By Scout Nelson
Last week, Gov. Laura Kelly announced a special session of the Kansas Legislature scheduled for June 18, aimed at revisiting tax policies. The decision followed her veto of a previous tax proposal that sought to revise the income tax brackets and reduce state revenue significantly.
A group of 15 agricultural and business associations, including KLA, has voiced support for this session. They advocate for a decrease in the statewide property tax mill levy from 20 to 18 mills.
This reduction would benefit not just homeowners but also owners of commercial, industrial, and agricultural properties, along with personal property holders.
The coalition's recommendations include enhancing the residential exemption from the mill levy to $100,000, removing income taxes on Social Security benefits, hastening the removal of sales tax on food, and aligning the privilege tax with other corporate taxes that have broad support.
These measures are suggested as focus areas for the special session, keeping more divisive topics like income tax rate reductions for discussion in the 2025 session if immediate consensus is elusive.
Ahead of the special session, productive discussions have occurred between the coalition and the governor's staff, with plans for further dialogues with House and Senate leaders.
This proactive approach aims to streamline the session's focus and ensure that critical tax relief measures can be swiftly addressed.
Photo Credit: pexels-nataliya-vaitkevich
Categories: Kansas, Government & Policy