Talk continues to swirl around the possibility that Kansas Governor Sam Brownback could be given a position in Donald Trump’s cabinet—most likely as Secretary of Agriculture. Now the question many in the Sunflower State are asking is, would it be easier for Kansas to fix its budget problems if Brownback moves up?
As The Kansas City Star reports, some lawmakers and analysts in the state think the answer is yes—though those yesses are qualified by certain conditions.
Many believe Brownback’s departure could make it easier to put the state’s tax and spending onto a new path next year. But others are less sure. They think Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer might be as convinced of the validity of Brownback’s budget theories as the governor himself. They say Kansas's woes are so pervasive that turning the state’s revenue steamship around will be difficult no matter who the captain is.