Taxes

Over the next several months Kansas state government officials will work out a system of financial support for continuation of government services in our state striving to find a balance between government expenditures and the appropriation of funds to cover those expenditures. Most of the money collected by the state will come via taxes.

So where do your taxes come from and where do they go? The links below offer some general resources in gaining a basic understanding of the state system of taxation in Kansas:

Governor's 2011 Budget Report Overview
http://budget.ks.gov/publications/FY2011/FY2011_Overview.pdf
(A good review of state expenditures. Check out the pie chart graphics at the end of the document showing where state dollars come from and how they are spent).

Kansas Department of Revenue
http://www.ksrevenue.org/
Divided into three sections:
1)--Your Personal Taxes
2)--Your Vehicle Taxes
3)--Your Business Taxes.

A Homeowner’s Guide to Property Tax in Kansas
http://www.ksrevenue.org/pdf/forms/pvdhomeowner.pdf
(A good handbook on how property tax is figured out. FYI... Less than 1% of state funds come from property tax. These funds are used primarily by local government units).

Property Valuation: Statistics--Value, Tax and Levy
http://www.ksrevenue.org/pvdstatistics.htm
(Links to information and statistics on property valuation, mill levies, school district values, etc. with historic data)

County Tax Statistics
http://www.ksrevenue.org/PVDMap.htm
(Click on a county on the map for local statistics on taxing districts, property types/classes, per capita tax, taxable values, etc.)

38 County Government Websites
http://www.ksrevenue.org/pvdcountywebsites.htm
(Links provided by the Kansas Department of Revenue to official county websites. Some of these websites offer more information on tax collection and statistics.)

Frequently Asked Questions on Sales Tax
http://www.ksrevenue.org/salesratechanges.htm
(Includes a document on the current sales tax rates of municipalities, counties and other local government areas in Kansas. Find out what the sales tax rate is in your community here.)

Kansas Advisory Council on Intergovernmental Relations (KACIR)
http://www.ksrevenue.org/kacir.htm
("[The Council] engages in a continuous study of the services provided by the various levels of government within the state. By monitoring a wide range of governmental relations, the Council helps to promote cooperation and efficiency within government; thereby helping the leaders in Kansas work together more efficiently.")
Some online KACIR reports:
Erosion of the Property Tax Base in Kansas
Erosion of the Kansas Sales Tax Base
Local Debt Affordability in Kansas
Policy Evaluation Guide
Recommendations from KACIR (01/2010)
County Consolidation Study
Condensed Guide to Consolidation
Executive Summary Consolidation Guide

Check Out Material in Our ATLAS Online Catalog:
Property Tax--Kansas
Sales Tax--Kansas
Kansas--Budget

Article contact: Bill Sowers
(Check out recent additions to our collection here)