Featured

Tax Expenditure Limits Prevent Government’s Balancing Act 0
- Featured
- September 17, 2021
Imagine the Kansas budget as a tightrope walker, with taxing and spending on opposite sides of their balancing rod. If the government spends significantly more than it taxes, this leads to deficits and “bust-type” budgeting. Likewise, if the government collects more in taxes than it spends, you end up taking more from taxpayers and get
READ MORE
2021 school payroll: 941 employees in 31 districts paid over $100k 0
- Featured
- September 11, 2021
School payroll listings totaling $2.1 billion for 31 Kansas districts are available for download at KansasOpenGov.org and the list includes 941 employees who were paid more than $100,000 during the 2019 school year. Johnson County districts dominate the list of highest-paid employees, with 13 of the 25 slots. Blue Valley has four slots, Olathe and Shawnee
READ MORE
Tax Ideas for the 2022 Kansas Legislative Session 0
- Featured, Tax & Spending
- August 31, 2021
In wake of a massive tax revenue surplus, the state of Kansas should reduce its tax burden. Legislators should consider eliminating unfair taxes on retirees, reforming how state institutions use a property tax allocation to repair their buildings, and other burden-relieving tax options in the FY 2022 session. The Current Environment In their June 2021
READ MORE

August 2021 Job Numbers: Some Private Growth with Room for Improvement 0
- Featured
- August 25, 2021
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ July 2021 job numbers are good news for Kansas’ COVID-19 recovery and economic growth. Over the past month, the state added just under 6,000 new private jobs. If it continues at this same positive growth rate, the state is expected to return to its January 2020 amount of private-sector jobs
READ MORE
More than 100 local governments aren’t increasing property tax 0
- Featured
- August 16, 2021
The new Truth in Taxation legislation is already providing Kansans with millions of dollars in property tax savings. Faced with the prospect of finally having to be honest with taxpayers, 108 cities, counties, school districts, and a community college have already declared they will not increase property taxes next year. Individual property owners may see
READ MORE
Freedom Index wraps up 2021 legislative session 0
- Featured
- August 2, 2021
Pandemic policy defined the 2021 legislative session and it does likewise on the 2021 Kansas Freedom Index. While we maintained our desire to not score the same policy issue multiple times, so many of the votes taken this year reflect the policy reaction to the pandemic itself. From the final version of reforms to theREAD MORE