Letters on income tax credit, McConnell work
Protect low-income tax credit
Kansas tax policies are under a lot of scrutiny. I would like to hold up one portion of the current income tax policies – the refundable earned income tax credit.
In 1998, Gov. Bill Graves and legislators crafted a tax relief policy. Upon its passage, Graves touted the bill’s inherent fairness. “There’s a little bit in it for everyone,” he said.
The EITC was the tax relief package’s component for low-income working parents. It complements a federal program that former President Reagan had expanded. Those who benefit the most have yearly earnings of $20,000 to $30,000.
Brownback and a majority of current legislators have continued to uphold this taxation policy.
The credit that Kansas provides is based on a simple percentage of the amount the household receives from the federal EITC. The calculation of the credit is on earned income only. The formula affirms marriage in that married parents receive a higher credit.
EITC recipients pay taxes on food, gas, housing and other purchases. They use these refunds in local economies buying shoes for their children, tires for their cars and food for their tables.
As the Kansas lawmakers finish the 2015 session, I encourage them to affirm work and affirm families by protecting the Kansas EITC from reduction or elimination.
Sister THERESE BANGERT
Social justice coordinator
Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth
Leavenworth
Much past work
First Lt. Daniel Calvario said that McConnell Air Force Base probably hasn’t seen so much construction in 50 years (May 1 Eagle). McConnell was extensively updated and added to during the late 1980s for the B-1B bombers and KC-135R tankers. I know because I oversaw the construction of mechanical installations while with the Army Corps of Engineers.
We built one new hangar and remodeled the two old B-52 hangars. We built a new fire depression building with high-speed pumps. We built new firehouses, four new armament buildings, a new operations building, and a new fuel-transfer building with new high-speed jet fuel pumps. We also built a completely new tarmac with refueling stations and a new concrete runway.
Work never really stopped in subsequent years, with a new hospital, military lodging, operations and so on. Fifty years indeed.
Now new work is being performed with updates for the KC-46A tankers. This is certainly good, and we in the Wichita area are fortunate to have McConnell.
JOE HOLUB
Haysville
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This story was originally published May 4, 2015 at 7:04 PM with the headline "Letters on income tax credit, McConnell work."