TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - The Latest on the Kansas Legislature’s debate on increasing income taxes to fix the state budget and provide additional funds for public schools (all times local):
6:05 p.m.
Kansas legislators disagree about their next step after the Senate rejected a plan for fixing the state budget with a big income tax increase.
The Senate voted 22-18 on Wednesday against a bill that would have rolled back past income tax cuts championed by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback. It would have raised more than $1 billion over two years.
Senate Vice President and Emporia Republican Jeff Longbine said lawmakers must consider smaller proposals and work toward a plan that Brownback would sign rather than toward a bigger tax hike with veto-proof support.
Several Democrats rejected the idea and said a plan must provide additional funds for public schools.
Kansas faces projected budget shortfalls totaling $887 million through June 2017 and the state Supreme Court has said education funding is inadequate.
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5 p.m.
The Kansas Senate has rejected a plan that would fix the state budget by rolling back past income tax cuts.
The vote Wednesday was 22-18 against the measure.
The bill would have raised more than $1 billion over two years to close projected budget shortfalls totaling $887 million through June 2019. But Democrats and some moderate Republicans questioned whether the tax increases would have been large enough to also boost spending on public schools.
The Kansas Supreme Court has ruled that the state’s education funding is inadequate.
The bill would have increased income tax rates and ended an exemption for more than 330,000 farmers and business owners. Republican Gov. Sam Brownback promoted the exemption and cuts in rates in 2012 as pro-growth policies but lawmakers later soured on his polices.
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11:47 a.m.
Kansas legislators are reviving a plan to fix the state budget by increasing income taxes that many think wouldn’t raise enough new revenue.
House and Senate negotiators signed off Wednesday on a measure that would roll back past tax cuts championed by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback. It would raise more than $1 billion over two years.
The plan is almost identical to one shelved by Republican leaders last week for lack of support. The Senate expected to vote on the new plan Wednesday afternoon.
Some lawmakers still don’t see the new plan as big enough to close budget gaps and provide new funds for schools.
Kansas faces projected budget shortfalls totaling $887 million through June 2019. The state Supreme Court also has ruled that funding for public schools is inadequate.
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