Don’t wimp out; repeal unfair income tax cuts

Check out Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback’s ramrod straight spine.

Many other Republican lawmakers are running around sounding almost frantic about the new lowered state revenue estimates. But Brownback has made it clear once again: He’s not going to repeal the unfair income tax cuts that he pushed through the Legislature in 2012.

But wait. This is an election year. Suddenly, GOP lawmakers who want to keep their taxpayer-funded jobs are looking around, seeing how unpopular Brownback is and finally talking about Kansas’ real economic woes.

Some Republicans who a few years ago walked in lockstep with Brownback in passing income tax cuts that are costing the state about $600 million a year or more in revenue are having second thoughts. They are dissing Brownback and his lack of leadership on establishing a solid budget that provides good services to residents without diverting road funds, cutting education funds and halting payments into a state pension fund.

But all this tough talk doesn’t matter much unless one major action occurs.

A large majority of Republican lawmakers need to join the small number of Democrats in the Legislature to repeal at least the business portion of the tax cuts.

That could happen starting this week, when lawmakers come back from their spring break.

The tax reductions were supposed to jump-start job creation in Kansas. But in the most recent year, Kansas gained exactly zero jobs from March 2015 to March 2016, according to figures compiled by state and federal officials.

Or a much less positive action could occur.

The Legislature could wimp out, refuse to change the state’s tax system and thus put all the pressure on Brownback to to trim funding for even more state programs. GOP lawmakers could shrug their shoulders when the budget reductions are announced. “Don’t blame us” would be their mantra.

Yet Kansans should put the blame squarely on any Republican legislators who enabled Brownback’s tax cuts to make it into state law and thus damage the state’s ability to provide good public services.

This story was originally published April 23, 2016 at 7:01 PM with the headline "Don’t wimp out; repeal unfair income tax cuts."