These are the five local GOP senators who voted for a massive tax increase in Kansas

June 8, 2015

Steve Vockrodt,

Over the weekend, five Johnson County senators, all of whom frequently carp about the evils of taxes and promote the idea of smaller government, advanced a tax plan that will raise taxes on all Kansans.

The plan, which passed by a slim majority, would increase the state sales tax rate to 6.55. It’s currently 6.15 percent. It also includes various other Easter Eggs, including an increase on cigarette taxes.

The same tax package keeps the income tax rate on partnerships, sole proprietorships and subchapter S corporations at zero. In other words, the budget plan would raise sales taxes on all Kansans, but still do a favor for roughly 300,000 businesspeople.

The bill would fix Kansas’s $400 million budget shortfall without affecting the tax policy, the infamous 2012 “March to Zero” income tax rollback, responsible for that shortfall.

Those five local senators, all Republicans, are:

• Julia Lynn, Olathe
• Jeff Melcher, Leawood
• Greg Smith, Overland Park
• Mary Pilcher-Cook, Shawnee
• Jim Denning, Overland Park

Lynn in 2010 voted against a sales tax increase that ultimately went into effect.

Pilcher-Cook, who voted against that same sales tax increase, in 2004 told the Kansas City Star that she would not increase sales taxes, citing an already high tax burden in the state.

On Melcher’s campaign website, he write, “Jeff knows that job creators shop for low-cost government in the same way consumers shop for low prices.” Overall prices for Kansas consumers will go up if the Senate’s tax plan becomes law.

The Senate’s plan now goes to the House.