State has too many sales tax exemptions

It’s good that the state has formed a new interim committee – led by Sen. Ty Masterson, R-Andover – to examine its sales tax exemptions. The number of exemptions has increased from 30 in 1985 to more than 100 today – at a cost in lost revenue of $5.9 billion last fiscal year, according to the Kansas Department of Revenue. But each of those exemptions has supporters, which makes eliminating them politically difficult. Perhaps the best approach would be a process similar to the federal commissions that recommend closing certain military bases, in which lawmakers must vote for or against the entire recommendation but can’t amend it. – Phillip Brownlee

This story was originally published September 7, 2015 at 7:06 PM.