Views
Opinion column
by Murrel Bland
State Rep. Tom Burroughs, D-33rd Dist., offered a preview of what the 2021 Kansas legislative session may look like when it convenes the second week in January.
He spoke to about 60 members of the Congressional Forum via Zoom on Friday, Dec. 18. The forum is a committee of the Kansas City, Kansas, Area Chamber of Commerce.
Although tax revenue will be an issue, Rep. Burroughs said legislators did get some good news—that the state has from $700 million to $800 million more in revenue than anticipated.
Rep. Burroughs said the Legislature will be dominated by conservative Republicans, more so than last term.
Among the issues that Rep. Burroughs expects to be debated include congressional and state reapportionment. He said he hoped that legislators can come up with an acceptable plan. The last redistricting, some 10 years ago, ended up in federal district court. He said that he favored a plan in which a bipartisan commission would draw district lines. The federal 2020 census will be used as the basis for redistricting.
Property taxes will be another issue. Small business and residential homeowners often complain when there are substantial increases in property taxes. The Chamber of Commerce, through its Legislative Committee, has suggested that property taxes for business be assessed with a floating 10-year average similar to how agricultural land is assessed.
The issue of STAR bonds will come up again this session, Rep. Burroughs said. Although the use of sales tax revenue bonds has been most successful with developments in Wyandotte County, there have been other projects elsewhere where legislators complain that such incentives have been abused.
Hospitals probably will lobby again for expanded Medicaid coverage, Rep. Burroughs said. However, many legislative observers doubt that the conservative legislators will let it pass.
Burroughs is also a Unified Government commissioner. Daniel Silva, the chamber president, said he is receiving complaints from members who are forced to close at 10 p.m. when neighboring Johnson County businesses can stay open until midnight.
Joe Vaught, a commercial Realtor and a forum member, asked about the status of the American Royal in Village West. Rep. Burroughs said he expects the development to move ahead.
Murrel Bland is the former editor of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press. He is the executive director of Business West.