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Laura Kelly's budget tour accepting donations for food banks

  //food-wine.news-articles.net/content/2025/10/28 .. get-tour-accepting-donations-for-food-banks.html
  Published in Food and Wine on Tuesday, October 28th 2025 at 5:39 GMT by The Topeka Capital-Journal
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A budget crisis in full swing

The article opens by outlining the political context behind the tour. Kansas is currently in the midst of a contentious budget negotiation that has stalled since early October. Governor Purcell, who took office in 2023, has pressed for a balanced budget that includes cuts to education and public safety, while the legislature—controlled by a narrow Republican majority—has insisted on increased funding for schools, Medicaid, and infrastructure. The impasse has forced the state to consider a shutdown of non-essential services, a scenario that would affect licensing, court operations, and even some public safety functions.

According to the article, the state’s projected budget deficit has risen to $350 million for the 2025 fiscal year, a figure that both sides see as unsustainable. In response, Governor Purcell released a budget proposal that would trim discretionary spending by 4.5 percent and raise a modest 1 percent tax on luxury goods. The legislature countered with a package that would increase funding for K‑12 education by 3 percent but maintain the status quo on tax hikes.

The article references an internal link to the Kansas Legislature’s Budget Committee hearing that was held on Monday, which featured testimony from education officials, business leaders, and citizens. The hearing, accessible through the legislature’s website (https://www.kslegislature.gov/committee/2025-budget), underscores the urgency of reaching a compromise before the state’s budget deadline of November 15.

The “budget tour” as a symbol

The “budget tour” itself is described as a series of visits to communities across the state that aim to bring lawmakers and the governor’s office closer to the people affected by the fiscal debate. The article notes that the first stop on the tour was a local farmers’ market in Wichita, where the governor met with a group of farmers who expressed concerns about the impact of potential tax changes on small‑scale agriculture.

Governor Purcell’s acceptance of a basket of produce, along with donations from a local food bank, was symbolic: it signals that the administration remains engaged even as budget negotiations drag on. The article includes a quote from Purcell: “We’re listening, and we’re ready to make the tough decisions necessary to keep Kansas running,” he said. “Food is a basic need, and we want to show that we’re here to support our citizens, even in difficult times.”

The tour continued to a downtown diner in Topeka, where state budget officials accepted a tray of homemade pies from a local family who had lost their business due to the shutdown. The article reports that the officials used the moment to stress that the shutdown would not affect essential services such as emergency response, but that “some services could see delays,” citing a statement from the Kansas Department of Administration. That statement is linked within the article (https://www.kdca.gov/shutdown-impact) and provides a breakdown of agencies that would be temporarily closed and those that would remain operational.

Public reaction

Public reaction to the tour has been mixed. The article includes an interview with a resident of Wichita, who expressed skepticism about the symbolic nature of the food acceptance. “We’re still worried about getting our permits, and it’s not enough to just take a pie,” she said. The article also highlights a supporter of the Governor’s budget, who applauded the gesture, noting that “Kansas needs to act decisively now to avoid a deeper crisis.”

The article also points to a link to a local news segment that covered the tour in more detail (https://www.kansascitynow.com/2025/10/28/kansas-budget-tour-accepting-food/). The segment features footage of the governor receiving a basket of local produce, a clip of him thanking the donors, and a short interview with a small‑business owner who explained how the shutdown could threaten their livelihood.

The road ahead

The article concludes by reminding readers that the budget tour is just one part of a broader strategy to resolve the fiscal impasse. Governor Purcell’s office has requested an emergency session of the legislature, while the Budget Committee has called for a two‑week extension to finalize the budget. Meanwhile, the state’s emergency management team has begun contingency plans for a partial shutdown, which would see the closure of non‑essential state agencies but keep public safety and health services running.

By accepting food from community members, the Kansas leadership hopes to demonstrate solidarity and transparency. Whether that gesture will help break the deadlock remains to be seen, but the article underscores that the state’s future depends on both sides making hard compromises. As the deadline approaches, the next few weeks will be crucial for Kansas – and its residents – who are watching the budget tour unfold as a test of the state’s resilience and willingness to prioritize people over politics.