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Kan. governor won’t be present for budget announcement

Photo by Andy Marso Gov. Sam Brownback said during a news conference Friday that rural hospitals should aim for innovation rather than Medicaid expansion to help their financial situations.
Photo by Andy Marso

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Sam Brownback doesn’t plan to be present when his administration outlines $50 million in spending cuts to help Kansas avert a budget deficit.

Brownback spokeswoman Eileen Hawley confirmed Tuesday that the governor won’t be in his office. Budget director Shawn Sullivan will outline the cuts during a news conference planned for Friday.

Hawley declined to discuss the governor’s planned whereabouts.

Legislators counted on Brownback’s administration making the cuts under a plan to balance the state’s $15.4 billion budget that also increased sales and cigarette taxes this month.

The state’s budget problems arose after lawmakers cut income taxes in 2012 and 2013 at Brownback’s urging to stimulate the economy.

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