The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy said the bottom 20 percent of Kansas taxpayers saw their tax burden increase while the wealthiest Kansans saw their taxes decrease. With special-interest PAC money pouring into Kansas state government races, the Legislature doubled down, proposing another round of tax cuts that would eliminate income taxes and maintain a high sales tax — raising real taxes on the poorest Kansans by 2.5 percent. Even after spending cuts for schools, colleges, libraries and social services, Kansas now faces a huge shortfall in income tax receipts and an estimated revenue shortfall for next fiscal year of $648 million. Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback last week shuffled $279 million in fund transfers and cuts and says, “All options are on the table” to deal with the red ink.
It’s ridiculous.
