Proposed Budget Highlights
The governor’s fiscal 2023 budget proposal builds on the principles of sound fiscal management with a focus on long-term sustainability. The budget proposal invests in core areas of government services, provides tax relief to citizens of Kansas, and makes a deposit into the state’s reserves. The following recommendations are included in the fiscal 2023 budget proposal:
Continued Investment in Education
- Fully fund K-12 education at the constitutionally required levels.
- $153.1 million of new funding to post-secondary education.
- $45.7 million to restore university funding to pre-pandemic levels and freeze tuition for the upcoming academic year.
- $25.0 million to fund the Kansas Access Partnership Grant, a need-based grant program that assists Kansas families with the cost of attending four-year public universities.
- $15.0 million of one-time funding to be distributed across the system of two-year colleges.
- $2.5 million to fully fund Excel in Career Technical Education for fiscal 2023.
- $45.0 million of one-time funding for physical and digital infrastructure needs.
Expand Access to Affordable Healthcare
- $19.0 million to expand Medicaid.
- $29.3 million to increase capacity for regionalization of state hospitals.
- $3.0 million increase for the Mental Health Intervention Team Program.
- $4.2 million to extend Medicaid coverage for pregnant women for up to 12 months post-partum.
Provide Tax Relief
- Eliminate the state’s sales tax on food items effective July 1, 2022.
- One-time $250 rebate to all Kansas residents who filed a 2020 tax return in 2021.
Early Debt Retirement
- Pay off $585.5 million of existing debt in fiscal year 2022.
- $235.9 million to eliminate the debt associated with the missed KPERS-School payments from fiscal year 2017 and fiscal year 2019.
One-Time Investments
- $600 million deposit to the budget stabilization fund.
- $185 million to pay for approved capital projects.
- $195 million for the university economic development challenge grant.
- $20 million for the Department of Commerce to invest in initiatives to increase affordable housing options.
Realign Program Outcomes with Appropriate Funding Source
- End transfers from the state highway fund to the state general fund.
- End the transfer of funds from the economic development initiatives fund to the state general fund.
- Fully fund the state water plan fund with a transfer of $6.0 million from the state general fund and $2.0 million from the economic development initiatives fund.