High income and sales taxes in Kansas, the result of Governor Kelly’s vetoes of two tax relief packages this year and the state legislature’s inability to override the rejections, have landed the state in the #8 position on a list of least tax-friendly states for middle-class families according to Yahoo! Finance.
The only states worse that Kansas are each under Democrat control: California, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Minnesota, New Jersey, Vermont, and Connecticut. Yahoo! treats the District of Columbia as a state for this purpose.
Yahoo! summarizes why it chose to focus on middle-class families:
“In recent years, the topic of taxation has taken center stage in the realm of economic discourse, particularly as it pertains to the financial well-being of middle-class families. As these families strive to achieve stability and secure their future, the impact of state-level taxation cannot be overlooked. The burden of taxes on the middle class has become a subject of growing concern, prompting us to examine the various factors that contribute to a state’s tax friendliness.
Nine states do not impose a state income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.Recently, Texas went a step further, providing its taxpayers with the largest property tax cut in state history.
Kansas imposes a top marginal rate of 5.7% on personal income, and has a 6.5% sales tax. Researchers explain its position on the list:
In recent years, the state underwent significant tax reforms that led to increased tax burdens. However, these reforms resulted in budgetary challenges and revenue shortfalls. To address these issues, the state implemented higher taxes across different categories, including income taxes and sales taxes, to generate additional revenue. These tax hikes have contributed to Kansas being perceived as having a relatively high tax burden compared to other states.
That perception of Kansas as a high-tax state is laid at the governor’s door, according to Sen. Caryn Tyson, Chair of the Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee:
“Kansas is supposed to be a conservative state. The legislature is trying to help the Kansas taxpayer but the Governor thinks differently.
“The legislature passed policy this year that would have helped all Kansas taxpayers by cutting property, sales, and income taxes. However, the Governor vetoed the legislation. She has supported corporate tax giveaways but she vetoed personal income tax cuts, expanding a property tax freeze for seniors in need and disabled veterans, property tax relief for all homeowners, a formula to exempt social security from state income tax, removing state sales tax on food in 2024 instead of 2025, and other tax reductions.
“It makes no sense to leave over $3 billion of taxpayer money in the coffers, while blocking tax reductions that would help working Kansans and Kansans in need.”
