TOPEKA – A House budget subcommittee has voted to subtract $75,000 from Gov. Sam Brownback’s proposed office budget after a legislator complained about Brownback hiring a controversial conservative consultant to help write his tax overhaul. Rep. Niles Dillmore, D-Wichita, says he was unhappy that Brownback hired supply-side economist Arthur Laffer for $75,000 to advise Brownback Administration officials. Kansas has enough smart people to work on tax policy without hiring an outside consultant, he said. Brownback has proposed phasing out the state income tax, eliminating numerous deductions and keeping in place the temporary state sales tax of 6.3 cents per dollar, which under current law is scheduled to fall to 5.7 cents per dollar next year. All of those proposals have drawn legislative fire.
Thursday, Feb. 9, 8 p.m.
