Kansas’ new Democratic governor vetoes GOP tax relief bill

(AP) Kansas’ new Democratic governor has vetoed a tax relief bill approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature.

Gov. Laura Kelly rejected the measure Monday after saying that it would repeat an infamous fiscal experiment that failed under a GOP predecessor.

The bill was aimed at preventing individuals and businesses from paying more in state income taxes because of changes in federal tax laws at the end of 2017.

Kelly’s top priorities are boosting funding for public schools and expanding the state’s Medicaid health coverage for the needy.

Republicans argued that their bill would prevent an unlegislated tax increase.

Democrats pointed to the budget woes that Kansas experienced after Republican legislators slashed income taxes in 2012 and 2013. Bipartisan majorities reversed most of the tax cuts in 2017