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Minutes for SB35 - Committee on Taxation
Short Title
Discontinuing the state property tax levies for the Kansas educational building fund and the state institutions building fund and providing for financing therefor from the state general fund.
Minutes Content for Thu, Feb 27, 2025
Chairperson Smith opened the hearing for SB35.
Adam Siebers, Office of Revisor of Statutes, provided an overview for SB35 that would discontinue the state property tax levies (1.5 mills) for the Kansas educational building fund and the state institutions building fund after tax year 2025 and provide financing from the State General Fund beginning July 1, 2026. (Attachment 1) Mr. Siebers stood for questions from Committee members.
Proponents:
John Donley, Kansas Farm Bureau, testified as a proponent for SB35 stating Kansas Farm Bureau has been supportive of broad based property tax relief. This bill is a starting point for relief to all Kansas property taxpayers. (Attachment 2) Mr. Donley stood for questions from Committee members.
Aaron Popelka, Kansas Livestock Association, testified as a proponent for SB35 stating the Kansas Livestock Association's policy supports broad based property tax relief that applies to all classes of real property including agriculture. In effect SB35 would discontinue the 1.5 statewide mill levy for the Kansas Educational Building Fund and State Institutions Building Fund. (Attachment 3) Mr. Popelka stood for questions from Committee members.
Written proponent testimony for SB35 was submitted by the following:
Dave Trabert, Kansas Policy Institute, (Attachment 4)
Randy Stookey, Kansas Grain & Feed Association, (Attachment 5)
Mark Tomb, Kansas Association of Realtors, (Attachment 6)
Daniel Murray, National Federation of Independent Business, (Attachment 7)
Neutral:
Blake Flanders, Kansas Board of Regents testified as neutral for SB35 stating they have relied on this funding stream for a number of years to provide maintenance for over a thousand buildings located on state universities. It takes 2.0 to 4.0 percent a year to maintain the buildings and that is not totally what is required. Some of the universities have put in their own resources that comes from the Education Building Fund and then some from the Facility Renewal Fund. (Attachment 8) Mr. Flanders stood for questions from Committee members.
There was no opponent testimony submitted for SB35.
Chairperson Smith closed the hearing for SB35.
