[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6643945,"mediaKeyId","2531504-03f55d1379cb8f890f33450443d64e6c","parentId",2531504,"title","Kansas tax committee hears competing views on requiring elections for local tax increases","audioSeconds",2020,"startMs",98000,"endMs",2118000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2531504-03f55d1379cb8f890f33450443d64e6c&start=98&end=2118","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2531504-03f55d1379cb8f890f33450443d64e6c/thumbnail_98000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6643945/Kansas/Kansas-tax-committee-hears-competing-views-on-requiring-elections-for-local-tax-increases","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6643945-859e3bfa53aaeac440f5d9698063b565/orig.mp4?Expires=1775656026&Signature=O1pM6yCoeUfbeAbjcYe9y0o63QndiiZUy~dBtdemQNKY-wgAIrn2texkNlVR819mtuiivLqrNVdfuSHFmqu-lE5wx2jSyEdb3l8Yu7V8V0Tg3qH3TCP0imPiEWH8XwHHu4Atzosd1u5WCA78bJ8x7MqPhUSWcG7WkgpZP1ILRh~gP16gLhxRTNhG4BxVKnJMFFl8LEeMzgJCPlTQnD8oUSR5ZxK0SaBgNrqi76pFJm0-0y5UVnEJ6xiMpKb81U6jOnP1K1OzRzoqsz~6LvisSWlzQ~3p~kuNMOwvsu-q7nRgjjyOptIifi10NYsGrTuk-BRkxbaSC4yVK5pwKLGH0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Assessment and Taxation","date","2025-03-10T15:44:52.33Z","article","A Kansas Senate committee heard extended testimony on Senate Bill 280 on Feb. 20, with proponents arguing the measure would give taxpayers a clearer, easier voice and opponents saying the bill presents significant logistical and legal hurdles for local governments.

Dave Trabert, president of the Kansas Policy Institute, told the Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee that a direct election model is “far better for a number of reasons.” He said a direct election places “the onus on government to do something rather than on taxpayers,” and that requiring residents to travel to sign protest petitions imposes an accessibility burden.

The bill would require a direct vote of electors before a taxing entity could raise rates above a specified threshold. Supporters described the proposal as a clearer alternative to a “protest petition” process, which was explained in committee as a petition housed at a county office that would require signatures equal to 10% of the electorate that voted in the last presidential election.

Opponents raised several recurring concerns. Spencer Duncan, government affairs director for the League of Kansas Municipalities, told the committee, “So I'll throw out some of the questions we think that need to be included in this bill for us to have what we need to know if this move forward,” and then listed timing, ballot design and cost as major open issues. Duncan said special elections are restricted around primary and general election dates and that a mail-ballot election could be “a little over $400,000 for the city of Topeka.”

Leah Flyter of the Kansas Association of School Boards said the measure could force districts to return to voters on levies that were already approved. “We have a couple of levies, capital outlay, and bond and interest that are already approved by the voters,” she said, noting bond levies are tied to earlier bond votes and that asking voters again could create practical and transparency problems.

Jay Hall, deputy director and general counsel for the Kansas Association of Counties, focused on statutory timing constraints. “This bill requires something that under current law would be extremely difficult to do,” Hall said, pointing to a statute that prevents special elections within 45 days of a primary or general election and noting other legislation under consideration could further restrict available dates.

Committee members raised additional questions about how the policy would operate in border counties and places with large tax-exempt populations, including military bases. One senator asked for data on cross-border commuting and county-level breakouts; staff indicated they would try to develop reasonable proxies where exact data are not available.

No formal vote was taken in the committee; members closed the hearing on SB 280 and moved to other business.

The committee hearing record includes extensive back-and-forth on whether a protest-petition approach or a direct-election approach best balances voter access and administrative feasibility. Supporters emphasized voter access and accountability; municipal, county and school representatives emphasized calendar, cost and implementation complexities.

Next steps for the bill were not taken during the hearing; the committee closed testimony and proceeded to consider other bills on its agenda.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Committee on Assessment and Taxation 03/10/2025","oneSentenceSummary","A Kansas Senate committee heard extended testimony on Senate Bill 280 on Feb. 20, with proponents arguing the measure would give taxpayers a clearer, easier voice and opponents saying the bill presents significant logistical and legal hurdles for local governments.","taxTitle","Assessment and Taxation, Standing, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Kansas","taxId",20419,"location","Kansas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6643943,"Pawnee County seeks voter authority to repurpose existing 1% sales tax for public safety",542,2072000,2614000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2531504-03f55d1379cb8f890f33450443d64e6c&start=2072&end=2614","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2531504-03f55d1379cb8f890f33450443d64e6c/thumbnail_2072000.jpg","/articles/6643943/Kansas/Pawnee-County-seeks-voter-authority-to-repurpose-existing-1-sales-tax-for-public-safety","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6643943-e268578dcf56ca5ba543761986c68dcb/orig.mp4?Expires=1775656026&Signature=nYlOeddYZPQ6POu2yAyWc2zqtWklj3earyygLOa8QWXUHoRXx6SxyyUveFKvaU4iBg4k3fDwo4ALvSjlKyBSZQK6WVaakWFuti3So~urvBYzxa6FO55V3RdqbRm2Y7ob5sYk9eH2tpe3do4SAbi3Uy~rd2JjODDugsj7xdZUr8tUUfTnft2r2-sS1HxkibBHvXL9XfCHetoN78Picg-lbneiuJKdMetIENyalYfUs6gDLnErGsbLq-EOSi~lDKwoobiHBOUVe8KKKf~bIOludZ-ldlLewubTvNmHG01H1bE2Zrs9R2MbPT9GmDOhlVypORS4lwO80cpgdfhDPfjybg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Pawnee County officials told the Kansas Assessment and Taxation Committee on Feb. 20 they want authority to ask local voters to allow county commissioners to use an existing 1% countywide retailer sales tax for public safety as well as health care.

Douglas McNett, appearing by WebEx with Commissioner Bob Ryan, said Pawnee County adopted a 1% sales tax in 2009 under statutory subsection b(5) that was dedicated to health care and the county used the revenue to support its critical access hospital. “This bill would not actually create an additional tax burden for our local electorate,” McNett said. He said the draft legislation would give commissioners the flexibility to propose using the existing revenue for county-supported public safety operations and to reduce the rate if voters choose.

Commissioner Bob Ryan said the county has used the sales tax to pay for a county EMS system created after the hospital mortgage was paid off early. Ryan said county analysis suggests the EMS cost “falls below a half percent,” and the commissioners are considering placing a question on the ballot to reduce the sales tax to 0.75 percent while expanding the permitted uses to include public safety. “That is our current thinking, and just expanding where we can use that money,” Ryan said.

Amelia (revisor staff) told the committee House Bill 2125 would authorize Pawnee County to submit a proposition for up to 1% countywide retailer sales tax and pledge the revenue for health care services and furnishing and equipping county-supported public safety operations. The Revisor noted the bill passed the House on Feb. 25 by a vote of 112 to 2.

Witnesses said the measure is intended to give Pawnee County flexibility, not to increase the total tax burden on county residents. The committee did not take a vote during the hearing and closed testimony on the bill.

If enacted, the bill would let Pawnee County place a referendum before local voters to change how the existing, voter-approved sales tax revenue may be used and potentially adjust the rate, subject to voter approval.","Pawnee County officials told the Kansas Assessment and Taxation Committee they want authority to ask voters to permit use of an existing 1% countywide sales tax for public safety as well as health care.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6643935,"Committee hears bill to clarify head-of-household exemption, raise disabled-veteran exemption",585,2435000,3020000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2531504-03f55d1379cb8f890f33450443d64e6c&start=2435&end=3020","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2531504-03f55d1379cb8f890f33450443d64e6c/thumbnail_2435000.jpg","/articles/6643935/Kansas/Committee-hears-bill-to-clarify-head-of-household-exemption-raise-disabled-veteran-exemption","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6643935-726a53b7b835f3ed6cd8f02e2b971cb6/orig.mp4?Expires=1775656026&Signature=LZni4zIpV9PQtzsNe5Tf8D08tJfgRzedosHwYCuvHsWV59HXWPRonwmpVYwS2Tz-A5O70CZ9PvANnbOAF9RZwXwbwu883FjEzcKRGAKBjblianKOeazHYWpEWRh9Q7cpWG-8nYuVbvb1YApmRAPfrXL~42wIkblV6eJK~sarAM9p0KDzZAeJqQP9xD-wC1IP75tOOxy37eQhR4le07dsSbvxo25-7rnsHCO1GxyI3v---hSgVp9fsBQPnxSdKIxYggezLwftl-h5G9yuDbuwVrP3pTY6ZYoMXcbKPP8HbdkJ5DvXFwgV796rIML7cbuMwCBbSLCON~gQEdQkET67Tg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Kansas Assessment and Taxation Committee heard testimony on House Bill 2231 on Feb. 20, a measure that would clarify an existing additional personal exemption for head-of-household filers and increase the dollar amount of an exemption for certain 100% disabled veterans.

Amelia, a legislative staff member from the Revisor's office, told the committee the bill would allow an additional Kansas exemption of $2,320 for head-of-household filers beginning with tax year 2024 and would increase the additional exemption for certain disabled veterans from $2,250 to $2,320 beginning in tax year 2025. She noted the bill passed the House Feb. 26 on a 117-0 vote.

Secretary of Revenue (Secretary) testified that the Department of Revenue proposed the clarification because the additional exemption for head-of-household filers has been treated as allowable for decades but the statutory language had become unclear after legislative changes in 1998. “This just merely clarifies that that is in fact the Kansas law,” the Secretary said, adding that the change is fiscal-neutral because the exemption has been applied historically and software vendors seek clarity to code returns consistently.

Mike Kelly, president of the Military Officers Association of America Kansas Council of Chapters, urged the committee to align the bill's language with last year’s House Bill 2760. Kelly said Kansas law should recognize federal disability determinations made under both title 38 (VA determinations) and title 10, section 1216 (medical retirement determinations) so that medically retired service members qualify without needing an additional state determination. He asked the committee to adjust the statutory language to match the existing statutory treatment in House Bill 2760.

Committee members asked whether the head-of-household provision would be applied retroactively to tax year 2024; staff said taxpayers who already filed 2024 returns would need to file an amended return to claim the clarified exemption for that year.

The hearing record shows no committee vote during the session; the bill awaits further committee action.","House Bill 2231 would clarify Kansas law allowing an additional personal exemption for head-of-household filers and increase an exemption for certain 100% disabled veterans from $2,250 to $2,320. The Department of Revenue said the change mostly clarifies existing practice; advocates asked for language tweaks to cover medically retired service","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Kansas tax committee hears competing views on requiring elections for local tax increases

Pawnee County seeks voter authority to repurpose existing 1% sales tax for public safety

Committee hears bill to clarify head-of-household exemption, raise disabled-veteran exemption