Kansas Governor, Laura Kelly, is expected to quickly sign a bill aimed at helping small businesses forced to shut down or comply with public-health restrictions, at the start of the COVID 19 pandemic. Qualifying businesses could get up to $5,000. The bill is aimed at helping small “storefront” businesses recoup some of the property taxes and rent they had to pay even while public health restrictions cut into their sales.
‘Despite the bipartisan support, Republican State Senator, Caryn Tyson, says that Kelly, a Democrat, should get no credit. Tyson says Kansas has businesses that were shut down by the Governor and questions why she would take credit for giving them property tax relief. Democrats defended the Governor, saying the restrictions she and local officials imposed, were necessary to slow the spread of the virus.
Republican Representative, Adam Smith, says the bill isn’t about tax breaks, it’s about compensating small businesses for their losses, not a tax break to try to give them relief from Government overreach. The State will use $50 million in Federal COVID Relief Funds to pay for the program. The Kansas Department of Revenue will take applications, determine eligibility and dole out the money.
