Our illustrious Governor Sam Brownback said during a Thursday news conference it’s time for legislators, for whom the majority of Kansans voted, to resolve budget and tax issues. Duh.
The 2015 legislative session was eight days past its traditional 90-day length when he made that statement. Eight days, and lawmakers were no closer to a budget than they were nearly 100 days ago.
The problem? Brownback and the Republican-dominated Legislature must close a projected $406 million shortfall for the fiscal year beginning July 1. GOP legislators are split over raising new revenues.
According to the Associated Press, Kansas House members planned to start debate Thursday on a bill to raise the state’s sales tax, boost the cigarette tax and end a break for business owners and farmers. But, the Senate rejected any proposed tax plan Wednesday.
But, this was likely DOA in the Senate.
Senate President and Wichita Republican Susan Wagle said lawmakers need to trim spending. And, Senate Majority Leader and Nickerson Republican Terry Bruce said Thursday that he doubts such efforts would have enough support to pass.
The state’s budget problems arose after lawmakers cut personal income taxes in 2012 and 2013 at Brownback’s urging. Lawmakers reduced income tax rates, dropped the top rate to 29 percent and exempted from taxes the profits of 281,000 business owners and 53,000 farmers.
These folks seem to forget the fact that it was these massive tax cuts a few years back are at the root of this quagmire. Or, perhaps they do remember and hope that all of use will forget.
This mess has drawn the ridicule of pundits across the nation. Kansas has become a laughing stock.
We are better than that.
Whether we Kansans admit it or not, we elected this dysfunctional gubernatorial-legislative team. Not all of us, perhaps, but most of us.
What’s happening in Topeka has gone beyond a Republican-Democratic issue or a left-right issue. It is now a common sense (or lack of it) issue.
We Kansans are known for our down-to-earth pragmatism. So, when elections roll around next time, if we return these yahoos to office, then we deserve what we get.
Dale Hogg
