The Kansas Senate spent hours yesterday debating a tax plan and eventually there was agreement: Virtually everyone in the chamber agreed that they did not like the bill. The plan failed with 30 votes against it and only one in favor. KPR’s Stephen Koranda reports on the proposal, which would have raised a variety of taxes to fill a budget hole.
Kansas Senate leaders say the debate helped narrow their options and understand what tax plans senators might like, and what they don’t like.
“I’ve been here a long time and tough votes don’t happen until about the third or fourth night until about 3:00 in the morning. It’s hard. Everybody has a perception of what’s best,” says Susan Wagle, Republican Senate president.
Democratic Senator Pat Pettey says the vote shows Republicans are not on the same page.
"At any level of government, it shows that there’s a big division in their party, whether it’s two sides or three sides,” Pettey says.
After the failure of the tax plan, Senators may look at adding more budget cuts into the mix.
