Category: Kansas state government
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Kansas sales tax increase would cost jobs
The Goldwater Institute has issued a report on the lost jobs that an increase in the Arizona sales tax would cause. According to projections by the Beacon Hill group, the one cent increase in the sales tax would bring in $1 billion annually to Arizona state government. But the cost of this sales tax would…
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Kansas scores poorly in initiative and referendum rights
Citizens in Charge Foundation — a transpartisan national voter rights group focused on the ballot initiative and referendum process — has released its 2010 Report Card on Statewide Voter Initiative Rights. Those familiar with Kansas will not be surprised to learn that our state scores poorly, as do many other states.
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Kansas taxes have impact
Do Kansas taxes have an impact on business location decisions? Are Kansas taxes lower than surrounding states, as claimed by supporters of raising Kansas taxes?
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Kansas tax alert system launched
The Kansas chapter of Americans for Prosperity has created an information system to help keep Kansans notified when legislators propose to increase taxes.
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Cause of Kansas budget gap is spending
Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson says Kansas has a $400 million budget gap, and he’s proposed increasing sales and cigarette taxes to close it. … If we could hold spending steady for next year — and remember that inflation is running at very low levels — we could get by without a tax increase. If the…
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Kansas Senate blocks new journalism
Does the application for press credentials to the Kansas Senate contain questions designed to limit or restrict the types of organizations that apply?
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Kansas alternative media discussed on Kansas Week
Access to the Kansas Senate by alternative media is discussed on the KPTS Television public affairs program Kansas Week. Bob Weeks is the guest. Tim Brown is the host.
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Dale Swenson on Kansas tax exemptions
Do Kansas business tax exemptions benefit only business at great cost to the state? Member of the Kansas House of Representatives Dale Swenson thinks so, according to a recent letter written by him that appeared in the Wichita Eagle. He cites a Kansas sales tax exemption on the purchase of hearing aids, something Swenson says…
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Kansas alternative media senate access discussed on WIBW
Kansas Watchdog reporting at Kansas Senate decides who is press and who is not may have caught the eye of Topeka radio talk show hosts Raubin Pierce and Megan Mosack, as they invited me to appear on their show today to talk about my inability to obtain press credentials at the Kansas Senate.
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Kansas property tax reform proposed
The Kansas Policy Institute has released a proposal for property tax reform in Kansas that will protect property owners from what some call “stealth” tax increases. These increases result from the fact that the property tax system has two factors or moving parts: appraised valuations, and the mill levy (or tax rate). Governments — the…
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Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission hearing today
Today the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission is holding a hearing to consider changes to its rules regarding confidentiality. James Meier of Lawrence has experience with these rules, as he relates in Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission in need of reform. Following is the testimony that Meier will deliver at the hearing this afternoon.
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Kansas tax exemptions should be cut
One of the ways that Kansas might increase revenue this year is to reduce or eliminate the many sales tax exemptions that our state has issued over the years. The governor didn’t mention this in his state of the state address, but this reform would be a good thing to do, even if we’re not…