AXED THE TAX: As Governor Kelly Delivers by Cutting the Food Sales Tax, Schmidt Promises No More Tax Cuts for Kansas Families

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:
Emma O’Brien
emma@kansasdems.org
May 11, 2022

AXED THE TAX: AS GOVERNOR KELLY DELIVERS BY CUTTING THE FOOD SALES TAX, SCHMIDT PROMISES NO MORE TAX CUTS FOR KANSAS FAMILIES 

Olathe, KS – Today, Governor Laura Kelly signed a plan to “Axe the Food Tax,” which will cut the food sales tax significantly over the next three years, and fully eliminate the food sales tax in Kansas by 2025. Cutting the food sales tax has been debated for years, but Governor Kelly’s bipartisan approach is what finally got it across the finish line.

“After years of mismanagement and unpopular economic policies under Sam Brownback and Derek Schmidt that left Kansas taxpayers on the hook to foot the bill, Governor Kelly’s track record of fixing the budget and slashing taxes and other costs for Kansas families has been a breath of fresh air, ” said Emma O’Brien, spokesperson for the KDP. “Schmidt has already promised he won’t support additional tax cuts for Kansans, even as folks struggle to keep up with inflation. If Kansans want to keep seeing fiscal responsibility and money back in their pockets, they’ll re-elect Laura Kelly this fall.”  

Leading up to the vote on the food sales tax bill, Derek Schmidt refused to support Governor Kelly’s plan for an immediate elimination, and failed to encourage his Republican colleagues to get a clean bill on the Governor’s desk to sign this into law to start saving Kansans’ hundreds of dollars immediately. He continuously failed to mention his own track record of voting to increase the food sales tax as a state Senator. In 2002, Schmidt voted to increase the food sales tax from 4.9% to 5.3%. Then, in 2003, he voted to keep the 5.3% in place until July 2006, prolonging increased costs for Kansas families even further.

Schmidt’s approach to the food sales tax elimination debate has been described as “hands-off,” and he has been accused of “rais[ing] policy questions without answering them.” Recently, Schmidt told the Topeka Capital-Journal that he “doesn’t support efforts from Republicans or Democrats to cut taxes further.”

###