Kansas
Kansas Republicans send flat tax bill to Laura Kelly for likely veto. Can they override it?
Kansas Republicans got to work quickly on tax cuts this session, fast-tracking a package and sending it to the governor before the end of the second week.
But their efforts could be doomed by an expected veto from Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and a likely inability to override that veto.
Republicans gutted House Bill 2284 in a conference committee and inserted in several tax policies, the biggest of which is a 5.25% single rate income tax, also known as a flat tax. That provision accounts for $706.6 million of the $1.59 billion in tax cuts over the next three fiscal years.
Kelly has vowed to never sign a flat tax into law, meaning the bundling of other income, property and sales tax relief could all be lost.
Who benefits from the tax plan?
Democrats argued that the flat tax amounts to a redistribution of wealth back to the highest earners, and that middle-income people would gain the least from the proposed changes to the tax code.
Rep. Adam Smith, R-Weskan, didn’t dispute that higher earners will get more, but said that it’s proportional to what is put in.
“I would argue that a single rate tax policy is fair,” Smith said. “It treats everyone proportionately. If you make twice as much income, you pay twice as much tax.”
He also pointed to the hundreds of thousands of Kansans who wouldn’t pay any tax with the removal of a “cliff,” referring to a threshold at which all wages would be subject to a certain tax rate. The plan that passed wouldn’t tax income under the $6,150 threshold for individuals or $12,300 for couples.
Americans for Prosperity-Kansas has been a major proponent of the flat tax, promoting it with a statewide campaign keynoted by Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita.
In a sponsored Facebook post paid for by Americans for Prosperity, AFP-Kansas said “switching to a single-rate tax system means an extra $400 in your pocket yearly.”
Past Kansas Department of Revenue estimates show $400 in annual savings don’t kick in under a 5.25% flat tax until around when individuals earn $125,000 or more, childless couples earn $175,000 or more and couples with two kids earn $175,000 or more.
The outlook for people earning a more typical Kansas wage is less optimistic.
Though every earner in Kansas is due for a cut, Rep. Tom Sawyer, D-Wichita, said more than half of the $260 million in tax relief Kansans will receive will go to the 48,000 filers earning more than $250,000. About $40 million in income relief from the tax cuts will go to out-of-state residents.
“The people making between $50,000 and $100,000 get $20 million out of the $300 million,” Sawyer said. “That’s the big middle, the people in Kansas that work hard and pay their taxes. There are 300,000 people in that group.”
Sen. Alicia Straub, R-Ellinwood, raised similar concerns in a Senate GOP caucus as she held up a graph on effective tax rate that was prepared by nonpartisan legislative staff.
“I’m just showing where the effect of this tax rate reduction, who it benefits the most,” Straub said, pointing to where the chart showed middle income earners would see nearly no benefit but higher and lower income earners see more benefit.
“That’s where the benefit actually of the single rate starts to take effect, is if you have an adjusted gross income of $70,000 to $80,000 or higher,” she said. “Otherwise … if you’re making between $40,000 and let’s just say $75,000, you’re essentially paying the same amount in income tax next year if this were to take effect.”
Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker, acknowledged that “yes, there is a middle income that the effective tax rate is like tenths of a percent difference between this and current policy.” But she argued that such people would get the benefit of other pieces of the tax plan, including an inflation index for the standard deduction and personal exemption.
“The bottom line is … this is a tax cut for everyone,” she said. “I would hate to go home to my constituency and say I did not support this.”
Tyson reminded her colleagues that popular tax cuts like the property and sales tax pieces would be lost if the bill does not pass.
“You can look at just one target of this and pick on that part of the bill, but the overall bill is great policy for the average Kansas family,” she said.
People with middle incomes could benefit from other provisions in the bill.
Tying the standard deductions to the Consumer Price Index will guard Kansans from their standard deductions losing value, but will keep rates at pace with adjusted real dollars. And Kansans who have at least one dependent would see an additional $50 plus inflation adjustments in tax exemptions per dependent due to the bill.
Seniors who make over $75,000 in income will no longer have to pay income tax on their Social Security benefits.
Residential property owners will see their state property tax exemptions more than double from just over $42,000 to $100,000.
All Kansans would see their spending on groceries reduced with the final axing of the state sales tax on food that would start in April 1, rather than the currently scheduled Jan. 1, 2025.
Kansas budget would hit a deficit after five years of Republican tax plan
Kelly has said she wants tax cuts to be both “fiscally responsible” and “sustainable.”
Democrats have framed the Republican proposal as a return to Brownback-era instability. Republicans, however, maintain that the cuts are feasible.
“This is completely sustainable, we’ve got billions of dollars and a rainy day fund, and it pencils out,” Masterson said. “There’s absolutely no reason not to return these resources to the people we serve.”
Projections from the Kansas Division of the Budget suggest otherwise.
Under the budget division’s projections, HB 2284 would cut into the state general fund balance more than the governor’s tax plan.
“This is good policy; it is a bigger tax savings than the governor’s,” Tyson said.
By fiscal year 2027, the budget would no longer comply with a state law requiring a minimum ending balance, according to the Division of the Budget. By fiscal year 2029, the general fund would see a $514.6 million deficit.
More: A $15 minimum wage for state employees? Here’s what to know about Kansas budget proposals
Republicans don’t have a supermajority at this point
The Senate voted 25-11 on Wednesday on HB 2284. A supermajority is 27 votes out of 40 senators.
The House voted 81-37 on Thursday. A supermajority is 84 of 125 representatives.
The Senate is where Republicans have a problem.
More: Kansas Republicans are fast-tracking tax cuts, despite not having veto-proof majorities
Sens. Rob Olson, R-Olathe, and Dennis Pyle, a conservative independent from Hiawatha, both voted “no.” Absent was Sen. John Doll, R-Garden City, who has previously voted against a flat tax.
Republicans would need one of them to flip-flop while not losing the support of Sens. Straub and Carolyn McGinn, R-Sedgwick. Both voted “yes” this time around, but have previously waivered in their support.
While the House fell short of 84 “yes” votes on the bill, Republicans were missing four absent representatives who have previously voted in favor of a flat tax. As long as at least three of those four show up for a veto override and no one else flip-flops, House Republicans have a supermajority.
Rep. David Younger, R-Ulysses, was the only Republican to side with Democrats. Rep. Marvin Robinson, D-Kansas City, was the only Democrat to side with Republicans. Robinson has a track record of siding with Republicans on controversial votes, including veto overrides.
Will Republicans claim compromise or take credit?
Republicans have claimed that their tax package is a compromise with the governor and that the Kelly’s proposal was comprised of Republican ideas.
“Social Security (relief) has been around for a long time, property tax relief was in our bills we’re just arguing about the levels of it, those are all ideas that have percolated through the Republican Party,” Masterson said after Kelly’s State of the State speech.
Masterson and Hawkins have both referred to it as “our compromise plan” and said they “are hopeful the governor will meet us in the middle,” despite Kelly promising to never sign a flat tax into law.
Kelly has been sharing a similar message on her package of tax cuts, often touting that it is bipartisan. Olson and Pyle signed onto the governor’s proposal and voted against the Republican plan. Doll also co-sponsored Kelly’s plan but was absent during the vote on Wednesday.
Sen. Jeff Longbine, R-Emporia, asked how Republicans should be messaging to constituents on the bill.
“It is an election year, and it is really, really hard to outmessage the governor,” he said.
More: Here’s how $1M fundraising haul of Laura Kelly’s PAC could break supermajority in Kansas
Masterson said the message should include that the plan is a “compromise,” because many of the pieces are ones Kelly has publicly supported.
“We gave her a lot of stuff in this legislation,” Tyson said of the governor.
But some Republicans also want to take credit for it all.
“For the record, all these ideas came from this Legislature,” said Sen. Chase Blasi, R-Wichita. “It wasn’t Laura Kelly’s. None of these ideas are Laura Kelly’s. Property tax cuts, food sales tax, child care tax cuts, they’re all Republican policies.”
Legislative process was criticized
Republicans fast-tracked the bill, setting the Legislature up for atypical early session floor debates on final action on substantive policy. The bill passed through a conference committee, which doesn’t allow legislators to amend the text and limits terms of debate of the floor.
It also meant there were no committee meetings where the public could comment.
Pyle raised concern at the process, calling it a “gotcha bill” and likening it to leading sheep to slaughter.
“I wish I could propose today to motion to suspend the rules then divide this conference committee report and vote on it individually. That’s part of the problem, it’s put into a conference committee report for a reason,” Pyle said.
Sen. Marci Francisco, D-Lawrence, said she that she supports some of the proposals in the bill, but is troubled by the inability to amend the text and that it leaves no time to gauge how her constituents feel about it. Tyson defended the process by saying many of the ideas have been pushed around the Legislature for several years.
What’s in the tax cut plan
- A 5.25% flat tax on all earnings over $6,150 for individuals or $12,300 for married couples.
- Indexing the standard deduction to increase with inflation.
- An additional $50 to the $2,250 personal exemption tax credit per dependent plus an inflation index.
- Eliminating income taxes on Social Security benefits.
- Exempting the first $100,000 from state property taxes.
- Ending all state sales tax on food in July rather than January.
- Cutting the privilege tax on banking and financial institutions.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — From 25,000 parking spots to 19,000 within a 10-minute walk to the stadium, that’s how many Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas says will be available near the new Royals ballpark in Crown Center, with 9,000 of those spots on the actual campus.
While there will be less parking, Royals fan Roger Nickell says he believes this move is good for Kansas City.
“I think anything that makes Kansas City an exciting place to come to, and a good destination, the parking itself is not going to be the issue,” Nickell said “We’d rather have good things in our city, and if you go to other cities, Kansas City is actually really, really easy right now.”
While it might not be ideal for some, downtown stadiums and parking is the normal for a number of teams and cities throughout Major League Baseball. Upwards of 20 teams have a stadium in the downtown area, including the Twins, Cardinals and Tigers.
“I think every new stadium in the MLB is being built downtown, so I kind of expected it,” Royals fan Jackson Fort said. “I think parking will be kind of, they’ll have to figure out something because there’s going to be a big building and not a lot of space to put it. I think you’ll see a lot more Ubers and less of that tailgating scene that the chiefs and the royals are so known for.”
While tailgating as we know it will look different, walking to the stadium won’t actually look that bad if you use the streetcar. From the stop at the World War I Museum, you’re looking at a nine-minute walk to Crown Center, and four-minute walk if you get off at Union Station.
“I think it would be a good thing for the city, for the baseball park and for everybody,” avid streetcar user Gary Henderson said. “Especially for the people who use the trolley would get a chance to see how comfortable it is and maybe it’ll increase their business too.”
With hopes of the new stadium to be ready for opening day in 2030, the Royals, Kansas City, and fans have time to figure out any potential obstacles.
“I think we’ll get to figure it out,” Royals fan Caden Tucker said. “I think that they have plenty of time to be able to figure everything out and make sure everything’s not going to be packed in here and just kind of slowed down in the process.”
While a lot of parking will be taken away in the near future, if one thing is for certain, the Royals will not. The current lease for Kauffman stadium is set to expire in 2031.
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Kansas
Final 7-Round Kansas City Chiefs 2026 NFL Mock Draft: Putting my skills to the test against an AI trained to think like Brett Veach
I trained my AI to think and draft like Kansas City Chiefs GM Brett Veach. Then I challenged it to a duel for my final 2026 NFL Mock Draft.
YouTube/Chiefs
You’re going to see a lot of final mock drafts for the Kansas City Chiefs this week, but I decided to make mine a little bit differently this year.
I wanted to give Chiefs fans an idea of what I would do while also adding a predictive element. What I settled on was a dueling mock draft against an AI trained to think like Chiefs GM Brett Veach.
How did I train my AI? First, I uploaded Veach’s draft history since he took over as general manager following the 2017 NFL Draft. Then, I fed it pre-draft and post-draft press conference transcripts to give the AI context on how Veach views the NFL Draft. I weighted the more recent press conferences more heavily. From there, I uploaded historical data on key thresholds at specific position groups. It had access to confirmed combine formals and pre-draft meetings with 2026 NFL Draft prospects, along with historical context on their importance.
I also uploaded the Chiefs’ stats from last season so the AI could quantify areas that needed improvement relative to NFL averages. The final piece of the puzzle was to upload the Chiefs’ 90-man offseason roster and team needs.
To execute the mock draft, I used the A to Z Sports NFL Mock Draft Simulator. I provided the AI with the list of the 10 best available players at a given pick. I made my picks before the AI, but I didn’t tell it who I had chosen. The AI was prompted to use all available data to make a decision for each draft pick. With all that in mind, here’s a look at how the mock draft competition turned out.
Final Kansas City 2026 NFL Mock Draft
Pick No. 9
Top available: Mansoor Delane, Caleb Downs, Jordyn Tyson, Spencer Fano, Makai Lemon, Monroe Freeling, Jermod McCoy, Kenyon Sadiq, Ola Ioane, and Keldric Faulk.
My pick: Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson
Solving for the Chiefs’ need for “the guy” on offense in the future just feels like the right move for this draft class. Travis Kelce can’t play forever. Add Tyson and get back to scoring 30+ per game.
What AI Brett Veach did: Auburn DE Keldric Faulk
Edge rusher was the No. 1 need that I provided to the AI. At 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds with 34-inch arms, Faulk meets virtually every Chiefs threshold from a physical standpoint. It’s not an exciting pick for fans, but even a robot can see the upside here.
Pick No. 29
Top available: Kadyn Proctor, Akheem Mesidor, Caleb Banks, Cash Howell, T.J. Parker, CJ Allen, Denzel Boston, Chris Johnson, R Mason Thomas, and Colton Hood.
My pick: Tennessee CB Colton Hood
I’m becoming increasingly comfortable with the idea of taking a cornerback early. The old NFL adage goes that you can never have too many cornerbacks, and the Chiefs need bodies there. Not just for 2026, but also for the long term. Hood gives you a physical man coverage corner who can play outside, but probably crosstrains inside, too.
What AI Brett Veach did: Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor
Offensive tackle wasn’t rated as highly on the AI’s needs list. However, the Chiefs did have a top-30 visit with Proctor. I think it probably took note of Brett Veach’s comments about offensive tackle drying up by pick No. 35. He also hits some athleticism thresholds, despite missing on one key measurable (arm length).
Pick No. 40
Top available: Caleb Banks, Chris Johnson, R Mason Thomas, Denzel Boston, Chris Bell, Zion Young, Christen Miller, Chris Brazzell, D’Angelo Ponds, and Gabe Jacas.
My pick: Florida DT Caleb Banks
There are obviously some questions regarding the nagging foot injury. Plus, there’s still some development and pad-level issues to work out. I just think the 6-foot-6, 310-pound defender would really thrive by learning from Chris Jones.
What AI Brett Veach did: Florida DT Caleb Banks
What a copycat. Based on the information I gave the AI, this doesn’t surprise me. Banks had the medical top-30 visit with Kansas City. Veach, of course, mentioned needing two more defensive linemen in this class during his pre-draft presser. This just makes me feel even more strongly that this is a no-brainer pick if he’s available at pick No. 40.
Pick No. 74
Top available: Ted Hurst, Davison Igbinosun, Dom Orange, Antonio Williams, Jonah Coleman, Genesis Smith, Caleb Tiernan, Dani Dennis-Sutton, Will Lee III, and Keionte Scott.
My pick: Penn State DE Dani Dennis-Sutton
A member of the 2026 All-Juice Team, Dennis-Sutton feels like he was built in a lab solely for Steve Spagnuolo. He hits all of the physical thresholds, but also is quietly one of the more productive players at the position.
What AI Brett Veach did: Georgia State WR Ted Hurst
I think this might have been a “best player available” pick for the AI. Hurst took a pre-draft visit with the Chiefs, and wide receiver is pretty high on the needs list. It makes sense why the AI Brett Veach would value him here.
Pick No. 109
Top available: Brian Parker, Nick Singleton, Isaiah World, Oscar Delp, Dontay Corleone, Bud Clark, Kaleb Proctor, Harold Perkins, Emmett Johnson, and Charles Demmings.
My pick: TCU S Bud Clark
A versatile safety prospect for the Chiefs. Clark has ball skills for days, with four consecutive college football seasons with 3 or more interceptions. At 6-foot-1 and 188 pounds, he’s also a physical presence in run support. He fits the Spags mold.
What AI Brett Veach did: Stephen F. Austin CB Charles Demmings
Cornerback also ranked highly on the needs list, so I can see how the AI prioritized this position group at this pick. Veach also has a history of drafting FCS talent, including Fayetteville State CB Joshua Williams and Western Illinois DT Khalen Saunders. Demmings fits the mold for what K.C. likes at the cornerback spot in terms of physicality and athleticism.
Pick No. 148
Top available: Sam Roush, Kevin Coleman, Jalon Kilgore, Billy Schrauth, Kaleb Elarms-Orr, Ephesians Prysock, Justin Jefferson, Zane Durant, Logan Taylor, and Jeff Caldwell.
My pick: Stanford TE Sam Roush
I’m a big Roush fan. He’s already one of the better blocking tight ends in the class, but I also think there’s big upside as a pass-catcher. He has a 6-foot-6 and 267-pound frame. Plus, he’s a legacy player in Kansas City.
What AI Brett Veach did: South Carolina DB Jalon Kilgore
Nickel/safety versatility probably appealed to the AI here. There’s also really good ball production with eight career interceptions and 21 passes broken up. I think he’s rather role-limited in the NFL, but the AI could’ve done a whole lot worse at pick No. 148.
Pick No. 169
Top available: Landon Robinson, Josh Cameron, Caden Curry, Taureen York, Demon Claiborne, Domani Jackson, Eli Raridon, Cade Klubnik, J.C. Davis, and Keagen Trost.
My pick: Illinois OT J.C. Davis
I hadn’t taken an offensive tackle yet, so this felt right. This one is a bit of a homer pick as Davis played for my UNM Lobos before transferring to play for my Fighting Illini. If the Chiefs wait on offensive tackle, he’s the one I’d want them to target.
What AI Brett Veach did: Navy DT Landon Robinson
Doubling up on the pass-rushing interior defensive linemen. I see you, Brett Veach AI. Robinson is undersized, but his athleticism and production are absolutely worth taking a chance on. Being the top-ranked player on the list I gave to the AI probably played a part in this decision.
Pick No. 176
Top available: Jeremiah Wright, Ar’Maj Reed-Adams, Mikail Kamara, Marlin Klein, Adam Randall, Trey Moore, Jakobe Thomas, Nick Barrett, Kaelon Black, and Febechi Nwaiwu.
My pick: Michigan LB Jimmy Rolder
Call it a reach on my part, as Rolder is 201 on the A to Z Sports big board. Only a one-year starter. Instinctive with impressive closing speed at 6-foot-2 and 238 pounds. He’s someone who could slot in as a SAM linebacker in 2026, but potentially develop into the green-dot-wearer down the line.
What AI Brett Veach did: Indiana RB Kaelon Black
I noted three things the Chiefs still needed at running back in team needs for the AI: Pass protection, short-yardage, and return specialists. Black (5-foot-10, 210 pounds) can handle the first two, at the very least. The one thing I found interesting here is that running back was very low on my AI’s needs list.
Pick No. 210
Top available: Tyren Montgomery, John Michael Gyllenborg, Robert Spears-Jennings, Skyler Gill-Howard, Diego Pounds, Carver Willis, Caleb Douglas, Eli Heidenreich, Red Murdock, and George Gumbs Jr.
My pick: Florida EDGE George Gumbs Jr.
Gumbs felt like that developmental speed-rusher prototype that the Chiefs want, but haven’t really hit on. He’s long (6-foot-6 with 34-inch arms), springy, super-athletic, and the flash plays look really good. It’s just all about further development and consistency.
What AI Brett Veach did: Buffalo LB Khalil “Red” Murdock
The AI got a little sassy with me and spat out Red’s government name. I feel like Brett Veach’s recent comments about the linebacker position stuck with the AI here. I also feel like it valued Murdock’s production (364 tackles and 17 forced fumbles in his career).
Final verdict
Charles Goldman’s Final 2026 NFL Mock Draft:
- 9: Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson
- 29: Tennessee CB Colton Hood
- 40: Florida DT Caleb Banks
- 74: Penn State EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton
- 109: TCU S Bud Clark
- 148: Stanford TE Sam Roush
- 169: Illinois OT J.C. Davis
- 176: Michigan LB Jimmy Rolder
- 210: Florida EDGE George Gumbs Jr.
AI Brett Veach’s Final 2026 NFL Mock Draft:
- 9: Auburn DE Keldric Faulk
- 29: Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor
- 40: Florida DT Caleb Banks
- 74: Georgia State WR George Hurst
- 109: SFA CB Charles Demmings
- 148: South Carolina DB Jalon Kilgore
- 169: Navy DT Landon Robinson
- 176: Indiana RB Kaelon Black
- 210: Buffalo LB Red Murdock
Overall, I was surprised by how well the AI drafted. My draft feels a bit more top-heavy with the instant-impact contributors, but I think the AI might’ve actually done a better job on Day 3. That felt especially Brett Veach-like, given his history and penchant for finding late-round steals.
If I do this again next year, I think I’ll feed the AI some of our draft rankings at A to Z Sports to give it better context. It had access to prospect data, but not any specific set of rankings. That’s probably the one area this experiment failed. The only context it had for “best” was the order of the 10 players I gave it to choose from at each pick. If I had the ability to “reach” as I did at 176, the AI should be able to.
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