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Kansas Senate rejects plan to raise taxes after revising it

Sen. Susan Wagle
Sen. Susan Wagle

JOHN HANNA, AP Political Writer

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Senate has rejected a bill for raising taxes to close a projected state budget shortfall.

Senate President Susan Wagle said after the chamber’s action Wednesday that legislators will need to trim additional spending from the budget.

The Senate voted 30-1 against giving the bill first-round approval after members spent hours whittling it down.

The measure would have raised sales, tobacco and gasoline taxes. It also would have suspended a tax break enacted in 2012 for business owners and farmers as an economic stimulus.

The bill initially would have raised $496 million during the fiscal year that begins July 1, more than enough to erase the budget shortfall.

But after the debate the measure would have raised about $350 million toward closing the shortfall.

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