"My goal is to eliminate unnecessary bills. 'Feel good' laws make us feel good when they have the intended consequences. I believe that the authors mean well, but will these bills truly make a difference?”

Talking Points

• This week, my colleagues and I took up a Comprehensive Tax Relief Package that will responsibly and sustainably pass our budget surplus to the taxpayers of Kansas.
• Committees are continuing our work vetting bills and exploring emerging issues. We hold hearings daily, continuing our work and fulfilling our commitments set forward in A Better Way.

Comprehensive Tax Relief

• This week, House and Senate Republicans passed HB 2284, a Comprehensive Tax Relief Package that delivers for every single Kansan.
• We have worked hard since last summer to provide sustainable and responsible tax relief, and I am proud of what we've accomplished.
• Whether we're talking about your property tax bill, Social Security income, paycheck, or grocery bill, Kansas Republicans are focused on your money staying with you. The first commitment in A Better Way is that we have your back. At a time when costs are rising around us, and the state has a $3 billion surplus, there's no excuse not to pass back sustainable savings to hardworking Kansas families.
• Kansas Republicans have adapted our vetoed package from last year and included items that both sides want. Our tax plan is a compromise, and we hope the Governor will meet us in the middle on this issue. Tax relief is not something to play partisan games with, and I want people to receive as much relief as possible.

Here are some key areas that our plan focuses on that deliver tax relief:

Property Taxes

• Property tax relief is one of the top priorities for Kansans. Many are experiencing rapidly rising valuations and tax bills, so it's time to give relief. Our package brings the property tax exemption from around $40,000 to $100,000 and indexes this provision to inflation. So, as inflation goes up, so does your property tax exemption.

Social Security

• Retirees have worked hard and contributed significantly to our state, so it's time for some relief. Our bill provides for Social Security income to be tax-free so seniors can stress less about their money.
• Kansas is one of the only nine states that taxes Social Security income. Republicans don't just want to get rid of the cliff; we want to join the vast majority of states in eliminating this tax.
• Many retirees opt to move somewhere else and settle down in a state with policies more friendly to being on a fixed income. We want Kansans who love this state to be able to stay here if they choose, and not feel like they cannot remain close to home because of burdensome taxation.

Food Sales Tax

• The food sales tax is already set to expire next January. Our plan will accelerate that date to this April. Kansas families will save over $75 million by bringing this date closer.
• The food sales tax should already be gone, but the Governor vetoed our plan to accelerate it last year. I hope that this year, she will see that this relief is essential to many in our state and that we shouldn't wait until next year for this to phase out.

Income

• I am proud of the work that Republicans did in looking out for the lowest-income Kansans. Under our plan, more than 300,000 additional Kansans will have absolutely no income tax liability.
• Kansans will have a new point at which income taxes kick in at $6,150 for individuals and $12,300 for married couples. This is nearly triple what current tax law provides for. Additionally, that money will be tax-free under our plan, whereas currently, that money is all taxable the moment you make more than that amount. Effectively, this gives everyone more tax-free income to spend how they see fit.
• The standard deduction and the newly increased Personal Deduction are now indexed with inflation under our plan, allowing your deductions to keep up with national economic turmoil.

As you all know, my office and my staff are available to assist you however you may need. For more information about the Legislature, and live broadcasts of House & Committee visit our website at: www.kslegislator.org