Former Kansas Governors Blame Brownback, Legislature for State’s Problems
In recent years Kansas has become frequent fodder for late-night comedians, and two former governors on Saturday placed the blame squarely on current Gov. Sam Brownback’s shoulders.
At a luncheon sponsored by Women for Kansas, former Democratic Gov. John Carlin (1979-1987) and Republican Gov. Mike Hayden (1987-1991) lambasted Brownback and the Legislature as the root of the state’s problems.
In 2012, Brownback slashed income taxes in the state, promising the move would provide “a shot of adrenaline into the heart of the Kansas economy.” The state has had problems balancing its budget since then.
“They should be ashamed,” said Hayden, whom Carlin referred to as a conservative. “We either need to get a reversal in course or we need to get new people in public office.”
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