Sample Script:

Hi, my name is [your name] and I live in [city, state, zip code]. We are on the path to recovery from five years of failed tax policy. We don’t want to go back. We need the additional revenue to adequately fund Kansas schools, begin much-needed infrastructure projects that were delayed, stabilize rising Kansas college tuition rates, and take care of vulnerable foster children. This is not the time for tax change. I ask you vote NO on Senate Substitute for HB 2228. Thank you.

Background:

After putting an end to the Brownback Tax Experiment just 10 months ago and seeing the state budget has begun to stabilize, some members of the Kansas Legislature want to play politics and offer a tax cut for the election season, even though they know our state cannot afford it and that we are not fully out of our fiscal crisis.

We need the additional revenue to:

• Fund Kansas schools so they can meet constitutional muster,
• Begin much needed infrastructure projects that were delayed due to ongoing transfers out of the State Highway Fund,
• Stabilize Kansas college tuition that have risen because of cuts of $63 million to higher education, and
• Take care of vulnerable foster children who are sleeping in offices and have been reported missing from the foster care system because of nine rounds of budget cuts.   

On April 7, the Kansas Senate passed 24-16 the Substitute for HB 2228. This bill now goes to the House. Call or email your state representative and tell them to vote NO on this bill. This is not the time for tax change. We are still recovering from five years of failed tax policy.

Not sure how to reach your state representative? Go to ksleglookup.org or click on the image above.

Sample Script:

Hi, my name is [your name] and I live in [city, state, zip code]. I am outraged that [Senator Denning or Senator Wagle] is holding school funding hostage. Our children's education is much more precious than political games. I urge [him, her] them to do the right thing and take up the House bill that gives an additional $500M to schools. Thank you.

Background:

We are outraged.

The reason we are in this mess is because GOP leadership voted FOR the Brownback Tax Experiment that went into affect in 2012. Since then, year after year, they have been told the drastic tax cuts was going to cause a fiscal hole that would affect our public schools, but they chose to ignore it.

Kansans are done putting up with their stalling techniques.

First, they didn’t tackle school funding at the beginning of the session. Then, they waited for the study they commissioned at the cost of $200K in tax-payer money, where they picked an out-of-state researcher. They specifically decided not to choose Kansas Center for Economic Growth, KCEG, who has be doing amazing research on this issue because they didn’t agree with their numbers. And, when the study was finally released and it pretty much lined up with KCEG’s analysis, they didn’t like it.

So, here we are.

Yesterday, the House passed a $500M increase for schools and now, they say they won’t even take up the bill until they rip apart the checks and balances that exists in our state. The courts have been on the side of our constitution and it's through their orders that our schools have continued to function.

Attacking the courts with this constitutional amendment is like attacking the messenger instead of the message. The message is, our schools are not equitably funded as our constitution states.

We refuse to allow our children’s education to be used as a pawn in your politics. Do your job and fund our schools now.