TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican Gov. Sam Brownback is encouraging state businesses to grow and expand.

Brownback met with entrepreneurs from around the state at the annual Small Business Day event on Tuesday organized by National Federation of Independent Businesses, a national association that includes 4,000 Kansas companies.

Brownback says the state’s economy is still recovering from downturns in small aircraft manufacturing but is on a strong footing for growth.

The governor has been lauded by some pro-business groups for urging the Legislature to drastically lower state income taxes and eliminate the small-business tax in 2012 and 2013.

However, the current legislative session has been dominated by work to fill a budget shortfall of more than $330 million in the current fiscal year, which arose after the state’s massive tax cuts.

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican Gov. Sam Brownback is speaking at the annual Small Business Day forum at the Kansas Capitol.

Brownback is scheduled to speak at 2 p.m. Tuesday, followed by speeches by Attorney General Derek Schmidt and the chairmen of the House and Senate tax committees.

The annual event is organized by National Federation of Independent Businesses, the state’s oldest and largest small-business association. It has 4,000 members in Kansas.

Brownback has been lauded by some pro-business groups for urging the Legislature to drastically lower state income taxes and eliminate the small-business tax in 2012 and 2013.

However, the current legislative session has been dominated by work to fill a budget shortfall of more than $330 million in the current fiscal year, which arose after the state’s massive tax cuts.