Gov. Laura Kelly to launch eight-city listening tour on future state budget

Gov. Laura Kelly is hosting an eight-city tour of town halls dedicated to soliciting public input on how to reshape the state government budget to better meet the needs of Kansans. The tour starts Oct. 9 in Salina and ends Nov. 12 in Wichita. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly plans to embark on an eight-city tour during October and November to explore with Kansans their state budget priorities ahead of next year’s legislative session.

Kelly, who is term limited and cannot seek reelection, said on Monday the town halls dedicated to formation of “The People’s Budget” would give folks an opportunity to express where they wanted lawmakers to earmark spending.

“Kansans should know and have a say in where their hard-earned taxpayer dollars are going,” Kelly said. “In the months ahead, it’s critical that we continue down the path of responsible budgeting to ensure Kansas does not return to the days of reckless fiscal mismanagement.”

She said her administration continued to be dedicated to creating and maintaining a financial foundation that could survive economic downturn.

In 2018, Kelly was elected in aftermath of aggressive state income tax cuts signed into law in 2012 and 2013 by Gov. Sam Brownback. The 2017 Legislature, in a bipartisan vote, wiped out much of Brownback’s tax agenda, which had been created as a mechanism to eventually eliminate the state income tax. Instead, the result was deep budget cuts, heavy borrowing and a sales tax hike.

During a special legislative session in 2024, lawmakers approved a $2 billion, five-year program of state tax reductions.

Kelly had cautioned the Legislature against income tax reductions that jeopardized the state’s financial well-being.

“My administration has been laser-focused on building a strong fiscal foundation for our state,” the governor said.

The first stop on the governor’s tour has been scheduled for 6 p.m. Oct. 9 at Salina South High School. She is to be joined by Adam Proffitt, the state budget director.

Other dates and locations: Hays, Bob & Pat Schmidt Community Center, Oct. 29; Garden City, Garden City High School, 6 p.m. Oct. 29; Kansas City, Kansas, West Wyandotte Library Auditorium, 6 p.m. Nov. 3; Leawood, Leawood Community Center, 6 p.m. Nov. 5; Emporia, Lyon County History Center, 6 p.m. Nov. 6; Pittsburg, Frisco Events Center, 6 p.m. Nov. 10; and Wichita, Nov. 12.

Kansans interested in attending the first-come, first-serve events should visit this form for additional details.

House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita legislator seeking the Republican Party’s nomination in 2026 for state insurance commissioner, offered a tongue-in-cheek response to the governor’s announcement.

“After seven years in office, Governor Kelly has announced she and Secretary Profitt are living out their inner Sonny and Cher and launching a statewide duet tour. I hope in addition to their vocal stylings, they offer real budget solutions,” Hawkins said.

He said the House and Senate appropriately set aside the governor’s budget recommendations during the 2025 legislative session and adopted a package of bills that spent $30 million less than Kelly proposed.

“While the golden oldies tour makes its rounds, you can rest assured that the beat will go on in the Legislature as we keep doing the hard work of rooting out waste and abuse in government spending,” Hawkins said.

In January, the Democratic governor submitted to the Legislature as required a budget that outlined investments in education, health care, infrastructure, public safety and other areas. The Legislature, led by Hawkins and Senate President Ty Masterson, a candidate for governor, built a separate budget plan designed to minimize Kelly’s influence on appropriations.

The governor’s office said the budget bill passed in April left the state with potential long-term problems. Legislative documents indicated the state could spend $300 million more than it collected in annually in taxes, which would jeopardize the state’s financial health.

Kelly’s statement said the budget tour was designed to gather feedback on “how to repair the damage caused by the Legislature’s reckless budget.”