L&T Publisher Earl Watt

In a very close vote, The Kansas Legislature passed local limits on tax increases which would not allow increases above 3 percent per year. If a taxing entity wanted to go above 3 percent they could, but they would have to make their case to the public to justify the increase. If the people agree, the increase will go through without a problem.

But if the people disagree, they will have a tool they never had before.

The bill states that a petition must be available in the county clerk’s office ready to protest any increase above the 3 percent limit.

This is important. Most other petitions require the citizen to have to present legal language to the county clerk and have it approved by the county attorney’s office. But in this case, the language is approved when the citizen picks it up, so there are no legal loopholes that will allow for challenges to the petition.

Local citizens then have 30 days to gather 10 percent of the number that voted in the previous election.

That’s a tight window, and it puts a large burden on the citizens to work their tails off to meet the threshold.

But it is better than the nothing we have now, and if the people truly care that the tax is inappropriate, they will gather the 10 percent signatures.

If they understand why taxes have to increase beyond the legal limit, it would be next to impossible to get those signatures.

This is a needed tool for taxpayers.

I want to thank Representative Shannon Francis for voting yes. The bill only passed by four votes in the House. Not far away, Rep. Gary White vote against the measure.

The bill also barely passed the Kansas Senate. The measure made it over the hump 22-18. Senator Ron Ryckman voted against it.

I’m sure the answer will refer to supporting local government, and that locals know better what taxes are needed.

In most cases, I don’t dispute that. I, too, believe local government is the best government.

But every government has to have a check by the people, and the recent massive tax hike by Seward County provided enough evidence to me that the people must have a tool just in case three people choose to ignore the will of the people.

By voting against providing a tool to the people, that is not supporting local government. That is turning the people of Kansas into hostages.

Local governments, like all governments, tend to outgrow the private sector in spending, and the only way to keep them in check is to have control of the purse strings. That’s what this bill will do.

Elected officials have good intentions, and they want to do the best they can for the community. But as the newcomers to a bureaucracy that is already functioning, they can sometimes be led down a path of approving growth despite their heartfelt efforts to protect the taxpayers. This tool allows our elected officials to hold the bureaucracy in check while they learn the ins and outs of governing the entity.

And if they believe a tax increase is warranted, then it should be no problem convincing the public of that fact.

In the past two years we have been told that massive tax increases were absolutely necessary for Seward County to function, and in both cases the taxes were reverted back to the previous year. And yet, the county continues to function, services have not been compromised, and we continue to operate.

This is why this bill must pass. Only through the ability of the people to hold its government accountable will the bureaucracy function within the limits set forth by law.

Let Gov. Laura Kelly know you would like her to sign this bill and provide the people of Kansas a tool in keeping government growth at the same level as the rest of us.