For all those Kansas legislators scheming as to how or how much to raise taxes, a few are saying don’t raise them at all. One is Leavenworth-based State Senator Steve Fitzgerald. Says Fitzgerald bluntly:
“For this year at least, there is no case to be made for tax increases of any kind.”
Fitzgerald argues that state revenue is higher than last year and exceeding monthly expectations this year, this in spite of deeply problematic markets in the state’s two dominant fields–agriculture and energy.
Kansas state revenue is growing, says Fitzgerald, for one reason: small businesses are growing and producing real income. In the final analysis, he argues, “Economic growth will increase revenue more than new taxes,” and tax hikes will only imperil that growth.
“With sufficient cuts there is no need for increased taxes,” says Fitzgerald. “If the economy continues its recovery (it is recovering and it will very likely improve even more quickly) the need for increasing taxes in future years will be reduced.”