Kansas House Bypasses Tax Deal, Passes Bigger Cuts

The Kansas House has bypassed a compromise plan for reducing income and sales taxes and instead approved larger cuts, sending them to Gov. Sam Brownback.

The House voted 64-59 for legislation cutting individual income tax rates, exempting 191,000 businesses from income taxes and reducing the sales tax to 5.7 percent in July 2013 from its present 6.3 percent.

The measure would to provide $233 million in tax relief for the fiscal year beginning July 1, with the figure growing to $911 million after four years.

The Legislature’s research staff also said the plan approved by the House would create a budget shortfall of more than $2.7 billion by July 2017.

The Senate had previously approved the package. The House acted before senators could vote on a less aggressive alternative.