It’s rare to find a former governor coming out in public in support of tax increases. It’s even more rare when four of them, from both parties, celebrate an impending income-tax increase. As the song goes, “Where in the world, but Kansas?”.
Four former Kansas governors proclaim Governor Sam Brownback’s “tax experiment” has ended, but they warn that the blowback has already begun. The former governors, two Democrats and two Republicans, head the list of supporters atop an announcement from the “Save Kansas Foundation,” on the heels of the Legislature’s override of Brownback’s veto of the new tax bill. The bill repeals or rolls back past income tax cuts championed by the current Governor.
The announcement, signed by former Republican Governors Bill Graves and Mike Hayden, and former Democratic Governors Kathleen Sebelius and John Carlin, trumpets the override Tuesday in Topeka, but warns of impending electoral challenges for lawmakers who supported the bill and the override.
“The men and women who voted to end the Brownback experiment are now under attack by supporters of the Governor’s tax plan.” according to the announcement. “They’re vowing to run aggressive campaigns next year against the folks Save Kansas championed so they can bring more legislators to Topeka who don’t believe in investments in education, public safety, infrastructure, and healthcare. ”
If you follow the link to the group’s Web site you encounter this plea for donations: “Our efforts reflect a united effort among Republicans, Independents, and Democrats across Kansas. We don’t emphasize party labels, but rather focus on the work that must happen in Topeka to get Kansas back on solid ground!”
Kansas faces projected budget shortfalls totaling $889 million through June 2019 and the state Supreme Court ruled in March that education funding is inadequate.
The House voted 88-31 Tuesday night to overturn Brownback’s veto of a bill that will increase income taxes to fix the state budget and provide additional funds for public schools. Supporters had four votes more than the two-thirds majority necessary to override a veto.
The Senate earlier voted 27-13 to override, exactly a two-thirds majority.
The tax increase is expected to raise $1.2 billion over two years by increasing income tax rates and ending an exemption for 330,000-plus farmers and business owners.
(Staff and wire reports)