Kansas Lawmakers have two major pieces of work left to do. They have to pass a state budget and they have to pass a tax plan that funds the budget.
House members approved a budget earlier this week that needs $400 million in tax increase to balance. But last night (THUR), they rejected a tax plan that would close the budget gap.
Republican leaders in the House thought the plan might fail, but they wanted to see what parts lawmakers liked or hated. Republican Jene Vickrey is the House majority leader.
“We will keep running these changes until we find where our members are at and how to pay the state’s bills,” says Vickrey.
The plan that failed relied on sales taxes and cigarette taxes to help fill the budget hole. It also would have cancelled some future income tax cuts and reduced tax deductions.
The clock is ticking for lawmakers. State employee furloughs will begin Sunday if they haven’t finished work on a Kansas budget.