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 8
Pam Shernuk (Democratic)
The most recent tax cut bill is a good start, but there is definitely room for improvement. We need to focus our efforts on reducing property taxes without negatively impacting our schools and public services.
We can do that — if we work together. While I advocate for a collaborative approach, my opponent favors obstructionist politics. He wants to make progress “painful” for the other side — even when he knows it’s the right thing to do. (Click for audio here.)
There is a disconnect between what my opponent says in public versus private. In public, he touted his flat-tax proposal as a tax cut benefitting individuals. In private, however, he admits that the flat tax “actually increases taxes.” He concocted a scheme to take those tax increases on families and automatically apply them to reduce corporate taxes. He went on to reveal his actual, non-public agenda: “reducing the corporate tax rate overall with the intent to drive it to zero.” (Read the full story, with audio, by clicking here.)
Sound familiar? This plan is reminiscent of former Gov. Sam Brownback’s tax experiment, which created budget shortfalls, led to drastic cuts in education and infrastructure and shifted the tax burden to individuals. The voters deserve honesty, accountability and integrity. I support tax relief for working families, seniors and veterans-not giant multinational corporations. It took years to recover from the disastrous Brownback Tax Experiment. And we’re not going back.
Chris Croft (Republican, incumbent)
Did not provide the Post with a response.
