Topeka – Kansas Chamber President and CEO Alan Cobb issued a statement Friday in response to Gov. Kelly’s veto of HB 2284:
“It’s ironic that the largest contributor to Governor Laura Kelly’s Middle of the Road PAC, the governor of Illinois, enjoys a lower SINGLE income tax rate of 4.95% than what Governor Kelly vetoed and called irresponsible today.
Her administration has made false claims that HB 2284 would make the state budget go underwater. The fact is, it is her 13% year-to-year increase in proposed spending that would wreck the budget no matter which tax plan was passed, including her tax plan. Since she was elected, State General Fund spending has increased from $6.6 billion in 2018 to her proposed $11.1 billion in 2025.
Even with a reduction to 5.25% as proposed under HB 2284, Kansas still would have the highest income tax rate in the region:
- Nebraska: 3.99% by 2027; single-rate
- Colorado: 4.4% – single-rate
- Missouri: 4.8% top rate (4.5% in some instances)
- Oklahoma: 4.75% top rate
- Arkansas: 4.4% top rate
The Kansas Legislature offered a proposal that included many of her tax priorities for this session, along with their top priority of a single rate. Governor Kelly finger points that politics are being played and reasonable tax policy should be worked out.
Her veto of HB 2284 is reckless given how other states are lowering the tax burden on their citizens and businesses and is proof she is the one playing politics and really isn’t interested in meeting others in the middle of the road.”
Earl Watt is the owner and publisher of the Leader & Times in Liberal, Kansas. Watt started his career in journalism in 1991 at the Southwest Daily Times. During his career, the newspaper has won a total of 17 Sweepstakes awards from the Kansas Press Association for editorial content and 18 Sweepstakes awards for advertising. Watt has been recognized with more than 70 first place awards for writing in categories from sports and column to best front pages, best sports pages and best opinion pages. Watt is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution and is the descendant of several patriots who fought for America's freedom and independence.
