Tax Policy Archives - Kansas Policy Institute

Kelly’s budget raises taxes during recession 0
- Featured
- January 14, 2021
President Obama once publicly admitted that it is a bad idea to raise taxes in the middle of a recession. And yet, under an unprecedented COVID economic downturn, Gov. Kelly’s budget has not one, but two tax increases. These tax hikes financed a record-setting state budget, 29% bigger than in 2017. By contrast, the Governor
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A Kansas Budget for Economic Growth & COVID Protection 0
- Tax & Spending
- January 4, 2021
Kansas government is at a crossroads. One path leads to economic malaise, and an ever-increasing budget financed on the backs of those living paycheck to paycheck. Another path leads to a self-sustaining economy, where every tax dollar spent is knowingly tied to a public benefit. As Kansas lawmakers await and consider Governor Laura Kelly’s tax
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Legislature could turn incoming fiscal shortfall into savings 0
- Tax & Spending
- November 18, 2020
This month, state forecasters and legislative researchers announced a $119 million budget shortfall by the end of the fiscal year 2022. However, they failed to mention that closing the budget shortfall would leave the state with a zero-ending balance with no room for error. Come January 2021, Kansas policymakers have an opportunity to turn this
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Small businesses re-plummet despite state economic planning 0
- Tax & Spending
- September 8, 2020
To state the obvious, the Kansas state government blew the chance for a 2020 V-shaped economic recovery. Despite evidence small business activity leads to a strong economy, state officials seem determined to undermine this engine of economic opportunity. Now, new data reveals the state’s anti-small business sentiment caused small business openings to re-plummet and extend
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STAR Bonds redirect jobs, not create them 0
- Tax & Spending
- August 28, 2020
As Kansas desperately searches for ways to pull itself out of the COVID-19 depression, policymakers will undoubtedly consider economic development tools as an answer. Kansas Sales Tax Anticipation Revenue Bonds, or STAR Bonds, are some of the most notable tools at the disposal of state and local governments. However, the latest research suggests that policymakers
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Gov. Kelly plays politics with federal unemployment relief 0
- Tax & Spending
- August 24, 2020
Gov. Kelly announced last week that she won’t consider temporary federal unemployment relief as stalled congressional COVID negotiations. In response to President Trump issuing his own executive orders, the Governor’s announced her own executive action on COVID and her changing COVID economic response. Such actions strongly suggest she’d rather paper over the faults of her administration than
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