Kansas Governor Sam Brownback has since responded to a receipt from a waitress that went viral.
The receipt got attention on social media after a fed-up waitress, Chloe Hough, gave Brownback a piece of her mind in Topeka on Sunday, when he entered her restaurant, called — wait for it — Boss Hawg’s Barbecue. The waitress had already given notice before she decided to personalize Brownback’s receipt, by crossing out the space customers would ordinarily write in a tip and writing next to it, “Tip the schools.”
Brownback responded, “That’s the person’s opportunity to say what they’d like to. I hear it both ways different times and different places.”
MIC DROP
Posted by Chloe Hough on Saturday, May 2, 2015
According to KSN, the Kansas television station that originally reported the story, once she spotted the governor and his family in the restaurant, she immediately asked her Facebook friends for ideas as to what she should say to him during her last shift.
In recent interviews, Hough has added that her interest in the education budget stems from the fact that her sister, who receives special education, has lost support from teachers whose positions were cut recently.
According to The Topeka Capital-Journal, she said her sister “lost so many dedicated educators who’ve been cut due to budget cuts,” adding, “I think it should matter to everyone.”
Brownback has slashed the education budget in recent years. From 2008 to 2014, the state cut per-pupil spending by $950, with only two other states, Wisconsin and Alabama, besting its austere education budget. This year Brownback cut funding for public schools by $44.5 million. At the same time, Brownback has made substantial tax cuts, getting rid of state income taxes for more than 300,000 business owners and lowering individual income taxes.
Clay Barker, Kansas GOP director, wasn’t quite so measured in his response, however, on the television station’s Facebook page, questioning why the station would ignore compliments to the governor and focus on Hough.
Barker wrote, “So you are publicizing her arrogant stupidity and utter ignorance. Typical liberal KS media,” and “Why would the Kansas media, well-known for its frequent liberal, anti-Brownback disposition, go to such lengths to highlight a rude comment from a single individual?”
Some Twitter users started the hashtag #TipTheSchools in response to the story. A few people were particularly annoyed by Barker’s comments on Hough.
@govsambrownback I grew up in KS, & my Mom still lives there. She is Republican & doesn't vote for you due to your policies. #TipTheSchools
— onemorecupkc (@onemorecupkc) May 4, 2015
Apparently to a top Kansas GOP party official, #TipTheSchools are fightin' words. http://t.co/8r3aVgimqe
— We The People (@KansasKnows) May 4, 2015
https://twitter.com/TheKyleSolomon/status/595289003504590848