(For the state of the state address click here)
Welcome to the Kansas House, the People’s House. I’m Ron Ryckman, and it is my honor to be with you tonight to provide the Republican response to the State of the State.
First, I want to thank the governor for her remarks and for joining us in the House chambers for this annual address.
Republicans have been focused on many of the same goals the governor talked about tonight.
While we sometimes disagree on how to achieve those goals, my hope is we can always disagree in the spirit of cooperation and civility
However, it’s not enough to talk about goals. Your elected officials must deliver for you, for our families, for our future.
Unfortunately, many of the promises we heard tonight don’t align with the governor’s record.
The governor says she wants to reduce the sales tax on food. But, she vetoed the plan to do just that.
The governor says she wants to send one-time income tax relief to Kansans.
But, a year ago, she blocked Kansans from meaningful income tax relief in order to feed government spending.
The governor says she wants to foster economic growth, but she closed small businesses and then vetoed a plan to offer them the recovery loans they needed to weather the closure.
In just two years, Gov. Kelly has:
- Vetoed property tax relief for our families.
- Blocked a scholarship plan so that more of our young people could afford the education they need to enter the workforce.
- Vetoed protections of our Second Amendment rights.
- Opposed efforts to preserve the culture of life that Kansans have upheld for generations.
- Attempted to drive up debt by mortgaging the public retirement fund.
- Used Kansans’ money to pay out millions of dollars in false unemployment claims to overseas fraudsters
Many Kansans say they have grown tired of broken promises. Listening to your concerns, your priorities, Republicans are focused on a different approach – an approach that wiL
- Responsibly rachet down the sales tax, not only on food, but on everything else our families need to buy
- Take a “save more” instead of a “spend more” approach, resisting the temptation to overspend one-time federal dollars.
- Stabilize the KPERS retirement fund so that our teachers, our firefighters and other public employees know it will be there for them when they need it.
- Secure the Rainy Day Fund so that our families won’t be on the hook for higher taxes as the economy ebbs and flows.
- Continue to invest in mental health so that our children, our veterans and our families can access services when and where they need them.
- Protect access to safe, reliable water sources for our families and our farmers by addressing the water table and uranium contamination issues.
- Preserve the Kansas culture of life so that common sense protections like parental notification and safety requirements remain in place.
Borrowing from President Eisenhower’s words, “The proudest thing I can claim is that I am from Kansas.”
Whether you were born here, or adopted Kansas as your home, we all have a deep-rooted love for our state. I
It’s a state where the American dream is still a reality. Where a kid like me – from a small town like Meade – can grow up and serve in the Legislature.
Where my kids – and your kids – can grow up and be anything they want to be.
As Republicans, we pledge to keep that promise alive:
- Through smart economic decisions that don’t drive up debt.
- Through meaningful tax cuts instead of small, one-time handouts.
- Through steady leadership that will keep businesses and good-paying jobs in our
communities instead of forcing them closed.
Together, I know we can keep the American dream – the Kansas dream – alive and well.
May God bless you and may God bless the Great State of Kansas.
