Received: from unknown (HELO legemailout.ks.gov) ([10.154.203.159]) by lgip02.leg.ks.gov with ESMTP; 22 Jan 2010 13:08:58 -0600 Received: from SWCA01.LGKS.LOC (10.154.203.161) by swhtc02.LGKS.LOC (10.154.203.159) with Microsoft SMTP Server (TLS) id 8.2.213.0; Fri, 22 Jan 2010 12:01:54 -0600 Received: from EMAIL01.LGKS.LOC ([fe80::c504:6b9d:cdb5:4803]) by SWCA01.LGKS.LOC ([10.154.203.161]) with mapi; Fri, 22 Jan 2010 12:01:54 -0600 Received: from lgip02.leg.ks.gov ([165.201.70.120]) by SNT0-MC1-F13.Snt0.hotmail.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(6.0.3790.3959); Fri, 22 Jan 2010 11:08:59 -0800 Return-Path: From: "Jeff King" To: "Jeff King" Subject: From the Statehouse - January 22, 2010 Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:01:53 -0500 Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_00D7_01CAD37B.33662210" X-Mailer: Microsoft Office Outlook 12.0 Thread-Index: AcqbjPpL0m/ZphaaS2OWlKeMuJp5uw== Content-Language: en-us ------=_NextPart_000_00D7_01CAD37B.33662210 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit From the Statehouse - January 22, 2010 The Kansas Legislature has finished the second week of its 2010 session. Legislative committees have begun reviewing proposed bills from banning texting while driving to prohibiting a synthetic substitute for marijuana. In this newsletter, I highlight two bills that are currently before the legislature. Lowering Montgomery County Property Taxes As those of you who have read my previous newsletters know, I have spent much of the past three years fighting to relieve the tax burden on local residents, especially fixed-income seniors and working families. The tax relief bills that I have sponsored or carried in the last three years include: (a) doubling the size of the Homestead Property Tax Relief program; (b) increasing the earned-income tax credit for working families earning less than $38,000; (c) providing tax assistance for those rebuilding after the 2007 flood; (d) exempting social security income from state taxes for those earning less than $75,000; (e) overturning Governor Sebelius' effort last year to take $700,000 in property-tax relief money from Montgomery County (f) reducing $0.5 million in local property taxes in Montgomery, Elk, and Chautauqua counties by ensuring that out-of-state utilities pay property taxes on stored natural gas Despite these efforts, local property taxes have continued to rise. A leading cause of this increase in Montgomery County is the valuation dispute between the county and the nitrogen fertilizer plant in Coffeyville. This dispute is currently in the Kansas Court of Tax Appeals. Concerned about the possible need to repay millions in disputed industrial property taxes if they lose this case, county officials have placed almost 10% of county tax receipts in escrow, thus leading to a double-digit increase in residential property taxes. Especially in these tough economic times, local taxpayers should not bear the cost of court battles between industry and government. To help address this problem, I am sponsoring a bill that would reduce or eliminate the need for this enormous escrow of our taxes. Instead, if Montgomery County loses this property tax dispute, the state would provide it with a 5-year interest free loan from which to repay the back taxes in question. This bill would ensure that local governments raise only enough tax revenue to fund existing programs and, if approved, should lower our local property taxes. Banning Texting while Driving The House Transportation Committee this week considered a bill that would ban the reading or writing of text messages while driving. I welcome this overdue legislation. Studies show that drivers who read or write text messages are almost four times more likely to suffer an accident than a non-distracted driver. For instance, we heard testimony about police officers in Kansas City who were injured on a traffic stop because a texting driver veered off of the road and hit their stopped patrol cars. Kansas currently does not ban inattentive driving. With over 1 trillion text messages sent last year, Kansas needs a law that keeps text messaging away from Kansas drivers. Nineteen states already ban this dangerous practice and I hope Kansas joins them. If enacted, those caught violating the proposed legislation would face warnings for one year and then a $100 fine. The bill does not prohibit hands-free or voice-activated technology. Drivers who must send emergency text messages are also exempt from the proposed ban, as are vehicle passengers. Thank you as always for your interest in the Kansas Legislature and for the opportunity to serve as your representative. If you have any questions about these issues or other legislative topics, please do not hesitate to contact me at 785-296-7667 or by email at jeff.king@house.ks.gov. ------=_NextPart_000_00D7_01CAD37B.33662210 Content-Type: text/html; boundary="_000_B0D05B633CB60644A35C31737041AFFE1DE5BDF918EMAIL01LGKSLO_"; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

From the Statehouse – January 22, 2010 =

The Kansas Legislature has finished the second week of its 2010 = session.  Legislative committees have begun reviewing proposed bills from banning = texting while driving to prohibiting a synthetic substitute for marijuana.  = In this newsletter, I highlight two bills that are currently before the legislature.

Lowering Montgomery County Property = Taxes

As those of you who have read my previous newsletters know, I have spent = much of the past three years fighting to relieve the tax burden on local = residents, especially fixed-income seniors and working families.  The tax = relief bills that I have sponsored or carried in the last three years include: =

(a) doubling the size of the Homestead Property Tax Relief = program;

(b) increasing the earned-income tax credit for working families earning = less than $38,000;

(c) providing tax assistance for those rebuilding after the 2007 = flood;

(d) exempting social security income from state taxes for those earning less = than $75,000;

(e) overturning Governor Sebelius’ effort last year to take $700,000 = in property-tax relief money from Montgomery County

(f) reducing $0.5 million in local property taxes in Montgomery, Elk, and Chautauqua counties by ensuring that out-of-state utilities pay property = taxes on stored natural gas

Despite these efforts, local property taxes have continued to rise.  A = leading cause of this increase in Montgomery County is the valuation dispute = between the county and the nitrogen fertilizer plant in Coffeyville.  This = dispute is currently in the Kansas Court of Tax Appeals.  Concerned about = the possible need to repay millions in disputed industrial property taxes if = they lose this case, county officials have placed almost 10% of county tax = receipts in escrow, thus leading to a double-digit increase in residential = property taxes.

Especially in these tough economic times, local taxpayers should not bear the cost = of court battles between industry and government.  To help address = this problem, I am sponsoring a bill that would reduce or eliminate the need = for this enormous escrow of our taxes.  Instead, if Montgomery County = loses this property tax dispute, the state would provide it with a 5-year = interest free loan from which to repay the back taxes in question.  This = bill would ensure that local governments raise only enough tax revenue to fund = existing programs and, if approved, should lower our local property = taxes.

Banning Texting while = Driving

 The House Transportation Committee this week considered a bill that would = ban the reading or writing of text messages while driving.  I welcome this = overdue legislation.  Studies show that drivers who read or write text = messages are almost four times more likely to suffer an accident than a = non-distracted driver.  For instance, we heard testimony about police officers in = Kansas City who were injured on a traffic stop because a texting driver veered = off of the road and hit their stopped patrol cars.

Kansas currently does not ban inattentive driving.  With over 1 trillion = text messages sent last year, Kansas needs a law that keeps text messaging away from = Kansas drivers.  Nineteen states already ban this dangerous practice and I = hope Kansas joins them.

If enacted, those caught violating the proposed legislation would face = warnings for one year and then a $100 fine.  The bill does not prohibit = hands-free or voice-activated technology.  Drivers who must send emergency = text messages are also exempt from the proposed ban, as are vehicle passengers. 

Thank you as always for your interest in the Kansas Legislature and for the opportunity to serve as your representative.  If you have any = questions about these issues or other legislative topics, please do not hesitate = to contact me at 785-296-7667 or by email at jeff.king@house.ks.gov.=

 =

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