KANSAS — Most of the so-called temporary state sales tax increase is now called permanent. The Legislature ended the session Sunday morning by approving a $14.5 billion budget which makes cuts to higher education and the state prison system, and despite family protests, places those with developmental disabilities into Kancare, the state’s Medicaid health program for the poor and elderly and which is now covered by three private insurance companies. The House, which had been adamantly opposed to making the sales tax increase permanent, finally passed the budget, which makes most of the sales tax permanent, with one vote to spare. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that only happened after House Speaker Ray Merrick kept the vote roll call open for about 20 minutes and six Republicans switched from voting against the budget to voting for it. The slightly more than half of the temporary sales tax will be made permanent at 6.1 percent. The budget continues to cut income taxes but also cuts most income tax deductions. Governor Sam Brownback had wanted to keep the sales tax increase to cover a looming budget hole caused by the cuts in the income taxes. The state’s colleges and universities will be cut 1.5 percent each year for two years.
Updated 6/3/13 @ 9:35 pm
