Property tax ‘false promise.’ Child care credits. Prairie chickens.

By Clay Wirestone | opinion editor

TOPEKA — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday vetoed a bill adopted by the Kansas Legislature to curtail rising property taxes by placing unprecedented restrictions on the ability of cities and counties to increase spending.

House and Senate Republicans secured passage of House Bill 2043 at close of the 2026 session, but the Legislature adjourned rather than wait to see whether the governor accepted or rejected the bill. The decision to leave Topeka on April 11 meant there was no chance for the Legislature to override Kelly’s veto of the bill limiting local government spending increases to a 3% cap or the rate of inflation — whichever was smaller.

Under the bill, decisions by a city or county government to exceed the new benchmark could be blocked if 10% of voters taking part in a previous election for secretary of state signed a petition.

“For the last several years, the Legislature has promised to solve the property tax issue for Kansans. This has always been a false promise,” said Kelly, who acknowledged property taxes were too high. “It is time for the Legislature to partner with our city and county officials to develop a strategy to reduce the property tax burden on their constituents.”

TOPEKA — A new Kansas law expands tax credits for employers paying for child care services or contributing to community-based child care services. 

Gov. Laura Kelly signed Senate Bill 82 into law Monday, saying it supports child care access and the economy. The bill provides a 75% tax credit for employer costs related to paying for employees’ child care expenses, establishing or expanding a child care program, or paying for referral services to connect employees with child care. 

By Jacob Riggs

In recent springs, I’ve woken up long before dawn and walked out onto the Konza Native Tallgrass Prairie. I did this to watch unique birds, the greater prairie chickens, on their leks. In the low light, I’ve seen the males start to stomp and boom, defending territory that their kind have danced on for centuries. It is a reminder that these birds are more than just wildlife; they are part of our cultural and ecological heritage.

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson wants to make changes to a Senate-passed bill that would end the shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security, a move that will further delay funding and prolong the stalemate that began in mid-February.

The U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday obtained a second grand jury indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, long a target of President Donald Trump’s anger for overseeing an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Thanks for reading Read & Reflect. Did you know our weekend digest is also free? Sign up here. And if you enjoyed today’s edition, please forward to a friend. Increasing our readership helps us cover more news.