This is not good news. The Kansas Senate Ways and Means Committee just approved (8-4) a bill that will raise general state sales tax 1%, cigarette tax 55 cents a pack and wholesale tobacco products tax 30% (what will these last two do to the budget if this actually lowers purchases of tobacco as health advocates claim it might do?). To sweeten the pot, they are offering to increase the sales tax rebate on food for those who are in lower income brackets (which means nothing unless you have a dependent child under 18 OR are 100% permanently disabled OR blind OR older than 55). They are also proposing more spending on roads. And they’ve repealed some business tax credits, credits that help keep jobs in Kansas. There are days I wonder why I stay in Kansas… Then I remember it’s not over yet, this still has to pass the full Senate and the House and be signed by the Governor (which he’s begging to do, saying he won’t sign a bill that doesn’t have tax increases in it).
They are going to debate this on the Senate floor as early as Monday next week. I don’t have a bill number handy but they all know what you talking about if you refer to the budget and proposed taxes.
This has not been a good week for conservatives in the Senate. On Wednesday the Senate defeated a motion to pull a proposed constitutional amendment out of committee – one that would have let you vote on federal health care this fall – and voted down a community of defense act. That last one is an example of how some Senators tell you one thing in person (of course I’m for lower taxes or health care freedom) but then when their vote matters, they vote differently. The Senators had known for weeks the CDA would be voted on when they returned as it was debated the last day of the regular session, then delayed until a date certain, that date being April 28. And still we have one Senator who voted yes, until it was passing, then switched to no. And as aggravating as that is to watch, what’s even more appalling is when I hear Senators voting no on this because it would cost some jobs – yet those same people want to raise your taxes. I suppose that makes sense in their minds, people can’t pay taxes if they don’t have a job, so who are we to say it’s a job that’s not good for society. Decency and morals apparently don’t factor in, whether it’s in how we make money or how we tax the people.
I think most of you would like to know how your Senator voted on the above measure. Our friends at the National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families created a spreadsheet (linked here) showing you their votes and their contact info. Please feel free to use this information to let your elected Senators know your thoughts this weekend. I also encourage you to share your thoughts here on this blog as well!
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