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A PROPOSITION to amend article 14 of the Constitution of the state of
  Kansas by adding a new section thereto, providing for a constitutional
  convention to consider the revision or amendment of the constitution
  relating to the structure and finance of taxing subdivisions of the state.
  WHEREAS, The Constitution of the state of Kansas was adopted by
convention on July 29, 1859, and ratified by voters at election on October
4, 1859, in Wyandotte, Kansas; and
  WHEREAS, Kansas entered the Union, becoming a state of the United
States of America on January 29, 1861; and
  WHEREAS, In 1859 the Constitution adopted in convention at Wy-
andotte established the basic structure of both the state government and
all of its taxing subdivisions and taxation for the supporting thereof; and
  WHEREAS, From the time of its adoption, until amended in 1928
authorizing motor vehicle and motor fuel taxes and in 1931 to provide for
the authorization of the state income tax, Article 11 of the Constitution
relating to the finance and taxation, did and continues to apply primarily
to the taxation of property; and
  WHEREAS, Funding for the support of all of the taxing subdivisions
of the state government continues to rely primarily on the property tax
as its primary source of revenue as it has since 1859; and
  WHEREAS, The taxation of property to provide for needed govern-
ment services is no longer a valid or accurate reflection of a fair or eq-
uitable tax; and
  WHEREAS, From the time of the Wyandotte convention to the pres-
ent, there have been studies conducted and revisions made in the Con-
stitution relating to property taxes, powers and authorities of cities and
counties and the structure of education. Studies conducted and action
taken applied primarily to each single subject area individually, but not
in any way inclusive or comprehensive; and
  WHEREAS, The seventy-seventh Legislature of the state of Kansas
here assembled finds that:
  (a)  Property taxes are a regressive and unfair form of taxation forcing
an undue burden upon the citizens of this state; and
  (b)  since Kansas' entry into the Union on January 29, 1861, the econ-
omies of the state and of the United States have changed dramatically;
and
  (c)  comprehensive review of the structure of the form of taxation and
of local taxing subdivisions has never been performed with the intention
of proposing revisions to the Constitution; and
  (d)  property taxes as a form of taxation should be forever abolished:
Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the Legislature of the State of Kansas, two-thirds of the
members elected (or appointed) and qualified to the House of Repre-
sentatives and two-thirds of the members elected (or appointed) and
qualified to the Senate concurring therein:
  Section 1.  The following proposition to amend the constitution of the
state of Kansas shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the state
for their approval or rejection: Article 14 of the constitution of the state
of Kansas is hereby amended by adding a new section thereto to read as
follows:
  ``(section) 3.  Constitutional convention to consider structure and
finance of taxing subdivisions of the state. A constitutional con-
vention to consider a comprehensive revision or amendment of the
constitution of the state of Kansas relating to the structure and
finance of taxing subdivisions of the state shall be convened in the
city of Hutchinson, Kansas, on July 5, 1999, as hereinafter provided.
  Three delegates shall be elected from each state senatorial dis-
trict. Such delegates shall have the same qualifications as provided
by the constitution for members of the legislature. Members of the
legislature and candidates for membership therein shall be eligible
for election as delegates to the convention. Delegates shall be
elected in the manner prescribed by law for the election of mem-
bers of the legislature, at an election to be called and held at the
time of holding general elections in school districts in April, 1999,
except that the fee for the declaration of candidacy shall be $50.
Each delegate shall receive compensation and allowances as are
prescribed by law for members of the legislature.
  The convention shall have power to choose its own officers, ap-
point and remove its employees and fix their compensation, deter-
mine its rules, judge the qualifications of its members, and carry on
the business of the convention in an orderly manner. A vacancy in
the office of any delegate shall be filled as provided by law.
  The convention shall have power to propose comprehensive
amendments or revisions in all parts of the constitution relating to
the structure and finance of taxing subdivisions of the state, subject
to ratification by the electors. No proposed constitution, or amend-
ment or revision of an existing constitution, shall be submitted by
the convention to the electors unless it has been available to the
delegates in final form at least three days on which the convention
is in session, prior to final passage, and receives the assent of a
majority of all the delegates. The yeas and nays upon final passage
of any proposal, and upon any question upon request of one-tenth
of the delegates present, shall be entered in the journal of the con-
vention. The convention shall expire on December 31, 1999.
  Proposals of the convention shall be submitted to the electors at
the general election held in November, 2000, and shall take effect
in accordance with the provisions thereof in such form and with
such notice as is directed by the convention upon receiving the
approval of a majority of the qualified electors voting thereon.''
  Sec. 2.  The following statement shall be printed on the ballot with
the amendment as a whole:
  ``Explanatory statement. This amendment would authorize the
convening of a constitutional convention in the year 1999, to con-
sider a comprehensive revision or amendment of the provisions of
the state constitution relating to the structure and financing of tax-
ing subdivisions of the state.
  ``A vote for this proposition would favor authorizing the estab-
lishment and convening of a constitutional convention to consider
revision or amendment of the constitution relating to the structure
and financing of taxing subdivisions of the state.
  ``A vote against this proposition would favor granting no authority
for the convening of a constitutional convention for this specific
purpose.''
  Sec. 3.  This resolution, if approved by two-thirds of the members
elected (or appointed) and qualified to the House of Representatives and
two-thirds of the members elected (or appointed) and qualified to the
Senate, shall be entered on the journals, together with the yeas and nays.
The secretary of state shall cause this resolution to be published as pro-
vided by law and shall cause the proposed amendment to be submitted
to the electors of the state at the general election in the year 1998 unless
a special election is called at a sooner date by concurrent resolution of
the legislature, in which case it shall be submitted to the electors of the
state at the special election.