For Immediate Release: Contact: Governor Kelly Announces Extension to Tax CouncilTOPEKA –Governor Laura Kelly today announced that she will be extending the duration of the Governor’s Council on Tax Reform. The COVID-19 crisis has not only been a crisis for our healthcare system but has created a crisis in our economy—impacting the state budget. Following the Consensus Revenue Estimating Group’s projections from last week, the state will continue to bring in less revenue. Given the current budget situation, a full and robust discussion on future tax reform proposals is not possible at this time. “While Kansas will continue to recover from the COVID crisis, there is a continued need for a robust discussion of tax reform, and the Tax Council’s work needs to continue into next year,” Governor Kelly said. “I greatly appreciate the work the Council has done to this point, and I look forward to the Council’s report next year.” The governor continues to recommend returning to the “three-legged stool” approach that relies on a sensible balance of income, sales, and property tax revenue. The Council will continue to review aspects of state and local finances and how best to respond to federal tax law changes, the taxation of groceries as part of sales tax revenue, and how to best provide targeted property tax relief. The Council also is charged with determining how much room will be available in future budget projections for tax relief. ### |