TOPEKA – Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration has refused to turn over tax policy records to the Lawrence Journal-World. In October, the newspaper filed a request under the Kansas Open Records Act for access to or copies of minutes, agendas and policy papers of a group that has been working in private to prepare a tax policy recommendation for Brownback. Kansas Department of Revenue secretary Nick Jordan is heading the group which is working on recommendations to change the state tax code. Brownback has said he wants to reduce or end the state income tax. The state declined to say who is on the group or who has talked to the group. Those publicly mentioned are senior staffers of the state revenue department, the Journal-World reported. The only person outside of state government who has been identified as working with the group is the controversial economist Arthur Laffer, who w as a key economic adviser to Pres. Ronald Reagan and has close ties to the American Legislative ExchangeC, which is bankrolled by the Koch family, and which has pushed anti-tax, anti-union and anti-government legislative bills in several states. The paper reported Laffer received $75,000 for his work with the group.
Monday, Dec. 5, 10 a.m.
