Republicans in the Kansas House are touting an action plan to help solidify the state’s economic future, even though not all the pieces of the plan are in place.
60th District Representative Mark Schreiber says the underlying goal is to keep Kansas moving forward.
Funding sources haven’t been determined, but 76th District Representative Eric Smith says one key aspect of Make Kansas Work is generating more revenue as more people stay in Kansas.
The plan revolves around five key points, which still need formal approval by lawmakers:
*The Kansas Promise Act, which would offer a Kansas Promise Scholarship to any Kansas high school or home school graduate going into one of 10 high-need areas for semi-skilled labor. That list is under development.
*The Rural Healthcare Innovation Fund, designed to match public dollars with donations from corporations or private foundations to help rural hospitals make the changes they need to survive the current healthcare environment.
*First-Time Homebuyer Accounts. Similar to Plan 529 college savings accounts, people can set aside tax-deductible contributions in the plan — which can encourage future residents to move back home or attract different professionals to move to a given town.
*Targeted Employment Act, which would offer a targeted employment tax credit for businesses integrating disabled employees with workers who do not have disabilities.
*Social Security Exemption, which would raise the current exemption from $75,000 to $100,000 for seniors working while receiving Social Security benefits.
More information is online at www.makekansaswork.com.
