During a speech at the University of Kansas Monday, Governor Sam Brownback touted a tax-cutting bill he signed into law earlier this year.
The plan will cut personal income tax rates and eliminate income taxes for nearly 200,000 businesses. Brownback said that could help attract people and jobs to the state.
“This gets us into a new Kansas, where we are trusting the people of Kansas with these dollars rather than putting them in government hands and trusting that the people will create jobs and opportunities better than the government with create jobs and opportunities with this amount of money,” said Brownback.
The Kansas Democratic Party blasted the plan before the speech. Chair Joan Wagnon said it would create budget troubles and hurt low-income residents by eliminating some tax credits.
Around 20 protesters gathered outside the venue holding signs with slogans like “Who would Jesus tax?”
One of the protesters, Margie Wakefield, is vice chair of the Douglas County Democratic Party.
“The problem with this policy is it shifts the tax burden to the poorest people in Kansas,” said Wakefield, “it is absolutely unfair and inequitable.”
The new tax plan takes effect in January.