Senate committee hears HB 23‑96: protest petitions, Astra Fund transfer and repeal of revenue‑neutral rate explained

House Bill 23‑96, as amended by the House committee, would (1) authorize a protest‑petition process by which voters could limit a taxing jurisdiction’s property‑tax revenue increase for a year if a petition meets a signature threshold; (2) establish the "Astra Fund," funded by a demand transfer from the State General Fund of $60 million annually (increasing 2% each year) to distribute to eligible cities and counties that limit property‑tax revenue growth to the prior year’s revenues plus CPI, new construction revenue and voter‑approved bond payments; and (3) repeal existing revenue‑neutral statutes (K.S.A. 79‑2988 and 79‑2989).

Sponsor remarks and overview: Chairman Adam Smith presented the bill and said the proposal is intended to simplify how taxpayers see tax increases and to create an incentive for local governments to limit tax growth. "Why are we repealing the revenue neutral law? And quite simply, I'm just trying to make tax increases easier for the taxpayers to see and understand," Smith said. He described the current revenue‑neutral statement as detailed…