Kansas income has large drop in 2004, says census report

Kansas Income Has Large Drop in 2004 Says Census Report
By Karl Peterjohn, Kansas Taxpayers Network

Kansas Taxpayers Network (KTN) expressed dismay at the latest Census Department income figures that show Kansas income dropping at the second worst rate among the 50 states in 2004. The U.S. Census Department released this data at the end of August in their report on Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2004.

This report is available online at: http://www.census.gov/prod/2005pubs/p60-229.pdf (see page 30 for the 50 state data). In this report Kansas is listed as having the second largest drop in income among the 50 states. Here’s how Kansas ranked with our five neighboring states and the U.S. average:

State                 % Change      Change in Dollars
KANSAS                - 4.2%            -$1,890
Colorado              + 0.3%            +$  164
Missouri              - 3.2%            -$1,419
Nebraska              + 0.1%            +$   53
Oklahoma              + 1.8%            +$  693
U.S. avg.             - 0.2%            -$   79

This large decline in income for Kansas also indicates that this state is lagging behind our neighbors. “The Census Department’s report of declining Kansas income indicates that this state continues to be in economic trouble. This should be worrisome to state officials who seem intent on figuring out more ways of spending taxpayers’ money instead of focusing upon growing this state’s economy,” said Karl Peterjohn, executive director of the Kansas Taxpayers Network.

“The massive fiscal uncertainty created by the activist Kansas Supreme Court and the profligate state spending hikes supported by Governor Sebelius and the legislative big spenders during the special session have put this state in a fiscal bind. The increases in property and income taxes, various other state ‘revenue enhancements,’ and permanent extensions of supposedly ‘temporary’ state sales tax hikes are putting an anchor on this state’s economic prospects. This federal census data dramatically shows the recent decline in Kansans’ incomes. Soaring state spending will only worsen this problem.”

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