18 January 2024
TOPEKA (KSNT) – The Kansas House of Representatives has forwarded a GOP-backed tax package to Governor Laura Kelly’s desk. A key feature, that has sparked backlash from Democrats, is a single-rate income tax, or ‘flat tax’ as some call it.
Speaker Dan Hawkins and President Ty Masterson issued the following joint statement, after the House passed the package 81-37 on Thursday.
“We are taking the governor at her word and meeting her where she asked us to – in the middle of the road. Signing this historic tax relief will send a powerful message that here in Kansas, we put people over politics and forged a true bi-partisan compromise that benefits every single taxpayer, especially those who need it the most. If the governor is serious about combatting inflation and about helping our retirees, our homeowners, and our workers; she will sign this compromise.”
The Republican tax proposal includes a single-rate income tax of 5.25%.
The plan also mirrors some parts of the Governor’s proposed tax plan, like speeding up the elimination of the state food sales tax and getting rid of the state tax on social security.
However, Governor Kelly has been adamantly against Republicans’ proposal, likening it to Kansas’ past ‘tax experiment’ under former Governor Sam Brownback. Brownback’s ‘glide path’ to a zero percent income tax, along with other tax cuts, were eventually reversed by the Republican-controlled Legislature as a failure.
Kelly has promised to veto the plan.
“There’s no way… the flat tax does not work in the state of Kansas,” Kelly said in an interview with Nexstar’s Kansas Capitol Bureau on Wednesday. “Hopefully my veto will be sustained and we can move forward on a tax plan that works for Kansans.”
WILL GOP HAVE VOTES TO OVERRIDE?
The tax package passed the Senate Wednesday 25-11. The bill still needs two more votes to override the Governor’s veto.
While the Governor has siphoned some key votes in the Senate to sign on to her tax plan, Senate President Ty Masterson said that he’s not worried about finding other votes.
“It was meant to demonstrate to me, I think, that I can’t override a veto on that… but, that just means we have to go talk to other people,” Masterson said. “There are democrats that are willing to have a conversations around that… so it’s just can we get to a compromise in the end.”
Four members of the Senate were not present for Wednesday’s vote. The two Democrats that were absent include Senator Tom Holland, D-Baldwin City, and Senator David Haley, D-Kansas City.
Republican Senators were also absent. That includes Senator John Doll, R-Garden City, who’s signed on to support the Governor’s plan. Republican Senator Kristen O’Shea (R-Topeka) was also absent for Wednesday’s floor vote.
The House needs 84 votes to override the Governor’s veto. While the bill garnered 81 votes on Thursday, three Republicans were absent.
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