Kansas tax act most regressive in nation

[SoCalDem]

Kansas tax act most regressive in nation
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2012/may/27/kansas-tax-act-most-regressive-nation/

By Martin Dickinson

May 27, 2012

Gov. Sam Brownback’s signing of the new Kansas Tax Act on Tuesday was a historic event. The act will shape the lives of Kansans for many years to come.

snip

Equally important, the act dramatically changes the Kansas tax system, shifting the income tax burden from the wealthy and prosperous to working people. The act provides that all income of business owners is tax-free (except in the unusual case where a regular corporation is used). Although the act was promoted as a boost to small business, there is no limit on the size of business that can be exempt from tax.

Income of professionals — such as doctors, lawyers, architects, and accountants — practicing in partnerships will be tax-free. In a law firm, for example, the partners will pay no tax, while the clerical staff will continue on the tax rolls....
Income received from partnerships and trusts will be tax-free. Wealthy Kansans who own real estate, stocks, bonds and other investments will simply transfer those assets to a partnership or trust, thereby freeing all their investment income from tax....All income of farmers will be exempt from tax.

Who will still be paying Kansas income tax? Only three groups: 1) employees, 2) some retirees and 3) individuals whose investments are so modest that they cannot afford to create a trust or partnership to shelter their investment income.

snip

[GCP]

1. The people of Kansas voted

This is what they got.

[SoCalDem]

2. It's not surprising to me at all

So many midwestern/southern/mountain staters seem to be voting against their own benefit..

Propaganda works

[hfojvt]

41. except that there was no propaganda

Brownback did not sell his magic beans to Kansans. Kansans did not vote for this plan, in fact, I recently found a thread where I first mentioned his plan. A plan that was still a secret. On October 11, 2011 - almost a full year after the election. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=153x9735

So there was no propaganda to convince Kansans to vote for this stupid plan.

Now, there was all kinds of propaganda to convince Kansans that Sam Brownback is a fine, upstanding citizen instead of the piece of scum-sucking slime that he really is. But that's propaganda that sells the con-man, not propaganda that sells the con itself.

Unfortunately, Brownback is very unlikely to pay a political price for it either. If anything, Conservatives are gearing up to massacre us just like they did in 2010. They have conservatives from the House lined up to run against moderates in the Senate in primary elections and they have control of the re-districting that they can use to tilt the game in their favor. And plus, it is a Presidential year which is sure to bring out large number of conservative-Republican voters in this conservative Republican state. Further, it is very late in the day, it seems to me, and in many state house races, the KDP does not have candidates.

[RKP5637]

48. One day people will be saying, "What's the Matter with Kansas?" None live

there anymore except some creepy guys in Topeka. With decisions like this the exodus from Kansas will likely continue. We're getting out of here even though it will place a hardship on us. The political environment and decisions are getting unbearable ... especially when one thinks about living in the future in Kansas.

[Scootaloo]

3. And to think...

Kansas used to be the epicenter of American Socialism.

[coalition_unwilling]

31. Before that it was the epicenter of abolitionism. See

"Bleeding Kansas".

[Suji to Seoul]

7. If I said what I wanted to say, I would attacked for regional bigotry

So I will just temper my disgust and say "they voted for Sam Brownback, the got Sam Brownback. In abundance!"

[sarcasmo]

11. +1

[hfojvt]

42. -9

and Californians voted for Schwarzenegger
New Jersey voted for Christie
New York voted for Cuomo
Wisconsin voted for Walker
Iowa voted for Branstad
Minnesota voted for Pawlenty
Connecticut voted for Lieberman
Massachusetts voted for Brown
Illinois voted for Kirk

How about letting he who is without sin cast the first stone?

as he ducks from all the stones coming from Hawaii

p.s. In case you are wondering why Cuomo is on that list, it is because he is a POE*. When it comes to voting for him again, quoth the raven "nevermore" http://journals.democraticunderground.com/hfojvt/154


*Piece Of Excrement

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. None of the Kansans I know voted for this asshole

[demtenjeep]

36. I did not vote for them or this

grrrr

[HiPointDem]

4. You mean capital income won't be taxed in any way? Does KS have a sales tax at all?

[NewJeffCT]

12. Sales tax is 6.3%

http://www.salestaxinstitute.com/rates.html

Local areas can add up to 5% more.

sales tax is another regressive tax.

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. One of the suburban cities here charges 10% sales tax

[HiPointDem]

34. yes, i understand sales tax is regressive. i just wondered whether capital was to be taxed in any

way at all.

[bluestateguy]

5. Thomas Frank has tried to show them that they have been screwing themselves in Kansas

But they won't listen.

So it is hard to be sympathetic to all of the working people who voted for Brownback and this legislature because of gays, guns, God and abortion or whatever bullshit culture war.

Now they are getting what they voted for.

[NewJeffCT]

13. Republicans have a lot of 1 issue voters

(1) Anti-Choicers
(2) NRA members

are two of the big ones, as well as people against marriage equality.

[hfojvt]

39. I actually blame the media, more than any of those issues

The media started the narrative probably in February of 2009, about a month after Brownback filed. Not a narrative about a culture war. A culture warrior might very well lose. Consider Phill Kline, for example. Culture warrior against abortion. Barely won in 2002, and then got beat in 2006. In fact, he got thumped, by 17%. He got a mere 348,000 votes against 491,000 for his opponent, and against over 500,000 that other Republicans like the Secretary of State, and State Treasurer got.

The narrative that the media started was about Brownback's inevitable coronation. They pounded the drums for a solid twenty months - Brownback is gonna win, Brownback is gonna win. In that manner, a) some people were persuaded to vote for Brownback, since apparently everybody else was doing it, and b) many Democrats were persuaded to stay home. In 2002, the Governor candidates got 818,688 votes, in 2006 they got 835,579, in 2010 they got 800,946.

In some ways, it seemed to me the same thing happened in 2002. I moved to this state in November of 2001, and one thing I noticed was that before the election, the media spent months predicting a Sebelius victory, and in 2006 they spent the election season predicting a Sebelius re-election. I am not sure if it is a self-fulfilling prophecy or if the money just decides it. The media picks the winner, after all, based on which one raises, and has, more money. The votes that really count in this "democracy" of ours, are the votes cast by the dollar bills. It's not "one person, one vote" it's "one dollar, one vote".

[BlueCaliDem]

6. Elections have consequences. This is what the working Kansans wanted.

I have no sympathy for them. They've been warned, but they didn't want to listen. I hope they learn from the school of hard knocks when they can't afford food for their children. On the other hand, they'll just blame the Democrats and Socialists as they always do.

Dumb idiots.

[proud2BlibKansan]

23. The KS Democratic Party is worthless

So they deserve at least part of the blame here. We had a wonderful candidate running against Brownback and the party did very little to help him. He was basically just a placeholder.

[pstokely]

26. National party also shares some blame

No infrastructure in Kansas

[proud2BlibKansan]

27. The reason I give neither any money

[hfojvt]

40. Did the party have a lot of resources to help him?

It seems to me that the party expects candidates to raise those resources. The party spent a fair amount of time and moeny trying to retain the seat in the 41st, but still lost that seat. The guy who ran for the 42 (and got creamed) was mad because he got no help, after, he says, party leaders begged him to run. The party probably had to triage.

With triage, there are three classes of people, because you have limited resources, you cannot help everybody, so you focus your resources.

1. those who don't need help, because they will survive on their own
2. those who are pretty much beyond help
3. those who can benefit from immediate help

For myself, I kinda took the Governor's race as a lost cause. The ones I thought we could win, most likely, were State Treasurer and Attorney General (and I was also deluded into thinking we had a chance at SOS. Heck, on election night I stopped at headquarters after I got done working and picked up the box of Steve Six signs, figuring we could use them again in four years for his re-election. I didn't know who won, but I thought surely Six would.

Heck, I myself figured that McKinney, Six and the 41st were in the first category. I put my own resources, besides the time I spent manning headquarters, into helping the candidate in the 42nd and also trying to win my county for Holland. I figured he would lose statewide, but might win our county. Hell, he got slaughtered in Leavenworth County.

[proud2BlibKansan]

43. I honestly don't know but I would imagine the GOP has lots more money than the KDP.

I was one of the silly ones who believed that Brownback was so far to the right that moderate republicans would not vote for him. I was wrong. But I also believe that had the party and Holland worked harder at raising money the election wouldn't have been a slam dunk for Brownback.

Just like with the Slattery campaign, fundraising opportunities were lost. I'm not sure why but that knowledge leads me to have little faith in the KDP. The new executive director was a smart move but I'm still waiting to see how effective she will be.

[BlueCaliDem]

45. I'm certain Kansans have access to the internet.

Yet they don't use this powerful tool to educate themselves on the issues. Instead, they rely on political ads to mislead them and they vote accordingly.

If ever we needed to get money out of politics, this was a wonderful chance because the Democrats had a wonderful candidate running against that Teapublican't.

For instance, despite Meg Whitman outspending Brown by tens of millions (over $125 million, by the way) he won by a large margin. I couldn't turn on the local television here without being swamped by Meg Whitman ads against Brown, but we didn't listen.

Now, I'm going to vote for Mike Strimling in the primaries against DiFi. She's been there too long, got too rich off of military budgets, and she's, at best, a Blue Dog - unless it's around re-election time. She needs to go. I hope more Californians will support Mike who is a true Democrat and Progressive. We certainly will.

Here, read his page: http://taxtherich2012.org/mike-strimling-for-senate-page.html

He's what we need, and more of him, in the Senate.

[NoQuarter]

8. I fear

that my home state will cease to exist.

[bec]

9. I guess Kansas

will be taking more money from the federal government. I don't see how this state can survive. It is obvious that people do not have the capability to analyze information and understand consequences. Not a very smart group of people.

[Logical]

14. Well, 37% of us did not vote for that idiot. So not all of us, in your words are "not smart"

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. +1

[Ship of Fools]

29. Thanks. I hail from KS, as well.

Recently put democraticunderground.com sticker on my car and have
had two cars in as many weeks coming up on my bumper and riding
my tail at about 12 inches. Evil people around here. I miss Lawrence
a lot -- one of the bluer areas, of course. Otherwise, KS is an evil-ass
place. Sometimes I think they're intentionally driving us out of state,
and afterwards they'll erect an electric fence around the whole damned place...
they can have it.

We can't afford the prop taxes going up again. Our eyes are on 40 acres
in Missouri, as long as hubby gets the green light for a transfer.

[coalition_unwilling]

32. That is really scary. You might want to remove the bumper stickers and

go incognito. You're too important to us to lose you to some right-wing psycho in a mobile murder weapon.

[Ship of Fools]

47. Thanks for that!

Been out here for 26 years now (from NY), and I've gotten
to an age and point in life where I just don't feel like apologizing
anymore for what's right. I guess I might be my own worst
enemy, thinking that way ...

Funny thing is: My husband has the same stickers on his truck and
he's NEVER had any problems.

My car was also keyed in a small town grocer's parking lot as well.
Only consolation was the fact that it's a beater, anyway.

Eh, I'll probably take them off -- you're right. Not worth the hazard.

[proud2BlibKansan]

33. I've been harassed more in MO than in KS

I had a DU sticker on my car for years and had several people ask me about it and were there really Democrats in Kansas. Nothing but positive experiences.

Right before the '08 election, I was driving in MO and a guy tried to sideswipe me on a highway entrance ramp. He yelled "Fuck you and fuck Obama too!"

Another time I was followed closely and honked at for several miles in KCMO. I crossed the state line into Kansas, the guy kept following me and I called 911. The cops were there in about 2 minutes and pulled the guy over.

[Ship of Fools]

46. Sorry about that!

I know MO is as bad, if not worse, than KS. We intend to go into the
boonies and keep a low profile.

The first was a toothless wonder in a pickup truck who made a point
of laughing when I made a point of glaring into the rearview...

The second was a man & woman near Leawood in a sportscar. Now I
don't know sportscars really, but this had the look of a European thing.
In hindsight I thought if they hit me, I'd give them the *parting shot*
that my car was worth waaaay less than their deductible. Then I'd
sue their shorts off. HA!

[sarcasmo]

10. Scarier thing, this religious nut wants to be President.

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. There is no way.

Our only consolation is that his political career is over. Even the Republicans are angry at him. He's got the far right whackos but the rest of them can't stand him.

[brentspeak]

15. kick

:kick:

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. Brownback also thinks this will create 500,000 jobs in Kansas

At this very moment, there is a line of people at the state line waiting to get in. Kind of like that land rush in Oklahoma!

[tabasco]

19. How much crap can your typical Kansas voter eat?

Before he realizes it's not oatmeal but republican turds?

[cynatnite]

22. This is probably the biggest example of voting against your interests I have ever seen. n/t

[salin]

24. Kansans - did he campaign on this? Was this really predictable or is it like Walker

stealth in the campaign suddenly centrally screwing most citizens while handing HUGE benefits to the already wealthy?

[pstokely]

25. Brownback never even had to campaign due to week a Dem party in Kansas

nt

[hfojvt]

37. Well I resemble that remark

But Brownback did campaign some. He went all over the state. Seems like everywhere I went, I would find Brownback on the front page of the paper, visiting that town. Of course, it helps that he was still a Senator, so he could have the taxpayers pick up his campaign expenses.

As for the weak Democratic party in Kansas, I blame Obama for that, and perhaps Daschle too. Obama took the head of our party to be Secretary of HHS. If that had not happened, she would have had a shot at being elected Senator from Kansas and probably would have energized the whole ticket. Instead she bailed, her Lt. Governor wouldn't run, our Congressional incumbent got early stage Alzheimer's, and then the party sorta had nothing. We had incumbents in three statewide offices - Secretary of State, Treasurer, and Attorney General - and they all lost, and lost big. And we lost a bunch of legislative seats in that tidal wave as well.

But it all started at the top - Obama, Sebelius, and Parkinson.

[proud2BlibKansan]

44. How would you know about Brownback's campaign? You don't live here.

He most certainly DID campaign and so did Kobach, who I honestly believed had a zero chance of getting elected.

But, just like in MO, 2010 was a tidal wave for the GOP and many voters showed up at the polls and voted for the republican after being convinced the Democrats were socialists.

[proud2BlibKansan]

28. And the nutjobs make comments:

Liberty_One (anonymous) says…
Obviously they did not cut taxes enough. Property and sales taxes need to be cut next. Thank you for pointing this out, professor.

Of course. The only fair taxation is zero. We should always strive towards that. Any tax cut is better than none, right brother? May 27, 2012 at 6 a.m.

Lartist5 … No fair taxation would idealy be flat with no exeptions and no loopholes. Everyone pays the same %. That's fair. No tax means a society of no property.

Liberty_One … Taxes are a violation of property rights. How can getting rid of a violation of property rights result in no property? Surely you aren't so naive as to think that the State and only the State can

cato_the_elder (anonymous) says…
This piece will receive accolades from leftists. It cleverly fails to mention, however, the specific fact that those whose Kansas income taxes will be reduced under this law are still subject to paying all kinds of federal income taxes at rates that have always been much higher than those in Kansas, and that the federal tax burden of Kansas residents could substantially increase if the wrong people are elected in November.

rtwngr (anonymous) says…
Another Keynsian disciple. Maybe, just maybe, the lowering of taxes on income producers will stimulate more hiring thereby expanding the tax base and growing the Kansas economy. As for the spending cuts. Good. The social system needs to be leaned down. Mr. Nationally Recognized Expert in Tax Law is not Mr. Nationally Recognized Expert in Economics.

[LiberalFighter]

30. Lower taxes on income producers?

rtwngr is an ef n idiot. Without employees the employers would not have as much income produced.

[hfojvt]

35. We're number 1, we're number 1!!!

Totally winning this race to the bottom.

[newportdadde]

38. The Kansas state constitution requires a balanced budget.

Typical insane conservative bullshit. Lower taxes and revenues and then complain how you can't afford money for schools or social programs. So tired of this crap. You also have to love Brownback, he basically married into money. I remember years ago a story about how his inlaws contributed like 200k to the RNC and low and behold a 200k check made it to Sam. Guy never worked a day in his life.