Issue Position: Fighting for Tax Relief

Issue Position

Tom Sawyer worked for and delivered Tax Relief for Kansas Families and Seniors

Tom Sawyer feels that the State Budget should reflect our values. He feels that the State should budget more like a family: A family lives within its means while taking care of its children and seniors.

Tom also feels that the State should pay its debts off during the good times so that we don't have to raise taxes or cut vital programs during the bad times.

During his years in the legislature, Tom Sawyer consistently fought to lower taxes on the middle class and senior citizens.

Now he wants to implement a Property Tax Lid to keep our Property taxes from going higher and when it becomes economically feasible, he will fight to eliminate the sales tax on food. Based on his great record of cutting taxes, he will get the job done!

Unfortunately the current legislature's irresponsibility is leading to a huge budget deficit in a few years, which puts all of these tax cuts in jeopardy. Tom Sawyer wants to return to Topeka to help solve this financial crisis before it gets worse and jeopardizes not only the tax cuts for working families but our children's education and other vital state programs as well.

Cut Property Taxes-

In 1992, Tom Sawyer led the effort that cut our property taxes in Wichita by

29%.

Cut Car Taxes- I

In 1994, Tom Sawyer had a plan to cut our car taxes in half over 5 years. Thanks

to his and others leadership, we now pay 50% less in car taxes than we used to pay!

Provided Property Tax Relief for Homeowners-

Tom Sawyer led the effort in 1996 that gave us the Homestead exemption, which cut every homeowners property taxes. He also helped pass a plan that reduced the state-wide property tax mill levy from 35 mills to 20 mills!

Lowered Income Taxes for Struggling Working Families-

In 1998, Tom Sawyer led the effort to increase the personal exemption for all Kansans and to implement an Earned Income Tax Credit in Kansas. The Kansas Earned Income Tax Credit cut the income taxes for all families making less than $35,000 a year. In 2007 he helped pass a law that increased this tax cut by 13%! Unfortunately the current legislature took away some of this tax relief for working families.

Provided Tax Relief for Struggling Seniors-

In 1998, Tom Sawyer also led the effort to double the sales tax refund and greatly increase the Homestead Tax Refunds provided to people over 55 and families struggling to make ends meet. In 2007, He helped pass another bill that increased the Homestead Refunds again!

Got rid of Unfair Taxes-

In 2004 the Legislature passed a new tax on people who sold their old cars, Some people even had to pay more in tax than they paid for the car. The value that the tax was based on had nothing to do with the sales price of the car, it was based on a table set by the state. In 2005 Tom Sawyer fought to repeal this unfair tax, getting refunds for thousands of Kansans.

Protecting the Homestead Exemption-

In 2006, Tom Sawyer helped defeat an effort to kill the Homestead Exemption. Killing the Homestead Exemption would have raised our property taxes. Tom Sawyer led the effort in 1996 which gave us the Homestead Exemption. He wasn't about to let it die.

Ended the State Taxation of Social Security Benefits for most Kansans-

In 2007, Tom Sawyer helped pass a bill that eliminates Kansas income tax on Social Security Benefits for all seniors with an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less!

Over $1 billion in tax cuts supported by Tom Sawyer and enacted into law just from 2005-2008

Including 3 of the tax cuts listed above (Repeal of the sales tax on clunkers, ending the state income tax on Social Security benefits and increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit) Tom Sawyer has supported over $1 billion in tax cuts that have beenenacted into law just from 2005 to 2008 alone.

Many of these tax cuts are being phased in over several years, but once they are all fully implemented in 2013, the accumulated total of just these tax cuts will total over $1 billion.

Fighting to Put a Lid on Property Taxes-

Today Tom Sawyer would like to pass a Property Tax Lid to keep our property taxes from going higher. The current legislature continues to pass bills that are shifting more of the tax burden onto to local property taxes. Tom Sawyer believes that this is wrong and will make it difficult for senior citizens to stay in their homes and for working families to be able to afford their homes.

He believes that local governments should not be allowed to increase property taxes beyond reasonable and natural growth without being subject to a vote of the people.

Fighting to End the Sales Tax on Food-

Tom Sawyer has long called for the elimination of the sales tax on food. When the economy improves and the budget can absorb it he will once again push to eliminate this unfair tax.

Source