Editorial: Brownback’s tax views are out of step with Johnson County

Plenty of Johnson Countians disagree with Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback’s over-the-top support for the supposed benefits of low taxes.

In fact, voters for many years have been more than willing to spend money to provide better basic services in the state’s largest county.

A Star story last weekend took a deep dive into numbers and philosophies about how the county’s residents have built an enviable quality of life.

The article came just a week after Brownback, at a debate in Overland Park, promoted one of his favorite talking points — that low taxes should help Johnson County compete with Missouri-side cities for jobs and residents.

But Brownback doesn’t get it. As we have noted before, Johnson Countians have endorsed numerous tax increases when promised improved public services in return. The result has been enhanced education for children at award-winning public schools, a lengthy system of trails, a top-rated library system and strong public safety programs.

While county voters have defeated some local governments’ tax requests, the overwhelming majority of big-ticket items have been approved.

In the recent debate with Democrat Paul Davis, Brownback said he had helped school districts by supporting a higher cap on their local option budgets.

Translated: The districts are now allowed to ask voters for new property taxes to raise more revenue.

Brownback thus demagogues against higher taxes at the state level, even while that helps force local officials to ask for higher taxes to keep good government services in place.

This is a regrettable approach to handling state and local funding for vital public services.

This story was originally published September 30, 2014 at 8:30 PM with the headline "Editorial: Brownback’s tax views are out of step with Johnson County."