GOP Tax Plan for Kansas Advances, Heads to Democratic Governor for Expected Veto
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – Most Kansans would pay state income taxes at the same rate under a bill passed Thursday by state lawmakers. The bill is now headed to the governor for a potential veto. The Kansas News Service reports that the bill includes several tax reforms that both Republicans and Democrats agree on, like eliminating taxes on social security income. But the two parties differ on income tax. Republicans want a flat tax rate of 5.25 percent on annual income over roughly $6,000 … which they say is fair and would boost the economy. “If this single-rate tax concept is OK for sales and property tax, why is it not also OK for income tax?” asked Republican state Representative Adam Smith. Democratic Governor Laura Kelly, however, opposes a flat tax. She says it primarily benefits the wealthy.
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Kansas Republican Legislators Pass Tax Cut Package; Governor Expected to Veto Measure
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican lawmakers in Kansas on Thursday passed a broad package of tax cuts promoted as widespread relief that the Democratic governor is likely to veto because she says it favors the wealthy and threatens the state’s budget in the future. The opposing viewpoints kept the two sides locked in a political impasse as the window for meaningful tax cuts narrows.
The GOP super-majority Legislature approved a plan to cut income, sales and property taxes by a total of nearly $1.6 billion over the next three years. But Gov. Laura Kelly is expected to veto the bill because it would move Kansas to a single personal income tax rate of 5.25% to replace three rates that now top out at 5.7%.
The measure cleared the Legislature on an 81-37 vote in the House after the Senate approved it Wednesday, 25-11. While Republicans appeared to have the two-thirds majority in the House to override a veto, the defections of two Republicans and a conservative independent in the Senate appear to leave them at least a vote short there. A similar dispute thwarted big tax cuts last year, when a dozen other states cut taxes, according to the conservative-leaning Tax Foundation.
Kelly has been public about her strong opposition to the “flat tax" proposal, viewing it as a boon to the state's “super wealthy.” Also, her office released a projection Thursday showing that the GOP plan would cause a budget shortfall in 2029. Democratic state Rep. Henry Helgerson of Wichita argued during Thursday's debate that lawmakers cannot enact the Republicans' tax cuts without committing to budget cuts first. “Right now, I don't see it,” he said.
The figures released by Kelly's office didn't show what assumptions it used for growth in spending or revenues over time, and Republicans dismissed them. Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, said he agrees that the state faces future budget problems if Kelly wants to “spend like a drunken sailor.”
“However, if the state engages in basic fiscal responsibility, there will continue to be ample money available to deliver ongoing and meaningful tax reductions to Kansans,” Masterson said in an emailed statement Thursday.
Republicans also defended their package as fair because it contains provisions that will exempt roughly 310,000 additional Kansas residents from income taxes, on top of the 40,000 or so poorest ones. The plan included provisions that would exempt the first $20,300 of a married couple’s income from state taxes — more if they have children, with the amounts rising with inflation after 2025.
Republican leaders married the income tax proposals to a proposal from Kelly to eliminate the state’s 2% sales tax on groceries starting April 1 and proposals she embraced to exempt all of retirees’ Social Security income from taxes and to lower homeowners’ property taxes. “It's a great package,” Republican state Sen. Caryn Tyson, the Senate tax committee's chair, said before Wednesday's vote in her chamber. “It's got a little something for everybody.”
The impasse last year over taxes had Kansas projecting that it will have nearly $4.5 billion in surplus cash at the end of June, equal to 17% of the state’s current $25 billion budget.
Yet Kansas also is debating tax cuts at a time when the nationwide tax-cutting trend could be slowing as a revenue surge fueled by federal spending and inflation recedes.
State tax collections are in line with last year's but about 1.1% below projections. Monthly collections have fallen short of expectations each of the past three months; that happened only five times in the previous six years.
“This is a time when state revenues and surpluses, we're seeing, are starting to flatten across the country,” said Neva Butkus, a state policy analyst for the left-leaning Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Butkus also said that, even with its provisions aimed at helping poor families, the GOP package would widen the gap between the poorest, who already pay a higher percentage of their incomes in taxes, and the wealthiest.
Figures from the Kansas Department of Revenue show that with the proposed single-rate tax, a little more than half of the raw dollar savings would go to the 3.8% of filers from Kansas earning more than $250,000 a year. That group pays 41% of the personal income taxes collected from Kansas residents.
The smallest cuts, both in terms of raw dollars and the average percentage, would go to Kansas residents earning between $50,000 and $75,000 a year. “Not only does it help the wealthy, it does nothing for the middle class,” said state Rep. Tom Sawyer, another Wichita Democrat.
But many Republicans argued that a simpler income tax system is fairer and said Kansas needs to become more competitive with other states. The Tax Foundation said in a 2022 report that Kansas residents pay more of their incomes in taxes than residents of most surrounding states.
In 2022, Iowa moved to a flat tax, initially set at 4.4% but scheduled to drop eventually to 3.9%. Now, GOP Governor Kim Reynolds is pushing to cut the rate to $3.65% for this year.
Masterson said retaining an income tax with multiple rates would keep Kansas “behind the eight ball” economically. “It's not the future,” he said.
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Boil Water Advisories Rescinded for City of Topeka and Vicinity
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) – The boil-water advisories for the City of Topeka, Shawnee County Rural Water District 1C, and the Metro Topeka Airport Authority have been lifted by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Laboratory tests of samples collected from the water systems affected now indicate no evidence of bacteriological contamination. Water customers with other questions about the advisories and their aftermath can contact their water systems directly, or call KDHE at 785-296-5514.
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Kansas Lawmakers Propose New Limits on Abortion Providers
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – Doctors who provide abortions in Kansas would be targeted with new restrictions if two new bills introduced by state legislators become law. The Kansas News Service reports that one bill would allow people born alive during an abortion to sue the abortion provider for any injuries they sustained. Abortion rights advocates say that does not occur in Kansas because abortion is banned after fetal viability. Amber Sellers with Trust Women says the bill is an effort to stigmatize abortion, telling the KNS that “...it’s another form of fear-mongering. As abortion is regulated in our state, this situation doesn’t exist.” Another bill would bar clinics that offer abortions from purchasing liability insurance from a state fund. A similar bill narrowly failed last year. The proposals are the latest attempts to restrict abortion in Kansas. A near-total ban was introduced by lawmakers last week. (Read more.)
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Kansas Supreme Court Upholds Flack Death Sentence
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (KNS) – The Kansas Supreme Court today (FRI) upheld the death sentence for convicted murderer Kyle Flack. The Kansas News Service reports that the court rejected Flack’s argument that police violated his right to end an interrogation. Flack was convicted of capital murder in 2016 for killing three adults and a child in Franklin County. Flack’s attorney argued police failed to end their interrogation when Flack repeatedly asked to be taken to jail during questioning. The court ruled Flack’s demand was ambiguous and could be interpreted in different ways. The ruling reaffirms the death penalty in Kansas. However, the state has not executed an inmate since 1965. (Read more.)
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Kansas Teen Found Dead in Ditch with Vehicle Stuck in Snow
LA CROSSE, Kan. (KPR) - The Kansas Bureau of Investigation says a Kansas teenager was found dead in a central Kansas ditch earlier this week. Foul play is not suspected in the death of 18-year-old Zachary Thiel of La Crosse. The KBI says Thiel's vehicle was found stuck in the snow Wednesday, about a half-mile from his body. An autopsy has been scheduled.
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Proposed Kansas Bill Would Address Guardianship Issues
UNDATED (KNS) – People with disabilities who do not want a guardianship could have a new legal option under a bill being debated by a Kansas House committee. The Kansas News Service reports that the supported decision-making agreements would allow individuals with special needs to select advisors to help them with things like health care and financial decisions. However, they would keep the right to make the decision themselves. Critics of the bill say the same support can be established by giving someone power of attorney. But Colin Olenick of the Self Advocate Coalition of Kansas says his father has power of attorney over him. And his father could make decisions for him without his consent – something a supported decision-making agreement would prohibit. “It would allow a person to support me, but give me the final say in what I do with my life,” Olenick observed. Several states have enacted supported decision making agreement laws in recent years. The Kansas bill would need committee approval to advance to the House for consideration.
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Missouri Official Vetoes Stadium Tax for KC Chiefs and Royals
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jackson County, Missouri Executive Frank White vetoed an ordinance Thursday that would have put a 3/8th-cent sales tax renewal on the April ballot to fund sports stadiums for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals.
“This proposed sales tax would generate over $2 billion from our residents, yet there is no clear understanding or assurance regarding the teams’ commitments and contributions to the county,” White said in a news release, the Kansas City Star reported. “It’s not a good deal for taxpayers and I cannot support an agreement that is not in their best interest.”
Shortly after the veto announcement, four county legislators said they sided with White. In order to override White's veto, the County Legislature — which has nine members — would need six votes. They are approaching a Jan. 23 deadline to put the stadium tax decision in front of voters this spring.
The Royals and Chiefs released a joint statement after White's veto that said, “We respect the County Executive’s veto authority. We will continue working with the legislators to ensure that this ordinance is on the ballot on April 2 so that Jackson County voters have the opportunity to decide on the extension of the current 3/8th-cent sales tax.”
The Royals are seeking to use the sales tax to help fund building a new downtown ballpark, though they have not yet announced their location. The Chiefs have consistently stated their intentions to renovate Arrowhead Stadium.
The current stadium leases at the Truman Sports Complex expire in 2031. Although some legislators pointed out Thursday that April isn’t the only ballot in 2024 or in the years ahead of that expiration date, both teams have targeted April for the measure. They are said to have support from the current governor’s office, which has pushed their urgency.
On January 8, county legislators voted 8-1 to approve ballot language for the new 3/8th-cent sales tax to replace the current one that expires in September 2031. White wasn’t in favor of that at the time and wanted more time to get additional concessions from the teams for the county in the deal. (Read more.)
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Audio Reader's BIG Audio Sale Opens at Lawrence Public Library
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - Audio-Reader, the radio reading service for the blind and vision impaired at the University of Kansas, is holding a massive audio sale Friday and Saturday at the Lawrence Public Library. Organizer Beth McKenzie says the sale features vinyl records, thousands of CDs and brand-name audio equipment. "This is a sale that you won't want to miss if you're interested in vintage audio, vinyl and music you can put your hands on," she said. McKenzie says the gently used audio equipment has all been checked out by professionals. "We will have all kinds of vintage and gently-used audio equipment, as well as a wide variety of vinyl records." McKenzie says audio receivers from Marantz and Pioneer - as well as speakers from Martin-Logan - will be sold for far less than market value. The big sale takes place Friday (6:30-8:30pm) and Saturday (12-6pm) at the Lawrence library. More details available on the Audio Reader website.
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Bill Would Require Kansas Schools to Have Defibrillators on Campus
UNDATED (KNS) – A bill introduced in the Kansas Legislature would require schools to plan for cardiac emergencies and have defibrillators on campus. the Kansas News Service reports that testimony about the bill took place Wednesday at the Statehouse. Amanda Herman’s daughter Reagan was playing in a high school basketball tournament in Topeka last summer when she went into sudden cardiac arrest. Bystanders saved her life using an automated external defibrillator, or AED. Now Herman is advocating for a bill that would require schools to have defibrillators on hand. “They should be right outside gymnasiums or sports facilities. They have to be right there and accessible,” she said. The Kansas measure is modeled after laws in about two dozen other states. School officials say they support the idea but would need more funding for AEDs, which cost more than $1,000 each.
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KSU Study Shows Kansas Farmers Could Lose Income from Extreme Heat
UNDATED (KNS) – A new study from Kansas State University finds that farmers in Kansas may lose up to 66% of their income from extreme heat. And that doesn’t bode well for the future because the study also suggests climate change will bring more droughts and days of extreme heat in the coming decades. K-State professor Jennifer Ifft worked on the study. Ifft they aimed to take advantage of the farm data Kansas has and quantify the financial impact excessive heat has on farms, adding that “...agriculture is about 14% of the Kansas economy. If you care about rural areas, broadly, I think this kind of shows that extreme heat, extreme weather is one of many challenges that the rural areas and agriculture are facing.” The study found that over the past four decades, a rise of 1 degree Celsius led to a drop in farm profits by 7%. But Ifft says crop insurance and conservation programs can help farmers.
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Missouri Man Linked to Catalytic Converter Thefts Sentenced
UNDATED (KCUR) – The Missouri man that law enforcement calls the Kingpin of catalytic converter thefts in the Kansas City metro was sentenced Wednesday to five years in federal prison. KCUR Radio reports that the government says 58-year-old James Spick made 11-million dollars between 2018 and 2021 selling catalytic converters, many of them stolen. Spick was ordered to forfeit four-point-four million dollars in ill-gotten gains – in addition to serving five years. Spick owns J&J Recycling on Truman Road in Independence where, the government says, he paid up to 20-thousand dollars a day in cash for stolen catalytic converters. Spick then sold those converters to two out-of-state companies, PMG of Texas and Two Guys recycling out of Louisiana. The government says Spick made seven-million dollars from those two companies alone, the vast majority in cash.
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Shooting at KC's Crown Center Injures Six People
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KC Star) - Six people were shot and wounded this week at Crown Center in Kansas City. A gunfight broke out in the food court Wednesday evening, shutting down the shopping mall and drawing a large police response. The Kansas City Star reports that none of the injuries appear to be life-threatening.
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No. 7 Kansas State Will Be Without Center Ayoka Lee for Roughly Four Weeks Following Ankle Surgery
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State University center Ayoka Lee will miss roughly four weeks because of an ankle injury. The seventh-ranked Wildcats (17-1) said Lee had surgery Friday, a day after tests revealed a small fracture in her ankle. The senior from Minnesota is averaging 19.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocked shots. She ranks second in the nation and leads the Big 12 in field-goal percentage, shooting a career-best .677. She is fourth in the Big 12 in scoring average and second in blocks per game. K-State returns to action Saturday and hosts in-rival Kansas.
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Sporting KC Parts Ways with Controversial Director Gavin Wilkinson After 8 Days
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Sporting Kansas City has agreed to part ways with sporting director Gavin Wilkinson after only eight days, citing an “impassioned response from our fans” regarding the controversial hire, the team announced Friday.
Wilkinson, the former president and general manager of the NWSL's Portland Thorns, was fired by the team in 2022 after separate investigations into the handling of coach misconduct. Wilkinson's name surfaced in the coverup of sexual harassment allegations against former Thorns coach Paul Riley.
Michael Illig, the principal owner of Sporting KC, said the decision “demonstrates our longstanding, unequivocal respect for” the voices of fans, community supporters, partners and stakeholders of the team.
An independent investigation led by former Attorney General Sally Yates outlined misconduct while Wilkinson was the Thorns’ GM. He was responsible for the hiring of Riley, who was among five NWSL coaches who were dismissed or resigned amid claims of misconduct in 2021.
The Thorns also were fined $1 million as part of the fallout from the investigation.
Sporting KC had been looking to add to its front office to ease the burden on Vermes, who has served as the club’s manager since 2009 and its sporting director the past four years. Vermes, the longest-tenured coach in MLS history, has led the club to the 2013 MLS Cup along with three U.S. Open Cups and 11 playoff appearances since the 2011 season.
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Judge Ends Suspension of Illinois Basketball Star Terrence Shannon Jr., Who Faces Rape Charge in Kansas
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — A federal judge on Friday reinstated Illinois basketball star Terrence Shannon Jr., who had been suspended from the team since he was charged with rape in Kansas.
U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Lawless found that the university had violated Shannon's civil rights.
The suspension, she ruled, deprived Shannon of “protected property interests” without due process. In the case of Shannon, whom the court noted is supporting several family members, his property interests include retaining his chances to be an NBA lottery pick — among the first 14 players taken in the draft — and to cash in on potential endorsements allowed under the NCAA's name, image and likeness (NIL) policy.
“Plaintiff’s participation in sports is vital to the development of his career as well as his current and future economic opportunities considering plaintiff’s intention to declare for the 2024 NBA Draft,” Lawless wrote in the order issued Friday. “Prior to his suspension, plaintiff was projected to be a lottery pick in the NBA. His participation in future games impact his prospects in the draft and his earning potential.”
Lawless said that the “public interest is not harmed” by putting in place “procedural safeguards while he is presumed innocent of the criminal charges.”
The preliminary injunction gives the university the right to appeal. In a statement, Associate Chancellor Robin Kaler said Shannon “has been reinstated to full status as a university student-athlete and will be available for basketball practice and competition. We will continue to review the court order and monitor the case.”
Shannon, a 6-foot-6 guard, missed six games during his suspension. The 14th-ranked Illini have gone 4-2 in his absence and host Rutgers on Sunday. He is averaging a team-best 21.7 points per game.
Prosecutors in Douglas County, Kansas, charged Shannon on Dec. 5 with rape or an alternative count of sexual battery. After an arrest warrant was issued, the university suspended Shannon on Dec. 28 from “all team activities, effective immediately.”
The rape charge carries a sentence of 12 to 54 years in prison, while the battery charge carries a fine of up to $2,500 and up to a year in jail.
The alleged incident occurred early on Sept. 9 after Shannon and a friend attended the Illini's football game at Kansas. Police reports that are part of the court record indicate a woman, who said she was born in 2005, told police she was at a bar when she was summoned by a man she later identified from an online team roster as Shannon.
The woman said Shannon grabbed her buttocks and then reached under her skirt and touched her sexually. The woman said the bar was so crowded, she couldn't move.
However, a graduate assistant for the Illini basketball team who was assigned to drive Shannon and a teammate to Kansas and chaperone them said he was near Shannon the entire night and saw no activity of the type the woman described.
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Chiefs Face Bills in Buffalo Sunday Night in NFL Playoffs
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KPR) - The Kansas City Chiefs play the Buffalo Bills in the NFL playoffs Sunday evening at 5:30. The Chiefs have ended the Bills’ season in three of the last four years. This year’s Chiefs-Bills matchup will be in Buffalo, where temperatures will hover in the 20s. It’s becoming a storied playoff fixture, like the games between New England and Indianapolis, or Dallas and the 49ers. Despite the history, Patrick Mahomes is only focused on one thing. "For us, it’s about just advancing. Try to find a way to survive and advance. And get to the next round. Whatever that takes this weekend we’re going to try to do and try to go out there and win a football game," he said. The winner of Sunday’s game will advance to the AFC Championship and will play either Houston or Baltimore.
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