(PatriotNewsDaily.com) – On Friday, legislators in Kansas approved another year of funding for the majority of state services and agencies.
The bill passed after a public protest against the 93 percent increase that the lawmakers had planned for themselves next year. In a 26-12 vote the Republican-controlled senate approved the $19 billion in 2025 budget spending bill which is going to start on July 1st. The bill will cover the majority of spending apart from state public school aid which is going to be included in a separate measure that has stalled.
The actions of the Senate had come hours after the Republican-controlled House had also approved the bill in a 78-44 vote. Democrat Gov. Laura Kelly will now need to sign the bill, however, according to the state Constitution, she does have the authority to veto individual spending items. This is something that she has had to often do in the past.
The bill also includes a 5 percent pay increase for all government workers, as well as a larger increase for public safety workers, and those working in a field where the pay is far lower than the one in the private sector.
However, many people complained about how vast the difference is between the 5 percent raise by the majority of state workers, versus the 93 percent increase for lawmakers next year. This also led to a last-minute process before the passing of the bill.
Kansas City-area Republican Sen. Rob Olson argued that this is the exact reason why people did not trust politicians.
Copyright 2024, PatriotNewsDaily.com
