Kansas state government

Right away the website tabortruth.org states: "TABOR proponents are baiting citizens with the allure of tax cuts, ..." My understanding of proposals for a TABOR in Kansas doesn't include tax cuts, except in one case. That's because taxing and spending will proceed in this way: First, spend up to the limit imposed by the sum of inflation plus population growth. Then, put some tax money away in the emergency and budget stabilization fund. Then -- and only then -- if there were excess tax revenues, they would be sent back to the taxpayer. This doesn't sound to me like much…

The Taxpayer's Bill of Rights amendment has been an overwhelming success in Colorado. Colorado's TABOR has successfully restrained the growth of state government and allowed millions of taxpayers to keep more of their hard-earned money. Since Colorado enacted the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights in 1992, the state has experienced one of the strongest economic growth rates in the country and has provided taxpayers with more than $3 billion in tax rebates and refunds. Colorado experienced a challenge almost entirely because of Amendment 23 -- a state constitutional amendment that mandates large increases in spending on education programs. The ultimate answer…

TABOR Fact Sheet: Kansas vs. Colorado Estimated at 10.4 percent of income, Kansas's state/local tax burden percentage ranks 14th highest nationally, well above the national average of 10.1 percent. Kansas taxpayers pay $3,629 per-capita in state and local taxes. Kansas ranks 32nd in the Tax Foundation's State Business Tax Climate Index: Missouri (11th), Oklahoma (14th), and Colorado (8th). Source: Tax Foundation Taxpayer's Bill of Rights: GOOD FOR COLORADO…GOOD FOR KANSAS* 3-year average poverty rate, from 2002 to 2004 Colorado: 9.8 percent Kansas: 10.7 percent Change from 2003 to 2004 Colorado: .1 percent Kansas: .7 percent Since TABOR was enacted in…

Revenue Growth Lags As Kansas Falters By Karl Peterjohn, Kansas Taxpayers Network In early August Governor Sebelius issued a news release praising the economic growth that had allowed state tax revenues to grow significantly in the fiscal year that ended June 30. In the state's general fund revenues were 7.1 percent or $322 million above last year. This seemingly good news hides a big problem. Kansas revenues are growing well below the national averages. We are also lagging behind our neighbors and this includes job growth too. Nationally, the Wall Street Journal reported in July that federal revenues were 14.6%…

Here's an open letter from Karl Peterjohn of the Kansas Taxpayers Network to Kansas Representative Ann Mah, a Democrat from district 53, which is southeast Topeka and areas southeast of there. Rep. Mah scored 12.5 on KTN's 2005 Legislative Vote Ranking, which places here very near the left end of the spectrum. In other words, she didn't see many taxes she didn't vote for. Organizations like KTN bring facts like these to the public's attention. Sometimes politicians do not like being exposed in this way, and as we have learned, we can't rely solely on Kansas newspapers and other Kansas…