Lauren Seabrook, lseabrook@kwch.com

WICHITA, Kan. –

The last thing students at Wichita State want to hear about is the University losing money, which could lead to higher tuition. But some republicans say it is a definite possibility.

“With this new lawsuit, we really are kind of playing what if right now. What might they say,” said Rep. Steve Brunk, (R) Wichita.

A decision from the Kansas Supreme Court could come by the end of the year and some lawmakers say if the state loses the lawsuit, and the court requires it to increase K-12 dollars, higher education could pay. “If it comes out of existing resources than it’s going to have to come from human services, higher education, public safety, transportation or it’ll have to come from some other entity,” said Brunk.

Education makes up about 62% of the state’s general fund budget. That represents elementary, secondary, and higher education. “To suggest that we have to adequately fund elementary education in Kansas at the expense of higher education in Kansas is absurd,” said Rep. John Carmichael, (D) Wichita.

That is what Rep. Jerry Lunn, (R) Overland Park, told Kansas higher education leaders to expect. “I think the representative was just trying to give the colleges and universities just a good heads up that’s certainly a possibility and they should be preparing for that,” said Brunk.

“This is a dilemma that has been created by the Governor’s state income taxes for doctors, lawyers and the wealthiest Kansans,” said Carmichael.

Some democrats say the state needs to reverse income tax cuts and rearrange dollars. “If we don’t balance the overall revenue approach, what we are going to see is dramatic increases in property taxes in Kansas,” said Carmichael.

But many republicans say people are taxed out and any additional K-12 funding needs to come from another piece of the pie. “The only other entity left after that then would be to come from the tax payers and that would mean a tax increase on a population of people that are already struggling,” said Brunk.

Brunk says the last time the Legislature increased funding to K-12, the money was supposed to go into the classroom. He says it went into administration instead. If the state increases funding again, Brunk says he wants to see better accounting of where the money goes.

Eyewitness News reached out to Wichita State President John Bardo on the issue. Bardo says he does not want to comment until after the Kansas Supreme Court makes a decision.