Kansas
Kansas governor wary of overspending as Legislature’s budget overhaul takes shape • Kansas Reflector
TOPEKA — The Kansas Legislature’s unprecedented budget takeover will enter the 2025 legislative session with a bare bones spending plan and sweeping cuts while Republican lawmakers eye property and corporation tax reductions.
Gov. Laura Kelly is still preparing her own budget — as is customarily the governor’s duty — and said her greatest apprehension ahead of the 2025 session is overspending, she told Kansas Reflector on Wednesday.
The apprehension applies both to spending on programs and further tax cuts, she said.
“Obviously, we know what happens when you go too far too fast on tax cuts,” Kelly said, recalling her predecessor Gov. Sam Brownback’s tenure, during which he implemented an experimental tax program that diminished the state’s tax base creating revenue deficits. “And I don’t think anybody in the state of Kansas wants to go back to that, including the Legislature.”
Kansas Republicans created a new committee this year to give legislators the opportunity to craft their own preliminary budget. The committee wrapped up its meetings Thursday.
The meetings consisted of iterative presentations from almost 100 state agencies and departments seeking funding enhancements, which also were presented to the governor.
Under Kansas’ customary budget process, state agencies can appeal the Division of Budget’s recommendations to the governor. This year, about $1.1 billion worth of requests are up for appeal, according to committee chairman Rep. Troy Waymaster, a Bunker Hill Republican. The governor typically gets the final say on whether to accept or reject an appeal.
Waymaster weighed the possibility of denying all appeals requests in the legislative budget, regardless of what the governor decides.
“If we want to do property tax relief for the people of the state of Kansas, there’s no way we can approve the 1.1 billion that’s been appealed,” he said.
But House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Republican from Wichita, proposed eliminating all requested budget enhancements that added any new staff and the salary increases associated with them, leaving the Legislature with a base budget that could see additions as the session proceeds. A majority of committee members supported Hawkins’ proposal.
Expanding bureaucracy
Mounting requests for new facilities and expanded bureaucracy have too often flown under the radar, said Rep. Henry Helgerson, a Democrat from Eastborough, at a Dec. 12 committee meeting. He pointed to a $114 million ask from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation for a new headquarters and the now over-budget Docking State Office Building, which is set to finish renovations in April.
“We have gotten to a point where we just approve things and don’t say anything,” Helgerson said.
It’s up to legislators to curtail spending, he said, wary, too, of the majority party’s plans for further tax cuts.
“This group has to change the trajectory of our spending in the state,” he said, referring to the legislative budget committee.
Rep. Kristey Williams, an Augusta Republican who chairs the K-12 Education Budget Committee, agreed but said spending scrutiny must be applied indiscriminately. Lawmakers can’t ignore certain “golden areas” the Legislature refuses to touch, she said, specifically referencing the Kansas State Department of Education.
The Kansas Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 10, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from July 10 drawing
02-39-44-46-56, Mega Ball: 23
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from July 10 drawing
Midday: 4-0-8
Evening: 0-0-3
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning 2 By 2 numbers from July 10 drawing
Red Balls: 01-03, White Balls: 02-08
Check 2 By 2 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 10 drawing
14-42-46-47-57, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Kansas Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599. For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at select Kansas Lottery offices.
By mail, send a winner claim form and your signed lottery ticket to:
Kansas Lottery Headquarters
128 N Kansas Avenue
Topeka, KS 66603-3638
(785) 296-5700
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a claim form, and deliver the form along with your signed lottery ticket to Kansas Lottery headquarters. 128 N Kansas Avenue, Topeka, KS 66603-3638, (785) 296-5700. Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Kansas Lottery.
When are the Kansas Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3 Midday/Evening: 1:10 p.m. and 9:10 p.m. CT daily.
- 2 By 2: 9:30 p.m. CT daily.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Super Kansas Cash: 9:10 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Kansas editor. You can send feedback using this form.
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Two Kansas parents were charged Thursday in connection with the shooting deaths of their two children.
The Ellsworth County Attorney’s Office charged Aaron French and Makayla French of Brookville with four counts each of aggravated child endangerment.
On March 28, law enforcement responded to a home near Kansas Highway 141 and Avenue N near Kanopolis Lake.
A 5-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy had been shot, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. The 5-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. The 8-year-old was taken to a Wichita hospital, where he died almost a week later.
The KBI said a young child in the home picked up a loaded, unsecured shotgun and shot the siblings.
Aaron French, 37, and Makayla French, 28, have been ordered to appear in court on July 28.
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KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne reports on stories in Overland Park, Johnson County and topics about government accountability. Share your story idea with Isabella.
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Saturday marks the final FIFA World Cup 26 match in Kansas City with Argentina set to meet Switzerland on the pitch at Kansas City Stadium.
Kansas City to reduce bus transit frequency, extended hours after World Cup
Public transportation received a big boost during the World Cup.
Johnson County launched JOCO United, and according to leaders, the airport drop and ride service that was implemented for the tournament will stick around.
“It has been very smooth every time,” Johnson County resident Mariah Wickham said. “I’ve been up and down so many times.”
Kansas City, Missouri, also bumped up its transit options, but not all of the those will be sticking around once the final whistle blows.
Tens of thousands of people have been using the airport link, streetcar and the buses to get around Kansas City. The city poured millions of dollars into building up its public transit infrastructure. The KCATA added more frequency to bus transit lines and the streetcar, pushing more fans to use public transportation during the tournament.
Brian Luton
“With the World Cup here, I was able to exercise using the streetcar more frequently and that was really fun,” Trish Luancing said. “It wold be nice to not have to drive everywhere and not have to worry about parking.”
But thousands have been relying on public transit for years, regardless of what event was in town.
“It’s been busier since the World Cup,” Jeffrice Jackson, a bus rider, said. “It’s been smooth sailing.”
The KCATA added streetcar ‘bus bridge’ links, extended bus service hours and increased frequency on East-West routes to link riders to the streetcar. It’s benefited both travelers and commuters.
Brian Luton
“[Service] has been more consistent with the World Cup than it was previously,” Jerry Breault, a rider said. “We were missing buses or routes because there weren’t enough drivers to drive that route.”
But the add-on’s stop on Sunday, July 12. If the transit authority can’t find more money, more than a dozen routes will be cut, potentially impacting more than 8,000 riders.
“It’s a little frustrating,” Breault said. “A lot of us rely on it just to get back and forth to work, to take care of our daily needs. It looks like we may be having to find alternatives and we’re not very happy about that.”
The KCATA will potentially suspend these weekday and weekend routes by September:
Weekday Route Eliminations:
- 9 – 9th Street, 365 average weekday ridership
- 21 – Cleveland Antioch, 512 average weekday ridership
- 23 – 23rd Street, 266 average weekday ridership
- 25 – Troost Local, 1,460 average weekday ridership
- 27 – 27th Street, 422 average weekday ridership
- 57 – Wornall, 411 average weekday ridership
- 71 – Prospect Local, 464 average weekday ridership
Weekend Route Eliminations:
- 9 – 9th Street, 349 average weekend ridership
- 21 – Cleveland Antioch, 312 average weekend ridership
- 23 – 23rd Street, 312 average weekend ridership
- 25 – Troost Local, 1,431 average weekend ridership
- 27 – 27th Street, 455 average weekend ridership
- 57 – Wornall, 595 average weekend ridership
- 71 – Prospect Local, 982 average weekend ridership
Bus fares came back earlier this summer to offset some of the operation costs, but many have reported issues with the free fare cards and eligibility.
“There’s always funding challenges with the KCATA,” Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas said. “How are the fare re-institutions working right now?”
Brian Luton
Mayor Lucas told KSHB 41 News Reporter Isabella Ledonne the transit improvements implemented for the World Cup “should continue,” and there are plans to talk with the KCATA commissioners to “make it work”.
“KCATA cannot just be Kansas City supported alone forever,” Mayor Lucas said. “Our approach and our preference is that the region got to see how much they would like [expanded service] during the World Cup. It was always intentional that if they liked it, maybe they would invest and maybe they would want this thing to go further.”
That’s good news to the thousands of daily riders.
Brian Luton
“I think it’s good because it helps people get around if they need to get around,” Jackson said.
The KCATA did not make themselves available for an interview.
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Montana Lottery Mega Millions, Big Sky Bonus results for July 10, 2026
