Letters on Brownback tax plan, college protests, Trump
Tax plan created deficits, not jobs
Incredibly, the Dec. 24 issue of the Wall Street Journal had an article with the headline, “Brownback Sees Kansas Tax Plan as Model for Nation.”
Acting on the advice of discredited economist Arthur Laffer (reportedly now an adviser to President-elect Donald Trump), Gov. Sam Brownback enacted a tax plan that destroyed the balanced tripartite system of income, sales and property taxes. He exempted more than 300,000 people from state income taxes on their pass-through business income, and he increased sales taxes, the full rate of which applies to food – the most regressive and unfair tax imaginable. Brownback also reduced or eliminated deductions from state income taxes for mortgage interest, property taxes and health-related expenses, adversely affecting middle-income earners who itemize deductions.
The well-known consequence of this misadventure is a state budget facing whopping revenue deficits this year and next, which the incoming Legislature will have to resolve.
As one insightful observer in the Journal article concluded: “The experiment clearly has failed if it was intended to show that cutting taxes would help the Kansas economy.”
Bill Zuercher, Hesston
Value in protests
One of the biggest disadvantages I see for future college students is that, with all the pressure to make grades and work to pay off their loans, there will be less time for activism and campus organizing. I think such activism is a part of college that is just as crucial as the academic side of it.
The baby boom generation proved it could flex its muscle to make changes for minorities, women and other disadvantaged people. As long as there’s no radical violence, give protest a chance.
Troy Cox, Wichita
Trump’s colors
Sometimes you get just what you asked for. The president-elect will show his true colors in less than six months. The people who voted for him will be crying.
I say, if you voted for him, do not complain. Grin and bear it.
I did not vote for him, so I can complain.
Ellen Yocum, North Newton
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This story was originally published January 3, 2017 at 5:04 AM with the headline "Letters on Brownback tax plan, college protests, Trump."