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Tax Disagreement Could Push Kansas Session Past 80 Days

Stephen Koranda
/
Kansas Public Radio

Lawmakers just returned to the Statehouse after a break, but already it looks like a disagreement on taxes could push the session past the 80 day deadline. To meet the 80 day mark they'd have to be done early next week, but House and Senate Republicans disagree on whether to extend a temporary sales tax increase. It's set to expire later this year, and House leaders want to let it end as planned.

Republican leaders in both chambers want to lower income tax rates, and senators say keeping the sales tax allows the state to lower income tax rates more quickly. Senate leaders said that they probably won’t have an agreement before the weekend, and they likely won’t work through the weekend because of graduation celebrations and Mother’s Day. So that means they’ll be back next week and could miss the 80 day deadline.

Susan Wagle, a Republican from Wichita, is the Senate president.

“We are all negotiating. They’ve thrown out options, we’ve thrown out options and we’re looking eight years out,” said Wagle. “We want a tax plan that will pass this year that we can bank on for a number of years to come without changes.”

Legislators chose to shorten the session this year from the normal 90 days. 

As the Kansas News Service managing editor, I help our statewide team of reporters find the important issues and breaking news that impact people statewide. We refine our daily stories to illustrate the issues and events that affect the health, well-being and economic stability of the people of Kansas. Email me at skoranda@kcur.org.
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