By Lucky Kidd
TOPEKA, Kan. – The Kansas Legislatures today passed and sent to Governor Laura Kelly a compromise tax bill that changes the number of income tax brackets from three to two, eliminates taxes on social security payments, raises tax credit amounts for childcare and the property tax exemption on the statewide school mill levy, formally abolishes the Local Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund which hasn’t been funded for years and other changes.
The bill passed in the Senate on a 34-4 vote, with two of the no votes coming from Senators Alicia Straub of Ellinwood and Mark Steffen of Hutchinson. Senator Straub called the special session of the Legislature the “deflategate” of all special sessions. “I refuse to play ball with billionaire globalists, cheaters, liars and thieves. Kansans deserve better,” Straub said in explaining her vote.
Steffen said in his explanation of vote he objected to expansion of child care credits which called a degradation of the family and traditional values, also objecting to increased spending on the part of his fellow Republicans, saying “We’ve got problems with wokeism, with big business trying to control our government, and we’ve got big spending Republicans. We’ve got to get big spending, and big spending Republicans, back under control.
Senator Caryn Tyson of Parker, who frequently votes with Steffen and Straub on tax and spending measures, changed an initial pass vote to yes. Tyson, who cited the growing size of state budget surpluses and spending increases, said “We can absolutely afford more tax cuts.”
The other two no votes came from Republican Molly Baumgarder of Louisburg and Democrat Tom Holland from Baldwin City. Two members passed in the senate vote.
In the House, it passed on a 121-2 vote, the no votes coming from two Wichita lawmakers. One of the two house members absent Tuesday was Representative Clarke Sanders of Salina who is currently leading a baseball tour he annually organizes and was scheduled well before the special session was called.
