Senator Rick Billinger Newsletter
February 6, 2023
Attention Senior Citizens and Disabled Veterans: Property Tax Relief.
During the 2022 session, there were several changes to tax law. One change is the first step in a property tax freeze for low-income seniors and disabled veterans via a rebate program administered by the Kansas Department of Revenue (KDOR).
Applications for property tax relief must be submitted by April 18, 2023, and can found at: https://www.ksrevenue.gov/pdf/k-40svr.pdf.
Please note that to qualify for the “freeze” a household annual income must be $50,000 or below, a homeowner must be 65 years or older, and the value of the home cannot be above $350,000. A disabled veteran must be at least 50% disabled.
Property taxes are still paid to the county and then a homeowner may apply to KDOR for a refund on their increase, resulting in a freeze. In 2023 we will continue to look for solutions for all the reduction in property taxes for all Kansans, including our senior citizens and veterans.
Last week the Republican legislature, announces the second large-scale economic development and job growth project is coming to Kansas. Last year, Panasonic decided to build a battery plant in DeSoto. This week, it was announced that Integra Technologies will build a new secondary factory in Wichita because of an incentive package offered under the APEX bill. According to the Department of Commerce, it is the second largest economic development project in state history with the first being the Panasonic project. The agreement with Integra was approved by the State Finance Council on Thursday. Integra Technologies is the largest U.S. OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) Company providing semiconductor back-end services to companies worldwide. The employee-owned company’s headquarters is in Wichita.
As part of the release announcing the deal, Senate President Ty Masterson offered support for the deal, noting that it falls under the tenets of the “Better Way: Our Commitment to Kansas” Republican legislative agenda. “APEX exists to promote unique large-scale opportunities as economic and job growth, and there is no better way to do that than having a Kansas company step up and fulfill our commitment to boost the Kansas economy and grow the Kansas workforce. Wichita is increasingly the epicenter of critical global industries, and this exciting megaproject continues that proud tradition.”
Benefits to the project include $1.8 billion in capital investment, 2,000 high-quality jobs, a boost to an important sector of the Kansas economy and assisting reducing recent risks identified in the U.S. semiconductor supply chain. This all with a company headquartered in Kansas. It will also result in the reduction of taxes for all Kansas businesses.
Under the APEX bill, upon the successful location of an APEX project, the corporate income tax in Kansas will be reduced by 0.5%. As a result of both the Panasonic and Integra projects, the corporate tax rates will drop a total of 1%, which will benefit all corporations in Kansas.
Last year, the Republican legislature adopted the “APEX Bill” that allows the Department of Commerce to negotiate a megaproject once a year as long as the policy is in place. The APEX stands for Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion and allows for incentives to be offered to attract targeted industries that plan to invest more than $1 billion to the Kansas economy by expansion or relocation of their business anywhere in Kansas.
My office has several dates available for 6th graders through high school to serve as a page. Working as a page in the Kansas Legislature is an excellent way to learn more about the legislative process. If your child is interested in being a page for my office the following dates are available:
February 13, 20 or March 6th. Please contact Donna at 785-296-7399 to reserve a date.
I am honored and grateful to represent the 40th Senate District in Kansas. Please do not hesitate to contact me by email: [email protected] or call me with your questions or concerns. My office number is 785-296-7399 or my cell is 785-899-4700. If you are in Topeka, stop by my office at 545-S.
Rick Billingr, R-Goodland, is the 40th District senator which includes:
* Cheyenne, Decatur, Ellis, Gove, Graham, Logan, Norton, Rawlins, Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, Trego and Wallace counties
* Phillips County: Cities: Logan, Long Island, Prairie View, Speed; Townships: Beaver, Belmont, Dayton, Granite, Logan,
Long Island, Mound, Plainview, Prairie View, Solomon (part) and Towanda