Kansas To Raise Taxes On The Poor

After Sam Brownback, the Governor of Kansas decided to lower the tax rate with promises of economic growth, a shocking revelation occurred. Kansas lost a substantial amount of revenue.

Governor Brownback's battle over taxes isn't well-received with Kansas or legislators. Via Flickr
Governor Brownback’s battle over taxes isn’t well-received with Kansas or legislators. Via Flickr

Now in an effort to make up the loss Brownback’s administration won’t raise taxes on the rich but the poor. A little Ronald Reagan if you ask me.

Here’s the detail provide by Alan Pyke over at Thinkprogress

? ? ? ? ? ? ?”More than half of the $384 million in new revenue expected from the tax hike will come from cigarette taxes and sales taxes, two policies described as ?regressive? because they fall more heavily on lower-income taxpayers than on the wealthy. Even though everyone who shops will pay the new 6.5 percent sales tax rate ? up from 6.15 percent in previous years, and the 8th-highest of any state according to the Tax Foundation ? the move is regressive because poorer shoppers already have to stretch each dollar farther than their more flush counterparts.”

But it doesn’t stop there. In an effort to combat the regressive tax Brownback is imposing, he is offering a tax credit for groceries that is capped at $500 and cannot be claimed for families making over $30,615 a year. And a family of four that doesn’t qualify will pay $700 towards sales tax on their food.

The new system targets the poor in state that is already strapped for cash.

Brownback’s regressive tax system already cost the State of Kansas $206.8 million and his new bill will only restore $23.7 million of that loss. And that 23.7 million is coming from those who just simply don’t have the money.

The new tax will put a 5o cent increase on?per pack of cigarettes and don’t worry Kansas will also be pulling $127 million out of their school system.

Brownback’s new system is essentially taking money from the ones who need it most. It’s a classic case the rich get richer and the poor become poorer- business as usual under Conservative rule.

Lastly, this isn’t even close to over as a $400 million dollar shortfall is projected for next year, and conservatives call us the ones who deficit spend.

Tanner Bisbee hails from the great State of Maine. He's a full time college student and serves on the football staff at school. His most notable work to date is his book Modern Day Sports Blog. To read more check out my blog http://moderndaysportsandpolitics.blogspot.com/