Some Kansas legislators are floating the most aggressive plan yet to raise income taxes to fix the state budget.
The House and Senate resumed their negotiations over taxes Monday. Three House negotiators offered a proposal to raise $1.4 billion over two years through income tax increases.
The proposal would return Kansas to the income tax laws in place in 2012 before lawmakers began cutting income taxes.
The negotiators planned further discussions Tuesday.
House negotiators said they were presenting another plan for lawmakers hoping to close projected budget shortfalls totaling $887 million through June 2019 and raising additional funds for public schools.
Their action came after the House advanced proposals on sales taxes and school funding that would allow lawmakers to avoid such large income tax hikes.
Unlike the federal government, states are required to balance their budgets every year. The current fiscal year ends June 30. The federal government has passed only one budget in the past seven years, and have not had a balanced budget in over 15 years.