By SCOTT ROTHSCHILD, The Lawrence Journal-World
TOPEKA — The latest version of the turnpike tussle has started in the 2013 legislative session.
Gov. Sam Brownback's State of the State address earlier this week pointed to the existence of the Kansas Department of Transportation and Kansas Turnpike Authority as "one of the clearest examples of duplication in state government."
The governor proposed merging the two under Secretary of Transportation Mike King.
But the merger idea hit a speed bump Thursday when King appeared before the Senate Transportation Committee.
"I have reservations about why we should fix something that really isn't broken," said Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka. He said he believed Brownback was simply trying to expand his control over state government.
Hensley said the Kansas Turnpike Authority, which oversees the 236-mile Kansas Turnpike, is efficiently run, supported by tolls and receives no tax dollars.
Brownback said merging the two entities would save the state $30 million over two years, although he provided no details about where those savings would come from.
Earlier this week, Brownback's Budget Director Steve Anderson said under the proposed merger there would be savings where turnpike revenue could be used to make improvements to "feeder roads" to the turnpike.
