TOPEKA — Kansas legislators have killed a bill containing Republican Gov. Sam Brownback’s proposals to raise tobacco and liquor taxes to help fix the state’s serious budget problems.
The GOP-controlled state Senate voted 37-1 to kill the bill Tuesday. Senate President Susan Wagle and other top Republicans had predicted there would be little support for Brownback’s proposals.
Lawmakers so far are focusing on closing projected budget shortfalls totaling more than $1 billion through June 2019 by rolling back past income tax cuts championed by Brownback.
The Legislature passed an income tax bill last month but Brownback vetoed it.
The bill rejected by the Senate also contained Brownback’s proposal to increase annual filing fees paid by for-profit businesses.
Some senators said debating proposals with so little support was a waste of time.
