TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - The Latest on the Kansas Legislature’s debate over raising taxes to fix the budget and provide additional funds for public schools (all times local):
3:10 p.m.
Kansas says it collected $1.9 million less in taxes than anticipated in May.
The Department of Revenue reported Thursday that the state took in $441 million in taxes, compared with a projection of $443 million. The shortfall was 0.4 percent.
The state saw a small surplus in tax collections in April and the department noted that the state remains on track to meet projections for the current budget year. The state has collected about $5.2 billion in taxes since the fiscal year began in July 2016,
The projections were set in a fiscal forecast issued last month.
Lawmakers are working on proposals to raise taxes to fix the state budget and provide additional funds for public schools. With Thursday’s report, the state’s budget shortfalls total $889 million through June 2019.
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5:54 a.m.
Kansas legislators are waiting to learn whether the state’s tax collections in May met expectations as they work on proposals to raise new revenue to fix the state budget.
The Department of Revenue was to report Thursday on last month’s tax collections.
A positive report would help legislators a little as they seek to close projected budget shortfalls totaling $887 million through June 2019 while providing additional funds for public schools. The Kansas Supreme Court ruled in March that education funding is inadequate.
House and Senate negotiators hoped to restart talks on tax issues.
The state collected about $1.8 million more in taxes than anticipated in April for a surplus of 0.3 percent. Expectations are set by a fiscal forecast issued by state officials and university economists earlier in April.
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