The Kansas Senate voted this afternoon to approve a plan that would increase sales taxes and would eliminate some itemized deductions on the income tax.
Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, of Topeka, voting against the bill, called it “Robin Hood in reverse, robbing the poor to benefit the rich.”
Voting against the tax plan were State Sen. David Haley, D-4th Dist., and State Sen. Pat Pettey, D-6th Dist. Voting in favor of it was State Sen. Steve Fitzgerald, R-5th Dist.
The bill passed on a close 21-19 vote. The state sales tax would go up to 6.5 percent under one of its provisions.
Sen. Haley told the Senate that the public has been paying close attention to this overtime debate on taxes and the budget.
“As articulate and reasonable as those who voted for this bill sound here in the Senate chamber and earlier, perhaps in the House, Mr. Vice-President, should you, or they, decide to run for reelection next year in 2016, I wish you the very best in trying to explain this terrible, regressive, expensive and deceptive vote to the majority in your district. Good luck. It will take longer with them than it has here. I’ll sure miss serving with a lot of you,” Sen. Haley said.
Sen. Steve Fitzgerald, R-5th Dist., was of the opinion that the increase on sales tax was a voluntary tax because people control the amount of items they buy. “Rich people buy more things, and pay more tax,” he said.
“This is the shift we decided on a long time ago,” Sen. Fitzgerald said, moving from income-tax based revenues to consumption-based revenues.
Earlier today, House Democratic Leader Tom Burroughs of Kansas City, Kan., called the bill “depressing.”
“Not only is this the largest tax increase in Kansas history, it is also unfair because it raises the tax burden on poor, middle class, and working families. Kansans will now pay more for everyday essentials like groceries as a result of the increased sales tax rate, while simultaneously paying more in income taxes due to the elimination of certain itemized deductions. We are literally increasing the cost of living in Kansas on those who can afford it the least,” Burroughs said.
The House approved the plan in the early morning hours Friday.