Sen. Les Donovan said the amendment would complicate the process as legislators try to reduce taxes without wrecking future state budgets. The Wichita Republican suggested other motives were at play to derail the tax discussions because the property tax provision was already part of the mix.

“We always do this. It is an appropriations bill. It’s just a matter of whether we fund it,” said Kelly, a Topeka Democrat. “We’re not setting tax policy. We’re starting to restore funding. That’s all we’re doing.”

The budget also increases funding for residents with physical and developmental disabilities, adding $5 million to reduce waiting lists for services. The Department of Justice has been investigating complaints that the state hasn’t done enough in recent years to reduce waiting lists for services as state revenues have shrunk and budgets reduced.

Sen. Vicki Schmidt, a Topeka Republican who carried the amendment, said her goal was to respond to constituent concerns about property taxes.

Senators added $45 million a year for four budget years for cities and counties to reduce property taxes. The money restores a revenue-sharing program that began in 1938 but was suspended in 2002 when the state faced financial difficulties.

The effort would ensure that if the tax negotiators are unable to agree on a bill that cities and counties would still receive funding, said Sen. Laura Kelly.

Senators also amended the budget to add $50 million to increase base state aid for schools, plus $27 million to equalize school aid payments among poorer districts. Language authorizing the increases is in another bill already approved by the Senate but pending in the House.

“I find this not only offensive, I find it a very dangerous policy change,” Donovan said. “It’s too bad we’re doing this in this manner. It shouldn’t happen this way.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Senate on Wednesday approved a $14.4 billion state budget for the next fiscal year after adding money for public schools and property tax relief.

The 34-5 vote sends the bill to the House, where a separate spending plan for the fiscal year that starts in July is awaiting debate.

One proposed component of the school-funding plan that was not added to the budget bill would allow school districts to increase the percentage of local property taxes that could be raised to augment state spending. The rate could increase from the present 31 percent to 32 percent in 2012-13 school year and up to 33 percent in the 2013-14 year if approved by school district voters.

The chairman of the Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee objected to the tax-relief money, saying it interfered with work by other legislators to reach a compromise on a sweeping tax bill that includes changes in income tax rates for individuals and businesses.

“We’re bound and determined we don’t want certain people to get credit for good tax policy.”

Photo: John Sciulli / Getty Images

After cramming a city’s worth of menswear offerings into a single MAN Day for the last few seasons, London is planning to give its standout men’s offerings a bit more room to breathe. The first men’s-only London fashion collections (technically three days, rather than a few weeks) will take place June 15 to 17, with opening programs including a launch event hosted by Prince Charles. In addition to the young London designers who have been showing on MAN DAY—like J.W. Anderson, James Long, Topman, Lou Dalton, and Christopher Shannon—the new opportunity has lured several U.K. brands back to their home turf, including Pringle of Scotland and Nicole Farhi, who have been showing in Milan, and Dunhill. E. Tautz, Hardy Amies, and Richard James will show ready-to-wear collections on Savile Row, and Richard Nicoll (pictured) will debut a menswear collection. The full schedule is now available at www.londoncollections.co.uk.
—Matthew Schneier

Coach’s latest trump card? Hugo Guinness. To celebrate its recent teamwork with the British linocut artist, the brand threw a casino-themed bash at the Jane Hotel ballroom last night, complete with a blackjack table, an illusionist, and a house-of-cards builder—a nod to the fact that the collaboration, in addition to leather goods, includes a very covetable deck of hand-drawn Coach playing cards. Guinness quietly occupied a banquette area while Maria Cornejo chatted with friends nearby and Lisa Marie Fernandez tried her luck at roulette. (She only recently got the bug, Fernandez said: “I just got back from the Chanel party in Las Vegas and I won big!”)

For the collaboration, which makes use of both original and archival images, Guinness explained that he’d briefly given up his normal routine of working at home in Brooklyn in order to take meetings at Coach’s Madison Avenue headquarters. Office life, he confessed, seems like a world apart. “It’s very different, isn’t it? There’s a whole protocol there—people come in, and then they disappear again, and you don’t know why they’ve come in,” he said. “It’s just weird, it’s a different world.” But it may start to feel familiar soon enough—Guinness and the brand are already thinking about doing a second project, potentially for the holiday season.
—Darrell Hartman

Photo: Courtesy of Coach

Driving down Sunset Boulevard, you can’t help but see its sign. If you listen in on any comedy writer’s room, you’re sure to hear its stories.  And if you’re among the who’s who of Hollywood comedians, you’ve certainly been on its stage.

Masada and the Tropicana have also teamed up with west coast production company Fun World to develop a variety of programming opportunities, including monthly comedy concerts and new episodes of the DirecTV series Laugh Factory’s Supreme Court of Comedy, from the brand’s Las Vegas branch.


“We’re thrilled to welcome the renowned Laugh Factory to our property,” said Fred Harmon, Tropicana’s vp of talent and image relations. “We look forward to adding such a strong comedy brand to our exciting lineup of entertainment.”

Now, Jamie Masada’s Laugh Factory is expanding its comedy empire to the desert.  The comedy club — that launched the career of comic legend Richard Pryor and hosted a laundry list of the industry’s most influential players — will open its 1,000-seat theater in the new Tropicana Las Vegas later this spring as part of the hotel’s $180 million renovation.

“We hope to add lightness and laughter to [the Tropicana Las Vegas] and make the resort a world-class comedy destination,” Masada said of his fourth installment (besides Hollywood, the club owner has outposts in Chicago and Long Beach).

The comedy club—which has hosted Hollywood heavyweights Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno and Eddie Murphy—will open in the new Tropicana resort.

In April, Prism eyewear designer Anna Laub added swimwear to her repertoire. After a summer of living in her bathing suit, the self-confessed beach girl’s cool, relaxed vibe has carried over to her upcoming Spring 2012 collection. “It’s minimal, laid-back, and sexy, with some punchy attitude,” says Laub of the new line. Credit for that punch goes to Uschi Obermaier, the 1970’s German model who had a fling with Keith Richards. “I found lots of great images from the seventies of Uschi Obermaier that had this mood.” Of the colors—burgundy, antique gold, and burnt orange, Laub explains, “I was inspired by Guy Bourdin and the sketches of Egon Schiele.” We expect the dark green one-piece will fly off the shelves at Opening Ceremony. On that note: Laub has created limited-edition Prism espadrilles for the shop’s FNO fiesta. As for her nerdy-chic eyewear, expect to see her trendsetting clients, Alexa Chung included, sporting the zebra-horn Antwerp frame sometime soon.
—Kristin Studeman

Photo: Courtesy of Prism

As an added bonus, readers can enter the code USWEEKLY20 for 20% off!

Purchase information: Buy it here.

The designers at Emily Elizabeth Jewelry aren’t inspired by Audrey Hepburn’s style or Ashley, Vanessa or Madonna…this company was inspired by the locket necklace Ruth Gordon gave Mia Farrow in the film Rosemary’s Baby. This classic piece is actually chicer and less smelly than the iconic tanis root. Available for $60, it comes in colors like yellow, pink, green or white gold. It’s perfect for keeping someone close (or not!).

I emailed the company’s owner and asked about the genesis of this item. Emily replied: “I actually grew up on that movie and when I was little, the necklace inspired by my first attempt at design. I was 12 and filled a mesh bag that I put potpourri, said it was Tanis root like in Rosemary’s Baby, and gave it to my mom. This is a more glam and grown-up version!” This company has celebrity fans ranging from MTV’s Alexa Chung to Vanessa Hudgens. The working locket can fit two tiny circular photos.

I love this necklace!

The next day, she was specked obtaining Great Lengths extensions at a salon in the Big Apple, which she then showed off later namely nightfall at a celebration.

PHOTOS: See who another hack their cilia in Hollywood

This summer, Vanessa Hudgens made major beauty newspaper while she chopped off her long hair for her upcoming in character in Gimme Shelter.

Watch the video above to listen the brunette charm talk almost her hair, her style icons and her must-have composition.

“It’s been a task recently with the hair, merely I surmise I’m like slowly figuring it out,” Hudgens, 22, told Us at one event for Neutrogena on September 8 during New York Fashion Week (she’s a spokesman for the brand).

At the period,Bape jeans wholesale, the actress said that the short ‘do made her feel like a “soccer mom,” and immediately shes dealing with the awkward growing-out phase.

VOTE: Who has the best hair in Hollywood?