KS schools coalition asks Supreme Court to reopen funding case

A coalition of Kansas school districts is asking the Kansas Supreme Court to reopen the landmark school funding case.

On Monday, attorneys for Schools for Fair Funding asked the high court to send the case back to a trial court to decide whether the school finance system was fixed in 2005 and 2006 and determine the constitutionality of cuts to school funding.

Attorneys Alan Rupe and John Robb argue that in the final year of a three-year plan, the Kansas Legislature reneged on the constitutionally required funding plan.

They call cuts to school funding “massive” for this year” and expect “massive additional cuts” to schools’ budgets in 2011 and 2012.

Rupe and Robb’s argument is that back in 2006, lawmakers knew the state couldn’t handle the required funding increases without more revenue. But lawmakers didn’t try to increase revenue. Instead, they opted for cutting taxes and increasing tax exemptions. They did both knowing full well that they couldn’t cover the 2010 school funding bill.

Here’s a list of Schools For Fair Funding coalition members. And here’s a refresher on the history of the case and a time line of events.

In his State of the State address yesterday, Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson proposed increasing the sales tax by a penny and also increasing tobacco taxes to help pay for education funding as well as other programs. Also part of Parkinson’s plan, churches reportedly may end up paying sales taxes.

After the jump, Rupe and Robb’s motion to reopen the case.