Letters: KC readers discuss Brownback tax boogeyman, vaccine success, Missouri militia
Look ahead
Why do The Kansas City Star, Gov. Laura Kelly and Democratic Kansas legislators continue to use fear and omission to scare Kansans and keep our state’s economy from moving forward?
The Legislature is working again to reverse state tax increases that happened in 2017 because of changes to federal tax laws. These tax increases were unintended and have put our state at a competitive disadvantage.
Rather than base their opposition on sound facts, The Star and Democrats instead shout “Brownback tax cuts” at the tops of their lungs, hoping the fear keeps Kansas lawmakers from doing the right thing: ending the unintended tax hikes.
The Brownback tax cuts referred to in the Feb. 12 editorial, “Lobbyist-written tax cut bill would put Kansas on ‘bullet train to Brownbackville’” lowered rates. The bill lawmakers are considering this session removes foreign income from the tax base, which Kansas has never taxed. It also allows small businesses and families to itemize on their state tax returns if they don’t on their federal returns.
In this first year of this bill, $121 million would go for individual itemization for small businesses and families and $58 million would go for business-related provisions. Learn more at UnintendedTaxes.com.
If you say “Brownback” three times, like “Beetlejuice,” he won’t come back. You can only look backward for so long. Leaders look forward.
Kansas lawmakers have a choice: They can allow The Star and Democrats to use fear and omission to continue untended tax hikes. Or they can look forward, end the hikes and put Kansas back on the path to economic growth.
- Alan Cobb, President and CEO, The Kansas Chamber, Topeka
No checks, balances
Missouri state Sen. Bill White deserves congratulations. With his proposal to create a citizens army for Missouri, just in case Kansas invades us, he has moved to the head of the “I’m nuttier than you are” wing of the Republicans running our state. (Feb. 28, 8A, “A new ‘Missouri Minutemen’ militia is a ridiculous idea”)
It has become obvious they don’t care about the people who need help in our state. I didn’t know anything more important than protections for wealthy donors or telling women what to do with their bodies existed in the General Assembly.
We have a problem when one party controls government in overwhelming numbers. It gets challenged on nothing, and we end up with wacky ideas becoming law.
Thanks to The Kansas City Star for keeping us informed.
- Linda Christian, Greenwood, Missouri
History listens
“I’m dead right on this. The coronavirus is the common cold, folks.” - Rush Limbaugh on his radio show, Feb. 24, 2020.
The families of half a million dead Americans and millions more around the world might disagree. The Kansas City Star has been silent on this heartbreaking comment.
- Tom Witwer, Overland Park
Got us through
My wife, 94-year-old mother and I received our first COVID-19 vaccinations last week at Truman Medical Center’s Lakewood Medical Pavilion. What a wonderful and quality experience.
The staff members were organized to the max — helpful and cheerful at the same time. I have dealt with people at TMC before and find them always to be of the highest quality. They have mastered the art of making an anxious situation a confident situation. The staff there is simply the best.
- Rory Grounds, Lee’s Summit
This story was originally published March 1, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Letters: KC readers discuss Brownback tax boogeyman, vaccine success, Missouri militia."