by KHI News Service
Kansas tax collections are starting the new budget year the same way they ended the last: down.
July receipts missed projections by $12.8 million despite revisions made just three months ago that lowered the revenue target for the year by $134.7 million.
Sales tax receipts were $10.8 million less than expected. Corporate taxes were down by $5.9 million. Individual income taxes beat the estimates, though only by $1.1 million.
“We are pleased to start the new fiscal year with positive individual income tax growth, but concerned with the continued weak corporate tax receipts, which many states in our region are experiencing. Sales tax receipts remain weak in counties with significant agriculture and oil economies,” Nick Jordan, secretary of the Kansas Department of Revenue, said in a news release Monday.
Democrats and some moderate Republicans say the income tax cuts pushed through by Gov. Sam Brownback in 2012 are the primary cause of the state’s ongoing budget problems.
They also are criticizing Department of Revenue officials for releasing the latest numbers after 5 p.m. Monday.
“I think this is being done on purpose because we must remember this is the eve of the primary election,” said Sen. Laura Kelly, of Topeka, the top Democrat on the Senate’s budget-writing committee.
A spokesperson for the agency said internal scheduling issues led to late release of the numbers.
— Stephen Koranda of Kansas Public Radio contributed to this story.
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