Lemonade stand at the Capitol? Here's why
TOPEKA (KSNT) - An anti-tax group set up a lemonade stand at the Capitol trying to prove a point.
Governor Laura Kelly is at odds with lawmakers over tax relief. Americans For Prosperity say the governor is squeezing taxpayers dry.
"We're trying to bring awareness that taxpayers are getting their money squeezed out of them," Harrison Dollar with Americans For Prosperity said. "That's why we came up with the idea on a nice, sunny day to bring lemonade out here, to bring awareness to that fact. When I talk to taxpayers at the door, their number one issue is getting relief. That is what they care about."
Kelly vetoed three plans this year, cutting income, sales and property taxes by $1.5 billion over the next three years. Kelly and Republican leaders have agreed on eliminating state income taxes on retirees' Social Security benefits.
They also agree on reducing a state property tax for schools and eliminating the state's grocery tax on July 1. However, almost half of the cuts in the latest bill were tied to changes in the personal income tax.
The state's highest tax rate would have been 5.57% instead of the current 5.7%.
"What those exact rates are is going to be the difference because if we've got to hit a certain number to be able to get the governors signature, those rates are going to have to change a little bit," Representative Dan Hawkins said.
Differences in opinion come from how much legislators believe in the state can afford in the future if it receives less tax revenue. According to the governor's future projection, the current tax relief proposal wouldn't generate enough for the state down the line.
"It's a pretty sound projection," Representative Kirk Haskins said. "It does bring some questions as to whether or not we can afford anything new in the coming years. We can definitely afford something new if we bring back to the discussion expanding Medicaid and even legalizing medical marijuana."
The governor plans to bring lawmakers back to the Capitol to sort out a tax plan they can agree on. She's expected to announce the date by the end of the week.
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