'Kansas will fall behind': Kansas Chamber urges leaders to reduce state tax burden

TOPEKA (KSNT) - The Kansas Chamber, a body that pushes for pro-business public policies, has revealed its major objectives for 2024.

The 2024 Legislative and Policy Agenda for the Kansas Chamber was released on Thursday in a press release from the organization. This plan focuses on bringing costs down for those conducting business in the Sunflower State, removing barriers to job growth and expansion and growing the state's economy.

"The Kansas business environment does have a few competitive aspects, including a good regulatory climate and some of the best employment laws in the nation," said Chamber President and CEO Alan Cobb. "Unfortunately, there are still barriers to Kansas being a preferred place, nationally and internationally, where dynamic business leaders choose to invest, innovate, and live, and to create opportunities and prosperity for all Kansans."

The agenda focuses on five big priorities to help the state address its current challenges and take advantage of opportunities. These include:

• Reducing the tax burden
• Adopting legal reform
• Implementing regulatory reform
• Adopting work comp reform
• Improving energy costs

"Our work is not done," Cobb said. "Actions taken by other states have made them more attractive to investment. We must act to become competitive and to reduce the cost of doing business in our state. If we don't, Kansas will fall behind."

The Kansas Chamber's agenda includes its positions on several issues along with policies it will track at the upcoming legislative session. Bills the Chamber will pursue this year include:

• Supporting legislation that phases in single-factor sales-based formula
• Supporting the implementation of a workforce pathway system to provide parents, students and agencies with information to better track program effectiveness and student outcomes through their education and career paths
• Support legislation that requires disclosure of third-party financing of litigation
• Supporting legislation that prohibits local governments from banning consumer merchandise and plastic containers
• Supporting stronger legislative oversight of executive branch rule and regulatory authority
• Supporting policies which ensure reliable and available electric generation services from a diverse mix of energy fuel sources
• Supporting equitable allocation of transmission and energy costs among regional ratepayers

"During the 2024 legislative session, we also will ask the Kansas Legislature to use a portion of the significant budget surplus to lower the tax burden on all Kansans," Cobb said. "Competing states, especially those in our region, have worked to lower their tax rates and have placed Kansas at a great disadvantage."

Learn more about the Kansas Chamber by clicking here. The full agenda for 2024 can be found by clicking here or by reading the document below:

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