Senators Consider 1 Cent Sales Tax Hike

A Kansas Senate committee has drafted a plan to increase taxes $417 million to reduce an expected shortfall in the next state budget.

The Ways and Means Committee hoped to vote Friday on the plan, which would increase the state’s sales tax from 5.3 percent to 6.3 percent.

The plan also would increase the state’s cigarette tax by 55 cents a pack, to $1.34. In addition, an existing income tax break for manufacturing firms would be eliminated.

The new revenues would fill a gap between anticipated revenues and the $13.6 billion in spending endorsed by the committee for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

The committee sought to avoid cutting education funding and social services.