Kelly Vetoes GOP Property Tax Bill

0:00It's April 28th. This is Kansas News Today. Local news powered by AI, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly vetoed a Republican bill meant to tame skyrocketing property taxes. House bill 2043 capped city and county spending hikes at 3% or inflation, whichever is lower. It gave voters a way to block bigger increases with a petition signed by 10% of past election participants. House ramped it through at Sessions end, House 87 to 35, Senate 27 to 13, but they bounced from Topeka on April 11th, killing any shot at overriding the veto since lawmakers weren't around. Kelly called out the legislature for empty promises on taxes, saying it's time to team up with local leaders for real relief. House Speaker Dan Hawkins fired back, claiming the veto was pure politics and that the bill just empowered taxpayers against greedy local hikes. GOP leaders bickered all session on fixes from spending caps to a 3% limit on property

1:00values baked into the Constitution. Kelly pushed her own plan like a $250 vehicle tax cut, doubling the $75,000 home exemption and a $60 million state fund for counties, but it never got a vote. Property taxes stay a hot mess in Kansas, with locals relying heavy on them except for school funding. This veto keeps the pressure on for a smarter path forward, before next round.