Property tax relief, Medicaid expansion, school funding, local control and an impending race for governor are the issues that were top of mind for several state lawmakers as they socialized at a Northeast Johnson County Chamber of Commerce event Tuesday evening.
The lawmakers, who will go back in session next week, shared a few thoughts as they mingled at a meet-and-greet event in Merriam hosted by the chamber.
The two-hour event replaced the usual chamber legislative breakfast this year and spotlighted the development underway at the former site of a long-vacant Kmart.
Chamber officials say all legislators representing northeastern Johnson County were invited. The Chamber’s footprint is largely represented by Democrats. A representative from Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall’s office also attended the event.
Top issue: Property tax relief
Property tax relief was one of the more often mentioned issues by lawmakers in attendance, who were all Democrats. Rep. Stephanie Clayton said it’s a subject she heard often while campaigning last year.
“That was the number one issue. Usually it’s K-12 education,” Clayton said. “This year K-12 education was number two for the first time.”
She said to expect the Kansas House to come up with the most reasonable and focused proposals for tax relief that don’t impinge on local control of budgets. For instance, there has been some talk of having the state budget go “revenue neutral” since local governments are being asked to adhere to that standard. Revenue neutral means a taxing entity budgets the exact same amount of tax revenues from one year to the next, regardless of increases in property values.
Clayton said she’d also like to see a drop in assessed valuation for residential property, which is the amount on which a property is taxed. However, that would require a change in the state constitution, which is a “heavy lift,” and might meet with resistance from agriculture and commercial interests, she said. “We all agree residents, especially residents in Johnson County, are really feeling the pain.”
Rep. Jerry Stogsdill and Sen. Pat Pettey said they wanted to make sure that tax relief doesn’t come at the expense of public schools.
Another key issue: School funding and local control
School funding will become a top agenda item because the current aid formula expires on July 1, 2027. That discussion will necessarily include how to fund special education needs, which became an issue last session.
“Sadly, we have a lot of legislators that think that if a school district has a high-needs population, they are failing, and they’re not willing to look at the impact poverty has,” Pettey said.
Stogsdill said special education underfunding is costing school districts millions every year.
He also warned against the idea that’s been floated to reduce corporate taxes to zero and referenced a leaked video from the last election in which Overland Park Republican and House Majority Leader Chris Croft was heard musing about a process that could dissolve local school boards by petition. State lawmakers should not be trying to take authority away from local boards, he said.
Medicaid expansion is still on the agenda
Medicaid expansion is another top issue for Stogsdill, who said the state has lost out on a billion dollars a year in federal money by refusing to expand the program and that money is being sent to other states instead.
In addition, some items, like a bill banning gender-affirming care to minors and foreign ownership of land, are likely to come back again this session because the Republicans have a bigger majority, said Rep. Rui Xu.
Democrats in the statehouse will be facing a challenging session because of the strong showing made by Republicans in the last election, Xu said. “I will rely on the strong relationships I’ve built over the last six years,” with other members, he added.
Republicans retained their veto-proof majority, noted Rep. Jarrod Ousley, who said, “they’ve got the numbers to do whatever they want.”
But some in the room were hopeful that the prospect of a statewide race for governor in 2026 would keep the most extreme impulses in check.
Johnson County Sheriff-elect Byron Roberson also attended. He said his top hopes for the next legislature were expansion of Medicaid — which he said could save tax dollars and help jail inmates get care — and support for infrastructure for the FIFA World Cup coming to the state in 2026.
The event also highlighted the Grand Station Lofts development, which will have 361 total apartments and entertainment space once completed. The first building is 11% occupied and 23% pre-leased, said Chloe Newell, of Yates & Yates management company.
