Sam Brownback shuts Kansas Arts Commission behind Senate’s back

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The ugly political knife fight over the Kansas Arts Commission just got real. In his first months in office, Gov. Sam Brownback went on a government-slashing spree, shuttering and consolidating several agencies and offices. He ordered the commission to be closed and planned for a nonprofit to replace it.

But the state Senate rejected Brownback’s move, keeping the Arts Commission open and eligible for all-important federal-grant cash. It probably felt like a slap in Brownback’s face, but there didn’t appear to be anything he could do about it. Then, with the help of legislative budget delays, Brownback found a creative way to get what he wanted.