January 16,
2004
This column was
written by Representative Frank Miller of Independence, KS. I found it
interesting and thought you would as well.
Property
Appraisals & Maintenance HB 2255
The House taxation Committee heard HB 2255 authored by Representative
Frank Miller Wednesday, January 14, 2004. This bill examines how property
value is many times increased just because the owner did some maintenance
work, such as painting, reproofing, or general cleanup work. The bill
disallows the appraiser from increasing the appraised value of a home
due to this type of normal maintenance.
Miller was supported by 10 residents from his district. Written testimonies
were sent to the committee by: Mark Palmer, Ruth Hanke, Glenn German,
Harold Swearigen, and Nancy Thomas. Those who both wrote testimonies and
also attended and presented their testimonies in person were: Sue Hucke,
Don Matlock, Anita Atherton, Patricia McBride and Karl Peterjon (Kansas
Taxpayers Network).
The meeting lasted two hours, and would have gone on except the chairman
had to call a recess so members of athe committee could go to the regular
House SEssion. The meeting took up again the next day to allow the opponents
an opportunity to rebuttal, but the proponents outnumbered the opponents.
Over all the meetingw as very good and certainly got both sides of the
issue thinking about what needs to be done to curb this disincentive on
property owners to not be diligent in keeping up the appearance of their
properites.
The committee must now debate the bill and eventually vote to send it
on to the full House for debate and final action. Then on to the Senate
for approval by that body and ultimately it must be signed by the Governor.
So - a long road still lies ahead.
Governor Sebelius' State of the State Message
Governor SEbelius is a gifted platform speaker and did a masterful job
of delivering her 2004 State of the State Speech. Actually, much of waht
she would like to do in FY 2005 is what many legislators would also like
to do, but the problem as usual is - "where do we get the revenue?"
There will be much controversy regarding funding - meaning TAXES. She
was mostly silent on this subject byt her budget reveals more details.
Some of the key items are as follows:
1. A 3% salary
increase for all Government employees including legislators.
2. The creation of Budget Efficiency Savings Teams to focus on savings
regarding incofrmation technology and purchases.
3. Increase funding for the Department of Education by $160.6 million,
which includes increasing employer contributions into KPERS.
4. Increase funding for the Board of Regents and Regents Institutions
by $31.8 million.
5. Increase funding for the Department of Social and REhabilitation
Services by $92.2 million
6. Reductions in Government Full Time Employees (FTE) by 165 positions.
7. No State General Fund Transfers to the State HIghweay Fund, the Local
Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund, or the City County Revenue Sharing Fund.
8. Shift funding for the Kansas Highway Patrol from the State General
Fund to the State Highway Fund.
9. The biggest item in the budget was hardly mentioned in the State
of the State speech - and that is the "Education First" plan.
This ambitious plan includes the following:
- Increase Base State Aid
per Pupil (BSAPP) by $250 over three years.
- Increase Sales taxes:
5.3% to 5.5% in FY 2005, to 5.6% in 06, and to 5.7% in 07. This will
generate $317 million over three years.
- Add a 5% income tax surcharge
in FY 2005 to all income taxes. This plans to generate $300 million
over three years.
- Increase the State Mill
levy from 20 mills to 21 mills in FY 2005, and increase gain to 22
mills in FY 2008, generating an estimated $664 million over three
years.
- Note: this is a grand
total increase in taxes of an estimated $664 million over the next
three years.
At this time, expenditures
for FY 2005 exceed revenues by $126.5 million. So we have a considerable
gap that was not addressed by the Governor.
To contact Representative Frank Miller write, telephone, or email to
PO Box 665, Independence, KS 67301, Tel: (Home) 620-331-0281; Topeka
office 785-296-7646, email frank@frankmiller.org
or miller@house.state.ks.us.
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