Caryn Tyson, the Parker Republican and chairwoman of the Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee, pushed through 36-2 a bill that bundled a property tax freeze on seniors and on disabled veterans.
“When you don’t allow things to come across the Senate floor in orderly fashion as they ripen and mature from the committees,” he said, “the will, the voices of the people are ignored.”
He said he was tired of waiting for the GOP to move a sales tax bill. Holland, irritated with lack of action on the unpopular food sales tax, indicated adoption of the tax break for veterans would have been followed by a motion to repeal the state’s sales tax on food. The potential for such a stunning tax shift was elevated by a projected $3 billion surplus in the state government’s budget. Laura Kelly to eliminate the state’s 6.5% sales tax on groceries. In other words, if the Senate leadership allowed a sales tax exemption for veterans on House Bill 2239 then it would be primed for an amendment sought by Democratic Gov. “We’re a body of order and a body of rules. Masterson, the Senate’s president, said rejection of Holland’s amendment wasn’t about validity of the policy or emotional appeal of the idea. “If this body can be so cold and calculating and heartless as to not give our veterans a sales tax exemption … I would say our values in this chamber are not germane.” They have broken their bodies in their duty to America,” Holland said. “These are our veterans who are 100% disabled. He wanted to add it to a bill containing sales and income tax policy, but Senate Republicans decided inclusion of sales tax policy wasn’t germane to the base bill. Tom Holland, D-Baldwin City, tried to amend a GOP-sponsored tax bill with a sales tax exemption on grocery and household items purchases by honorably discharged, 100% disabled veterans. “This resolution would have been harmful to Kansas in the long term by locking us into our current unfair tax system by requiring two-thirds of both chambers to vote in favor of any tax increases or new taxes, but not for tax cuts.” “This outcome means our state can continue properly funding our public schools, fixing our roads and investing in our state’s future,” Wilson said. John Wilson, president and chief executive officer of Kansas Action for Children, said the Senate’s rejection of the tax resolution recognized state government ought to be nimble enough to respond to financial challenges threatening core state services. “They deserve to vote on whether it should be harder for the Legislature to take more of the peoples’ money.” “With prices continually rising and inflation projected to continue for the remainder of the Biden administration, families are feeling the squeeze,” Masterson said. The tax amendment vote was 25-14, while the judicial amendment was closer at 26-13. Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, said he was disappointed Democrats and a sprinkling of Republicans denied Kansas voters an opportunity to decide on an amendment to the Kansas Constitution restraining tax hikes and an unrelated constitutional amendment mandating nominees to the Kansas Supreme Court undergo Senate confirmation.īoth resolutions failed to attract the minimum 27 votes to advance to the House. The Senate struggled through dozens of bills during a marathon session, including hefty measures on the COVID-19 pandemic and taxation policy, before adjourning for a long weekend. TOPEKA - The Kansas Senate voted early Thursday to defeat a proposed constitutional amendment requiring bills raising taxes to earn support of two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate, and the chamber derailed a sales tax exemption for disabled veterans to thwart potential debate on a statewide reduction in the state sales tax on groceries.
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