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Sobbing legislators highlight problems with tax bill and process

Oh, how we wish school funding and the timing of school board elections weren’t decided by the legislature and that our legislature would obey the courts. Since that is not the case, over the past few years many of us have evolved from people who barely paid attention to politics to those who watch the legislature carefully, listening to proceedings live and following Twitter at all hours. What we’ve seen is deeply disturbing. We agree with this editorial. “The image of a grown legislator sobbing in the middle of the night would be poignant if it weren’t so...
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Tax bill passes House 4 am on June 12th

The House passed its tax bill at around 4 am. On roll call the vote was: Yea – (63): Alford, Anthimides, Barker, Barton, Billinger, Boldra, Bradford, Brunk, B. Carpenter, W. Carpenter, Concannon, Corbet, Davis, Dove, Esau, Estes, Ewy, Garber, Goico, Gonzalez, Hawkins, Hedke, Hemsley, Highland, Hoffman, Houser, Huebert, Hutchins, Hutton, Johnson, K. Jones, Kelley, Kelly, Kleeb, Lunn, Macheers, Mason, Mast, McPherson, Merrick, O’Brien, Osterman, Peck, Powell, Proehl, Read, Rhoades, Rubin, Ryckman, Ryckman, Sr., Scapa, Schwab, Schwartz, Seiwert, Smith, Suellentrop, Sutton, Thimesch, Todd, Vickrey, Waymaster, Whitmer, Williams, Nay – (45): Alcala, Ballard, Becker, Bollier, Bruchman, Burroughs, Carmichael, Clayton, Couture-Lovelady,...
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Tax bill stalemate continues on June 10th

“The House paused a failing vote on the largest tax increase in Kansas history at midnight, with members scattering until 8 a.m. – allowing hours of early-morning arm-twisting… “Soon after the vote began, a call of the House was initiated, empowering state troopers to bring absent members to the chamber. About 10 members were not present. Ten of the 125 members must support the call at any given time for it to continue. “The House this year adopted a rule prohibiting work from taking place between midnight and 8 a.m. With midnight approaching, legislative leadership decided to suspend...
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