Kansas ends conservative experiment
The state's budget problems arose after the GOP-dominated Legislature slashed personal income taxes in 2012 and 2013 at Brownback's urging as an economic stimulus.
Brownback's plan would raise $428 million during the fiscal year beginning July 1, a little more than what's needed to close the budget gap. A majority of the new dollars would come from increasing the sales tax to 6.65 percent from 6.15 percent and the cigarette tax by 50 cents a pack, to $1.29 from 79 cents.
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Sales tax. The most regressive of all taxes.
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I thought the economy was great?
By the way if they ended the experiment they would have raised income tax -
Kansas has been flaming out in large measure due to Brownback's ideological governance. Even in the face of all that, the good people of Kansas could not bring themselves to vote for the Independent (the Dem dropped out) in the elections.
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/119574/sam-brownbacks-conservative-utopia-kansas-has-become-hell -
Just Kansas?
I don't think Brownback is alone in his ideological approach
Because Kansas did in fact elect him -
Kansas is unique in that it is the state where the tax-cutting has gone the furthest, to the extent that the state has been running out of money for things like schools. As in, the schools don'thave enough money to stay open.
But you're absolutely right - Kansas elected him and re-elected him, so this is what they signed up for -
Remember the conservative philosophy. Cut taxes on the wealthy and cut government spending. Smaller government is the key. Just like good ole Reagan did it. Oh wait....
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Obama is still a failure. Sorry.2001400ex said:Remember the conservative philosophy. Cut taxes on the wealthy and cut government spending. Smaller government is the key. Just like good ole Reagan did it. Oh wait....
If only he could have failed as bad as Reagan -
AZDuck said:
The Lottery. The most regressive of all taxes.
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Is that why progressive Washington loves it so much?AZDuck said:Sales tax. The most regressive of all taxes.
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What, 11years in a row? Yeah well, the ducks are still cheaters so there.RaceBannon said:
Obama is still a failure. Sorry.2001400ex said:Remember the conservative philosophy. Cut taxes on the wealthy and cut government spending. Smaller government is the key. Just like good ole Reagan did it. Oh wait....
If only he could have failed as bad as Reagan -
Greece is just about to finish their own experiment.
I have always been a fan on sales tax. At least then, the deadbeats pay their share, as long as it's offset by a decrease in income and property tax. The only reason Oregon doesn't have a sales tax is because the left feel it's unfair to the few poor but mostly lazy deadbeats, and the right know bringing the tax just adds another one to their already 80% share that the middle class pay. -
Jobs suck ...
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in April, a slight increase from 4.2 percent in March but a bit lower than the 4.5 percent rate in April 2014. The state has 11,300 jobs more compared to last year, but lost 2,300 jobs compared to last month.
I wonder why the fact Kansas is a full percent lower in unemployment than the country isn't the headline.
Tax cuts work to stimulate economy ... -
NOGAF.
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http://www.deptofnumbers.com/unemployment/kansas/topdawgnc said:Jobs suck ...
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in April, a slight increase from 4.2 percent in March but a bit lower than the 4.5 percent rate in April 2014. The state has 11,300 jobs more compared to last year, but lost 2,300 jobs compared to last month.
I wonder why the fact Kansas is a full percent lower in unemployment than the country isn't the headline.
Tax cuts work to stimulate economy ...
Show me how the tax cuts reduced unemployment. Given that historically Kansas had has lower unemployment than the country. And when they lay off a bunch of government workers, how will that affect the unemployment rate? -
It is actually really weird that WA state uses sales taxes for most of its revenue.PurpleJ said:
Is that why progressive Washington loves it so much?AZDuck said:Sales tax. The most regressive of all taxes.
http://www.eoionline.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/tax-reform/ConciseHistoryWATaxStructure-Aug02.pdf -
Washington is one of the most regressive tax structures in the country. That's one of the reasons tech companies are located here. That's one reason I moved back to Washington from Montana. Is it better to pay 6% of all my earnings, or 9% of what I spend outside of housing and food, which is a large portion of spending.AZDuck said:
It is actually really weird that WA state uses sales taxes for most of its revenue.PurpleJ said:
Is that why progressive Washington loves it so much?AZDuck said:Sales tax. The most regressive of all taxes.
http://www.eoionline.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/tax-reform/ConciseHistoryWATaxStructure-Aug02.pdf -
this isn't true.AZDuck said:Kansas is unique in that it is the state where the tax-cutting has gone the furthest, to the extent that the state has been running out of money for things like schools. As in, the schools don'thave enough money to stay open.
But you're absolutely right - Kansas elected him and re-elected him, so this is what they signed up for
not true at all, in fact.
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Stop it.sarktastic said:
this isn't true.AZDuck said:Kansas is unique in that it is the state where the tax-cutting has gone the furthest, to the extent that the state has been running out of money for things like schools. As in, the schools don'thave enough money to stay open.
But you're absolutely right - Kansas elected him and re-elected him, so this is what they signed up for
not true at all, in fact.
Nobody uses facts around here. -
Spending in Kansas between 2013 and 2014 INCREASED 8.2%.
Even so, Kansas still enjoys a AA+ credit rating by S &P.
Kansas spends 27% of its state budget on K-12 education. Only 5 states spend more on K-12 education as a percentage of total state expenditures. -
So what your are saying is that the true conservative philosophy is to cut taxes and increase spending? I mean, that was Reagan's model, so why should Kansas be any different.sarktastic said:Spending in Kansas between 2013 and 2014 INCREASED 8.2%.
Even so, Kansas still enjoys a AA+ credit rating by S &P.
Kansas spends 27% of its state budget on K-12 education. Only 5 states spend more on K-12 education as a percentage of total state expenditures.
I wonder if any conservative will do what they say they will do and actually cut spending. -
sorry, I don't play with paid political operatives bent on destroying discourse... so... Put in a fresh set of batteries and continue enjoying hope and change.
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Paid political operatives? That's awesome. You are saying I'm so good st arguing that I must be paid. I like it.sarktastic said:sorry, I don't play with paid political operatives bent on destroying discourse... so... Put in a fresh set of batteries and continue enjoying hope and change.
But really, address the issue. Conservatives paint themselves as for limited government and less government spending. Please explain how the model of cutting taxes and increasing spending works. -
So, they don't even pay you to spew this shit?2001400ex said:
Paid political operatives? That's awesome. You are saying I'm so good st arguing that I must be paid. I like it.sarktastic said:sorry, I don't play with paid political operatives bent on destroying discourse... so... Put in a fresh set of batteries and continue enjoying hope and change.
But really, address the issue. Conservatives paint themselves as for limited government and less government spending. Please explain how the model of cutting taxes and increasing spending works.
You like, volunteer? Christ. -
I'm curious your answer to the question.sarktastic said:
So, they don't even pay you to spew this shit?2001400ex said:
Paid political operatives? That's awesome. You are saying I'm so good st arguing that I must be paid. I like it.sarktastic said:sorry, I don't play with paid political operatives bent on destroying discourse... so... Put in a fresh set of batteries and continue enjoying hope and change.
But really, address the issue. Conservatives paint themselves as for limited government and less government spending. Please explain how the model of cutting taxes and increasing spending works.
You like, volunteer? Christ. -
Does the seat of your Honda get you all tingly like a horse does while trotting?
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Dodge, duck, dive, dip, and dodge. Is this where I throw my wrench?sarktastic said:Does the seat of your Honda get you all tingly like a horse does while trotting?
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Kansas' Issuer Credit Rating (equivalent to General Obligation) was downgraded by S&P from AA+ to AA with a negative outlook on Aug. 6, 2014. The negative outlook from S&P was affirmed on march 25, 2015. This is what S&P wrote:sarktastic said:Spending in Kansas between 2013 and 2014 INCREASED 8.2%.
Even so, Kansas still enjoys a AA+ credit rating by S &P.
Kansas spends 27% of its state budget on K-12 education. Only 5 states spend more on K-12 education as a percentage of total state expenditures.
"Offsetting credit factors for the ICR include what we consider:
A sizable mid-fiscal 2015 budget gap that was covered with a mixture of ongoing and one-time budget adjustments. The mid-year budget corrections are projected by the state to avoid a negative balance, but would leave the state with close to a zero general fund balance at fiscal year-end 2015. We believe that income tax rate cuts have created legislative challenges in enacting a structurally balanced budget for fiscal 2016; The likelihood that general fund balances will remain low due to the governor's proposal to change funding of state general fund reserves; andSignificant unfunded pension liabilities and annual pension contributions that are below the actuarial annual required contribution (ARC), offset in part by Kansas' moderate tax-supported debt burden. The governor has proposed a $1.5 billion pension bond issue, which, if issued, may somewhat improve pension funded levels, but with the trade-off of higher debt."
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someone needs to dumb this down so d2d and his ilk can get it.CirrhosisDawg said:
Kansas' Issuer Credit Rating (equivalent to General Obligation) was downgraded by S&P from AA+ to AA with a negative outlook on Aug. 6, 2014. The negative outlook from S&P was affirmed on march 25, 2015. This is what S&P wrote:sarktastic said:Spending in Kansas between 2013 and 2014 INCREASED 8.2%.
Even so, Kansas still enjoys a AA+ credit rating by S &P.
Kansas spends 27% of its state budget on K-12 education. Only 5 states spend more on K-12 education as a percentage of total state expenditures.
"Offsetting credit factors for the ICR include what we consider:
A sizable mid-fiscal 2015 budget gap that was covered with a mixture of ongoing and one-time budget adjustments. The mid-year budget corrections are projected by the state to avoid a negative balance, but would leave the state with close to a zero general fund balance at fiscal year-end 2015. We believe that income tax rate cuts have created legislative challenges in enacting a structurally balanced budget for fiscal 2016; The likelihood that general fund balances will remain low due to the governor's proposal to change funding of state general fund reserves; andSignificant unfunded pension liabilities and annual pension contributions that are below the actuarial annual required contribution (ARC), offset in part by Kansas' moderate tax-supported debt burden. The governor has proposed a $1.5 billion pension bond issue, which, if issued, may somewhat improve pension funded levels, but with the trade-off of higher debt."
