The Kansas Senate had its first tax policy debate of the year yesterday (THUR). They defeated a bill pushed by Democrats and moderate Republicans in the chamber that would repeal an income tax exemption for more than 300,000 Kansas businesses and raise individual tax rates to close the state's budget deficit. The Senate bill would have raised more revenue than the bill approved earlier Thursday by House lawmakers. The Senate roundly rejected the bill on a 10-to-30 vote. Democratic Senator Tom Holland from Baldwin City says that, while the bill failed, it marks the start of a process.
Senate Republican leaders say they intend to work quickly on the tax bill because members want to move on to other issues. They plan to continue discussion on budget balancing measures today (FRI).