Kansas legislators will gather Jan. 8 in Topeka for one of the most crucial legislative sessions since — well, since 2017.
The truth is Kansas has faced one governmental crisis after another for much of this decade. Much of the blame lies with Gov. Sam Brownback and his conservative allies, who pushed through a tax cut in 2012 that remains a model of how not to run a state.
Legislators began repairing the damage in 2017. Over the governor’s veto, they raised various taxes in an effort to fund state programs at an appropriate level.
As a result, Kansas is closer to fiscal health than it has been in some time. But there are still needs in various state programs, and there are still holes in the budget.
That means lawmakers will have to tackle tax and spending issues in 2018, no matter how distasteful that sounds. That may mean tax increases.
And there are other policy questions awaiting legislators, too.
Here are ways the Legislature can make Kansas a better place to live in 2018. Read more…