Category: Business

December tax collections in Kansas show growth

Total tax collections for December in Kansas were $890.3 million, a 7.8 percent increase over the monthly estimate, according to Gov. Laura Kelly.

It is also a 15.6 percent, or $120 million, growth over December 2020.

“Over the past three years my administration has taken steps to restore the Kansas economy, and that fiscal responsibility has paved the way to provide direct tax relief to Kansas taxpayers,” Gov. Kelly said. “That relief will come specifically through proposals like axing the food tax and offering a one-time $250 tax rebate for Kansas families.”

Individual income tax collections were $355.2 million. That is $35.2 million more than the estimate and $48.5 million, or 15.8%, more than the previous December.

Corporate income tax collections were $132.0 million, which is $22.0 million more than the estimate. That is 33.1%, or $32.8 million, more than the same month of the previous year.

Retail sales tax collections were $224.3 million for December. That is $4.3 million, or 2.0%, more than the estimate and 11.1%, or $22.4 million, more than December 2020.

Compensating use tax collections were $69.2 million. That is $2.2 million, or 3.3%, more than the estimate. Those collections are also $17.0 million, or 32.7%, more than the previous December.

According to figures from the Kansas Department of Revenue, retail sales tax revenue distributions in Wyandotte County for December 2021 were $2.77 million, a 21.9 percent increase from December 2020’s figure of $2.27 million.

For the calendar year 2021, retail sales tax revenue distributions increased 15 percent in Wyandotte County, from $25.59 million in 2020 to $29.42 million in 2021, according to KDOR figures.

Sales tax revenue distributions for Kansas City, Kansas, were $4.2 million for December 2021 as compared to $3.38 million in December 2020, according to KDOR figures, a 26.3 percent increase. For the calendar year of 2021, sales tax revenue distributions in Kansas City, Kansas, were $42.1 million, an increase of 11.8 percent over $37.6 million in 2020.

Statewide tax collection figures are at https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/06_December_Revenue_FY2022_01-03-2022_Final.pdf.

Congresswoman favors ‘common sense’ approach to legislation

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Opinion column

by Murrel Bland

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist., said she is part of a group of “common sense” Democrats in Congress who carefully spend taxpayers’ dollars. This was a comment she made at a luncheon meeting of the Congressional Forum Friday, Dec. 17, at Children’s Mercy Park.

Good roads and bridges are important to business and industry, Rep. Davids said. In a prepared news release, Rep. Davids said, “The Kansas Third is home to vital trucking and logistics and we are growing fast…” Good roads are important getting goods to market, she said.

Rep. Davids was the only member of the Kansas Congressional delegation to vote for the infrastructure bill. Rep. Davids is the only Democrat member of the delegation. The infrastructure bill will fund improvements to the I-435 and State Avenue intersection. The state of Kansas will receive more than $500 million in federal funds for road and bridge repair.

The Unified Government hopes to receive federal aid to fund its storm water program. Storm water is a particularly acute problem in the eastern areas of Wyandotte County.

Rep. Davids spoke in favor of President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better bill, which passed the U.S. House, but is stalled in the U.S. Senate. Rep. Davids said the child care provision of the bill would help lessen the shortage of workers.

Recently elected Mayor Tyrone Garner introduced his chief-of-staff. She is Dr. Mildred Edwards, a business consultant who received her doctorate in community psychology from Wichita State University. She is an adjunct faculty member at the Public Management Center of the University of Kansas.

The Congressional Forum is part of the Kansas City, Kansas, Area Chamber of Commerce. The next meeting of the forum will be at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 21, at Children’s Mercy Park.

Murrel Bland is the former editor of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press. He is executive director of Business West.

Three new eating and drinking places to enjoy at Legends Outlets

The Legends Outlets have recently added Jousting Pigs BBQ, Love Tea and Dancing Crab as places serving food and drinks.

According to a spokesman, the three have ties to locally owned restaurants.

At Jousting Pigs BBQ, meat is smoked daily with hickory wood in a traditional all-wood fire smoker.

John Atwell and Rod Blackburn have more than 10 years of combined experience in award-winning competition, as Jousting Pigs, which first opened in Liberty, Missouri, has won many competition awards, particularly for chicken and brisket.

First opening in Missouri in 2019, the new location at Legends Outlets is in a 7,468-square-foot building adjacent to the center at 1702 Village West Parkway. Formerly at this location was Arthur Bryant’s Barbecue.

Regular hours for the Jousting Pigs Legends Outlets location: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday; and closed Monday and Tuesday. Check social media for holiday hours. Online ordering is available.

More information about the restaurant is at https://joustingpigsbbq.com/.

Love Tea is a locally owned bubble tea shop in a 507-square-foot space at 1811 Village West Parkway, Suite O-123, next to Panera Bread.

The shop specializes in bubble tea, also known as boba milk tea, a cold, frothy drink made with a tea base and shaken with flavors, sweeteners, milk and tapioca pearls.

Love Tea also serves a variety of fruit slushes, coffee, tea punch, fresh tea and dessert bowls.

Hours for Love Tea are Sunday and Monday, noon to 9 p.m.; Tuesday, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, noon to 9 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday, noon to 10 p.m. Check with the shop for holiday hours. More information is at https://www.lovetealegends.com/.

A new Cajun seafood restaurant and bar, the Dancing Crab, also opened recently at 1713 Village West Parkway at The Legends Outlets. Formerly at this location were Ted’s Montana Grill and Chiusano’s Brick Oven Pizza.

The restaurant serves shrimp, crab, lobster, mussels and more. It is noted for its own blend of Old Bay and Cajun seasonings. A unique seafood boil recipe includes an assortment of seafood and vegetables tossed in a flavorful and aromatic Cajun sauce.

In addition to the seafood boil, Dancing Crab will offer a variety of pastas, fried seafood baskets and grilled seafood.

Regular hours are 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. For more information about Dancing Crab, visit https://www.dancingcrabkc.com/.