Even amid a budget crisis, struggling public schools and rural hospital closures, the Kansas GOP legislature and Governor Sam Brownback continue to double down on their tax-cutting strategies. On Wednesday, the state slashed projections for tax collections by another $348 million.
Republican Gov. Brownback is now outlining new proposals to avoid a worsening deficit. The new budget projections, after the recent cuts, leave Kansas with a budget hole of more than $290 million through June 2017,reports ABC News.
Ever since the Legislature cut personal income taxes dramatically in 2012 and 2013, the Sunflower State has struggled to balance its budget. The tax cuts were proposed by Gov. Brownback as a way to stimulate the state’s economy. But the ploy was unsuccessful, and Kansas has since become a cautionary tale for other states who might be considering a similar supply-side experiment.