January 30, 2012

Kansas Senate
Kansas House of Representatives

Dear Legislator,

During the 2012 legislative session, it is important to remember that ending a tax credit or deduction without an offsetting tax cut is a tax increase.

When you end a credit or deduction, you take income away from the taxpayer and give it to the government. This is undeniably a tax increase.

On November 21, 2011, the Department of Housing and Urban Affairs (HUD) announced the Regional Economic Area Partnership (REAP) and the Flint Hills Regional Council (FHRC) as recipients of the 2011 Sustainable Communities Grants. These grants are a result of a partnership between HUD, the Department of Transportation (DOT), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that was created on June 16, 2009, five months after President Obama took office. These planning grants are designed to help local communities to adopt "sustainable development" policies (also known as Smart Growth , Livable Communities, and UN Agenda 21).Proponents of these grants tell us this program will help lower the cost of future development and promote economic development.

But is this actually true? And what are they not telling us?

TOPEKA, KAN. – The Kansas chapter of the grassroots group Americans for Prosperity released the following statement in response to the State of the State address and the budget proposed by Gov. Brownback:

“There are a number of major issues our state faces in the 2012 legislative session, and we appreciate Gov. Brownback being willing to bring about significant reform plans in our school finance formula and tax policies, as well as working toward reducing state debt,” said AFP-Kansas state director Derrick Sontag.

“AFP-Kansas has long advocated for limiting the growth in government expenditures, and we applaud the Governor for proposing a budget that reduces State General Fund (SGF) spending and calls for limiting spending growth to no more than 2 percent each year. It’s important that we continue to work toward reining in state spending to ensure our expenditures do not exceed tax revenues.

TOPEKA, KAN. – The Kansas chapter of the grassroots group Americans for Prosperity released the following statement in response to the State of the State address and the budget proposed by Gov. Brownback:

“There are a number of major issues our state faces in the 2012 legislative session, and we appreciate Gov. Brownback being willing to bring about significant reform plans in our school finance formula and tax policies, as well as working toward reducing state debt,” said AFP-Kansas state director Derrick Sontag.

“AFP-Kansas has long advocated for limiting the growth in government expenditures, and we applaud the Governor for proposing a budget that reduces State General Fund (SGF) spending and calls for limiting spending growth to no more than 2 percent each year. It’s important that we continue to work toward reining in state spending to ensure our expenditures do not exceed tax revenues.