Gov. Laura Kelly on Thursday named former Senate President Steve Morris to help lead a committee she is creating to study tax code reform.
Morris, who was Senate president was 2005 to 2012, will co-chair the group alongside former state Sen. Janis Lee of Kensington.
Morris, a moderate Republican, served 20 years in the Kansas Senate, including eight as Senate president.
Lee was in the state Senate for 22 years, serving as longtime ranking Democrat on the Senate Tax Committee.
She also is a former chief hearing officer for the Kansas Court of Tax Appeals.
Morris and Lee are charged with reviewing the state’s tax code and making recommendations for what the governor described as a “more fiscally responsible and fair tax structure.”
Kelly announced during the last legislative session that she wanted to create a commission to study tax reform as Republicans brought pressure to return an anticipated windfall in state revenue caused by changes in the federal tax code.
Kelly turned back two efforts to return the windfall, vetoing one bill that would have given up about $500 million to taxpayers and a second that would have given up about $250 million in tax revenue.
“The people of Kansas elected me to bring fiscally conservative and responsible principles back to our government,” Kelly said in a statement.
“To that end, I expect the Council on Tax Reform to thoughtfully evaluate tax policy and recommend prudent, sustainable changes for the future,” Kelly said.
The Democratic governor vetoed the tax bills, saying the state needs to cautiously approach taxes after years of budget deficits caused by the tax cuts enacted under former Gov. Sam Brownback.
The head of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, which backed the Brownback tax cuts, criticized the governor’s appointments.
“In this day and age of competitiveness when Kansas struggles to grow, it is mystifying why Gov. Kelly appointed two former legislators to lead her tax reform council who historically held Kansas back,” said Alan Cobb, the chamber’s president and chief executive officer.
“During their time in the Kansas Legislature, Janice Lee and Steve Morris continually resisted sensible tax reform and voted for numerous tax increases,” Cobb said. “They had dismal voting records on business and economic issues.”
Morris was Senate president in 2012 when Brownback’s tax cuts were enacted after they appeared to have died in the Senate.
Morris has long said that Brownback urged him to revive the bill with a promise that any issues would be ironed out in a conference committee to make it less problematic for the budget – something that never happened.
The bill eventually passed the Senate and went to the House, which concurred with the Senate amendments and sent it to Brownback for his signature.
Brownback later argued that Republicans didn’t negotiate a better deal on tax cuts, sending him legislation without any of the so-called “pay-fors.”
The ensuing tax cuts were blamed for years of budget deficits, and Morris lost his bid for re-election in 2012 when conservatives won control of the Senate.
“While it’s necessary to proceed with caution due to economic uncertainty, it’s also time to begin the conversation on tax reform that’s beneficial for families and businesses alike,” Kelly said.
“We can and should build a sensible tax system that benefits Kansans who need it most, and ultimately all Kansans.”
Kelly plans to issue an executive order establishing the full membership of the tax reform committee and laying out the full agenda of its work in the months ahead.
