Kansas House leadership today responded to claims made by Gov. Mark Parkinson that the one-cent sales tax increase would in fact grow the economy by producing jobs.

Speaker of the House Rep. Mike O’Neal, R-Hutchinson, pointed out that the tax increase would pad the government sector while robbing the private sector of employment.

“The Governor’s tax increase actually has nothing to do with keeping Kansas jobs. It’s more of big government digging into the pockets of hard working Kansans in an attempt to make government stronger at the expense of the private sector,” O’Neal said.

Yesterday Parkinson issued a statement to put a positive spin on the tax increase by stating that the budget and tax package passed by the Legislature will allow Kansas “the ability to come out of the economic recession stronger than ever.”

House Majority Leader Rep. Ray Merrick, R-Stilwell, said increasing the sales tax was “irresponsible and pointless.”

“The simple fact is he is demanding that government not live within its means and is balancing the budget on the backs of the taxpayers and increasing the debt for our children,” Merrick said.

In his statement Parkinson also thanked the legislators who worked to “craft a responsible budget.”

In the Senate legislators voted 21-17 to pass the $13.6 billion budget and 23-17 to pass the $1.51 billion tax package. In the House legislators voted 64-61 to pass the tax package and 71-52 to pass the budget.

While Senators remained consistent in favoring both the tax package and the budget several House members voted for the budget but then voted against the tax package.

Voting for a budget that provides funding for politically popular groups, such as K-12 education, is something legislators could try to use to their advantage while campaigning, while a vote to increase the sales tax will not likely be viewed favorably by voters.

Each of the Senators who voted in favor of the tax package also voted in favor of the budget, except for Sen. Pete Brungardt, R-Salina and Sen. Mark Taddiken, R- Clifton who were both absent when the Senate had the final vote on the budget.

House Representatives who voted for the budget which required the need for extra funds, but not the corresponding tax increase include:

Rep. Deena Horst, R-Salina; Rep. Melanie Meier, D-Leavenworth; Rep. Shirley Palmer, D-Fort Scott; Rep. William Prescott, R-Osage City; Rep. Gene Rardin, D-Overland Park; Rep. Don Schroeder, R-Hesston; Rep. Clark Shultz, R-Lindsborg; Rep. Lee Tafanelli, R-Ozawkie; Rep. Milack Talia, D-Shawnee.

Rep. Don Schroeder, R-Hesston, said he voted against the tax increase because he thought the Legislature could have passed a smaller tax increase. Schroeder also said he would have preferred for the tax package to include a more broad approach rather than just generating the revenue through only a sales tax increase.

“I would have much preferred to see a different mix ,” Schroeder told Kansas Liberty. “In my opinion we could have gotten by with less of a tax increase also.”

Rep. Bill Otto, R-LeRoy, was the only legislator to vote in favor of the tax increase and against the budget.

Otto said he did not agree with the budget because of the way it allocated funds to certain projects but not others, like providing funds for the capitol restoration budget while withholding funds for disaster relief. Otto also disagreed with the heavy reliance on fee fund sweeping included in the budget.

Otto said he felt compelled to vote in favor of the tax increase because “you have to pay your bills.”

Resources:

House Leadership statement

Governor statement

Kansans exposed to tax hike starting July 1