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Committee hears constitutional amendment to return large surpluses to taxpayers; advocates and budget analysts urge caution
Summary
House File 4 would create a constitutional trigger to return general fund surpluses above a 105% threshold to taxpayers. Supporters urged returning surplus funds; budget analysts and advocacy groups warned the amendment would limit future legislative flexibility and could harm public investment.
The House Tax Committee considered House File 4 on Jan. 24, a proposed constitutional amendment that would create a state account for projected general-fund revenues that exceed 105% of projected expenditures and require legislative appropriation of those amounts for property- or income-tax relief.
Representative Johnson presented the measure as a mechanism to send surplus revenue back to taxpayers. "Instead of creating new ways to spend surpluses, this would actually put it back to the people who created the surplus," Johnson said, describing the proposal as a constitutional vehicle to return funds as refunds or one-time tax reductions.
Supporters included Rayann Lee of Americans for Prosperity, who…
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