NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
TOPEKA, Kan. — As the Kansas House prepares to vote on the Republican-backed tax package on Thursday, Elizabeth Patton with AFP-Kansas notes that a poll they commissioned earlier this month said 58% of voters favor the single-rate tax system change that is part of the proposed legislation, including over one-quarter (27%) strongly favoring this proposal.
"These tax reductions are incredibly affordable and sustainable and something that we can look at for the long term," Patton said. "Right size the government, where Kansans get to keep more of their hard-earned money."
Savings would mostly happen at the two ends of the income spectrum, with those making $25,000 a year and those making $150,000 a year getting about the same break of between $300 and $400.
Middle income Kansans would not see much change, between $42,500 and $70,000 a year saving about 75 cents. In fact, a couple would need to make around $200,000 a year to see over $500 in tax savings.
A potentially more impactful piece of the bill for low income property owners is an increase in the exemption on the 20 mills of school-related statewide property tax going from $40,000 to potentially $100,000.
As this portion of the school funding formula is sent to the state and redistributed, and the majority of property value in the state is in the larger cities, for counties like Reno County, it could be real savings without much pain to school budgets. It is important to note that the bill passed the Senate, but did not have a veto-proof majority at the time of the vote on Wednesday.
"I hope that they see that this bill helps every single Kansan get tax relief," Patton said. "I think I heard Ty Masterson say yesterday this is an inflation buster bill. That was a great way to put it."
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