TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on the debate in Kansas over raising income taxes to balance the state budget (all times local):
Kansas legislators are not sure what path they will take to balance the state budget after failing to override Republican Gov. Sam Brownback’s veto of a bill increasing income taxes.
Brownback vetoed a bill Wednesday that would have raised more than $1 billion over two years.
The House voted to override his action on an 85-40 vote. But the vote in the Senate at 24-16 was three votes short of the two-thirds majority necessary.
Some supporters of the bill said it’s now up to Brownback and his allies to come up with a new plan.
But Democratic Rep. Tom Sawyer of Wichita said he would like to keep passing bills similar to the one Brownback vetoed until lawmakers are willing to override the governor.
4:15 p.m.
Kansas legislators have failed to override Republican Gov. Sam Brownback’s veto of a bill that would have increased income taxes to help balance the state budget.
The state Senate voted 24-16 Wednesday to overturn the veto. But supporters were three votes short of the two-thirds majority of 27 votes needed in the 40-member chamber.
The Senate’s action came after the House voted 85-40 to override the veto. Supporters there had one vote more than necessary.
The bill would have raised more than $1 billion over two years by rolling back personal income tax cuts Brownback championed in 2012 and 2013. Lawmakers will have to draft a new budget-balancing plan.
The state faces projected budget shortfalls totaling nearly $1.1 billion through June 2019.
11:40 a.m.
Kansas Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning says the chamber will vote by Thursday on overriding Gov. Sam Brownback’s veto of a bill increasing income taxes to help balance the state budget.
The House voted Wednesday to override the veto on an 85-40 vote.
The bill would roll back key income tax cuts championed by Brownback in 2012 and 2013. The bill would raise more than $1 billion over two years.
The state faces projected budget shortfalls totaling nearly $1.1 billion through June 2019.
When the Senate approved the bill last week, the vote was 22-18, leaving supporters five votes short of the 27 needed for a two-thirds majority to override a veto.
But supporters also had been short in the House and picked up nine votes for the bill.
10:35 a.m.
The Kansas House has voted to override Republican Gov. Sam Brownback’s veto of a bill increasing personal income taxes to help balance the state budget.
The vote Wednesday was 85-40. That’s one vote more than the two-thirds majority necessary in the 125-member House.
The House’s action clears the way for an attempt to override in the Senate.
The bill would raise more than $1 billion over two years starting in July. It would increase income tax rates and end an exemption for more than 330,000 farmers and business owners.
Kansas has struggled to balance its budget since GOP lawmakers slashed income taxes in 2012 and 2013 at Brownback’s urging. The bill would reverse key Brownback tax policies.
8:45 a.m.
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has fulfilled his promise to veto a bill that would have increase personal income taxes to help balance the budget.
Brownback acted Wednesday during a Statehouse news conference. He had pledged to veto the measure during a Tuesday night banquet of the supportive Kansas Chamber of Commerce.
The bill would have raised more than $1 billion over two years starting in July. It would have increase income tax rates and ended an exemption for more than 330,000 farmers and business owners.
Kansas has struggled to balance its budget since GOP lawmakers slashed income taxes in 2012 and 2013 at Brownback’s urging.
The House expected to consider overriding the veto almost immediately. But the bill did not pass with the two-thirds majorities required.