Taxation

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…

By Alan Cobb, State Director of Americans For Prosperity, Kansas Many would describe that much of Kansas is in decline. Over 75 percent of the counties in Kansas have lost population just since 2000. Over half of Kansas' counties have fewer residents today than 1900. Recently, the Associated Press reported that Kansas is in real danger of losing a Congressional seat during the next reapportionment because of anemic population growth. Kansas population growth from 2000 to 2004 was only 1.7 percent while the nation as a whole grew 4.3 percent. Sedgwick County's growth was only 2.3% during this time. Kansas'…

By Karl Peterjohn, Kansas Taxpayers Network Kansas is in a decline. This state is shrinking relative to its peers in the other 49 states. However, some might say, and with some degree of accuracy, that this trend is nothing new. It is clear that the size and impact of this decline is likely to shape this state throughout the first part of the 21st century. April 21 the U.S. Census Department issued projections for population growth showing that Kansas population will grow at less than 1/3 of the rate of the rest of the country over the next 25 years.…

From the Junction City Daily Union, March 24, 2005 By Kay Blanken Special to The Daily Union Friday evening, many of us in Junction City opened our newspaper to the headline, "Local Alco Closing Its Doors." The Kansas City Star reported that 20 Alco stores across Kansas were closing their doors. This is a Kansas corporation that began in Abilene. I, as a business person, am not surprised. Not just Alco is closing its doors; Kansas has lost many stores and companies in the past four years. Is it bad business practices? I don't think so. Many of the companies…