The monthly snapshot revealed the state failed to reach the monthly target despite a move, by administration officials and independent economists who formulate the revenue estimate, to revise the state’s tax collection expectations for the fiscal year starting July 1. Bruce’s defeat came amid a backlash against Republican Gov. Sam Brownback and his allies that appeared to spell trouble for conservatives. The shortfall was 2.9 percent.
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Revenue totals have underperformed projections as the Kansas economy struggles for better traction in the agriculture, oil and manufacturing sectors.
The department attributed the shortfall largely to slumps in agriculture and energy production, both key parts of the state’s economy. Bruce has been a reliable Brownback ally and was leaning on his record as a strong advocate of gun rights, having been the key backer of successful legislation to allow Kansans to carry concealed weapons without a state permit.
FILE – In this January 12, 2016, file photo, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback speaks to the legislature in Topeka.
The Department of Revenue reported Monday that the state collected $425 million in taxes last month, compared with the state’s official projection of almost $438 million. Laura Kelly, of Topeka, the top Democrat on the Senate’s budget-writing committee. But Brownback has argued that the cuts have boosted growth, only to be offset by larger regional and national trends.
Moderate Republicans this year held out for more wholesale changes to the Brownback tax cuts – what several of them termed “real revenue reform”.
GOP moderates made Tuesday’s election a referendum on education funding and the state’s persistent budget woes.
But the Department of Revenue’s report said individual income tax collections slightly exceeded expectations and were greater than they were in July 2015.
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Rep. Barbara Bollier, a moderate Republican from Mission Hills running for a Senate seat, said the voters sent a message to the governor that it’s time to ditch the quest to zero out the state’s income tax and form a plan that ensures Kansas has enough revenue to run a “decent, appropriate government”. It’s the state’s most populous county and voters there have cherished good public schools for decades. It also diverted money for highway projects and funds within the Department of Corrections to avoid a deficit when the 2016 fiscal year ended June 30. While the state hit the mark for the year on sales tax collections, individual and corporate income taxes were lower than anticipated.
