It’s been obvious that tax relief is a major debate in the Kansas Legislature this year, but, is it so big that it is affecting the future of other bills? Senator Caryn Tyson thinks this could be happening. She says that it appears that leadership is not going to move on any bills until there is a vote to override the Governor’s veto on Tax Bill 22-84. She says it could be a coincidence that no bills have been brought above the line for debate. “Above the line” is a term used for bills that pass out of committee and are scheduled for debate on the Chamber Floor with the Committee of the Whole. The Committee of the Whole is all of the members of that Chamber.
Tyson says the state has a surplus of over $3 billion and the bipartisan Legislature passed Tax Bill 22-84, which helps fight inflation. One of the features is that it continues to increase the standard deduction and personal exemptions to fight inflation, along with a property tax inflation fighter. Bill 22-84 and the Governor’s plans decrease property taxes by exemption $100,000, but the Legislature’s plan continues to increase this value to fight inflation. Both plans accelerate the elimination of the state sales tax on groceries and exempt Social Security from income tax.
