Stephen Koranda

The economy has been growing in Kansas, but the state's budget is still projected to be in the red next fiscal year. A tax cut passed last year is aimed at growing the economy, but it's predicted that there will be a significant shortfall first.

Last year, Kansas became the first state in the nation to completely eliminate arts funding. That started an uproar that pushed Gov. Sam Brownback to restore some funding, but arts organizations still face uncertainty.

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum won Kansas' Republican caucuses Saturday. Neither Mitt Romney nor Newt Gingrich spent any time campaigning in the state. Kansas Public Radio's Stephen Koranda reports.

Kansas is the first state with a Republican presidential contest after this week's mixed results in Super Tuesday races. Mitt Romney is coming off a big win in the important swing state of Ohio. But Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum are hoping they can pull off a victory in Saturday'ss caucuses to give their campaigns more momentum.