Today, we’re publishing candidates’ responses to the following question:
Earlier this summer, lawmakers passed and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signed into law a tax cut package that slashes roughly $2.4 billion in property and income taxes over the next three years. The law reduces state income tax brackets from three tiers to two and eliminates the state tax on Social Security benefits, among other things. Do you think the most recent tax cut bill provides enough relief for Kansans? Why or why not? If elected, would you seek more tax cuts and, if so, what would that look like?
Below are the answers the Post received from candidates on the issue:
District 48
Dan Osman (Democratic, incumbent)
This year we worked our way through six versions of a tax plan. I thought the final bill we passed in May was great but still didn’t provide taxpayers enough relief in key areas.
The Good:
We’re providing over $2.4 billion in tax reductions with solid fiscal projections for our budget. This relief includes income tax reductions, property tax reductions, and the complete elimination of social security taxes.
The Bad:
It seems that every single time we went to revisit the tax bill this session, it was residential property that had to left on the table. Under the tax plan that passed, the first $75,000 of your home is now tax exempt. That’s a good start, but there are so many additional tax reductions that I want to focus on for 2025.
The Ugly:
There was a proposal for Veterans with a 100% disability classification to receive significant reductions in property taxes. This plan would have cost just $10 million to help disabled veterans and we couldn’t get it included. Unfortunately, Republicans bundled it with some ridiculous corporate tax giveaways to benefactors and caused the whole thing to derail.
In 2025, I want to focus on getting additional targeted tax relief to seniors and veterans. I want to lower residential property taxes across the board. I also want to eliminate sales taxes on over the counter medications, feminine hygiene products, and baby supplies.
If you’d like to know more about how I stand on any issue, reach out to me through www.Dan4Kan.com. I’ll provide to you similarly direct answers to all your inquiries.
Randy Ross (Republican)
The key to meaningful tax relief lies in managing our budgets better. After all, the budget creates ‘invoices’ that taxes are meant to pay. If we’re serious about lowering taxes, we must be equally serious about appropriately managing spending at all levels—state, county, and local. This is where the Republican-led legislature has stepped up, taking more responsibility in shaping the state budget to ensure we have room for tax cuts without jeopardizing essential services.
Governor Kelly may have signed this tax package, but she’s been resistant to more cuts, particularly on property taxes. In contrast, I believe the legislature must continue to push for policies that lower the financial burden on taxpayers. If elected, I’ll be a strong advocate for responsible budget management that leads to even more tax relief in the future.
