimately passed the House, but was reworked in Conference Committee before being signed into law by Governor Parkinson with his line-item veto on May 22, 2009. [Kansas Policy Institute, HB 2373, 3/23/09; Kansas Department Of Education Directory, 3/14/13]  

Super:  Kevin Yoder: Brownback plan “a better pathway” [Topeka Capital-Journal, 2/22/13]

Super:  Sam Brownback Kevin Yoder The wrong formula for Kansas.