By KALEY CONNER

kconner@dailynews.net

State representatives don't expect the outlook for this year's budget process to be good.

But on a positive note, this year might be better than next year, said Rep. Dan Johnson, R-Hays.

"There's a big hole in the budget," Johnson said. "We're not going to raise taxes, so there will be cuts at every level, and we'll have to endure the pain of those cuts."

This is the message Hays city commissioners were presented with at their annual meeting to discuss the upcoming state legislative session.

Johnson, along with Rep. Eber Phelps, D-Hays, and Sen. Janis Lee, D-Kensington, were there to address the city's legislative priorities, as adopted by commissioners earlier this month.

Municipal finance issues were at the top of that priority list, with the city stating opposition to sales tax exemptions and the further erosion of the state and local tax base.

Lee expressed concern that other local funding mechanisms could be in danger as the state continues efforts to balance its budget. Last session, a senate committee discussed taking more alcohol tax funds for the state and reducing the cities' share, but decided against it, she said.

Lee also said city and county highway allocations could be reduced, noting a recent budget proposal from Gov. Mark Parkinson would reduce the Kansas Department of Transportation's budget by $50 million.

"We really are at the point at the state level that any cuts we make now will mean furloughs or salary cuts for state employees, just because the money is not there," Lee said. "You can only cut so much on the edges."

Phelps addressed recent budget cuts imposed on public and higher education and public safety services. Prison program cuts have been so severe that inmates are being released early and not receiving supervision, he said.

"We've been increasingly getting bad news about the budget; of course the governor made his most recent round of cuts," Phelps said. "We're getting into some situations right now where we're going to be losing some basic services here in our state."