Candidate speaks to Patriots group

By JUDD WEIL

Staff writer

Property taxes, economic incentives and tensions between state and local government are among the biggest issues facing Kansans, gubernatorial candidate Stacy Rogers said Sunday during a Patriots for Liberty meeting.

Rogers, a Wichita-area business owner, said she had spent more than a year meeting residents statewide and hearing consistent concerns about affordability and government policy.

“I am very sick and tired of career politicians and what they’ve been doing to the state,” Rogers said.

Property taxes remain the dominant issue, she said, describing it as the top concern raised by voters in nearly every community she visits.

Rogers said the state has focused too heavily on short-term fixes rather than addressing underlying causes. She pointed to several factors she believes are driving increases, including the use of STAR bonds, unfunded mandates placed on counties, and the loss of liquor and tobacco tax distributions to local governments.

The state continues to collect liquor and tobacco tax revenue that once went to cities and counties, she said, adding that local governments have lost billions of dollars as a result.

She was particularly critical of STAR bonds, describing them as shifting existing tax revenue rather than generating new economic activity.

“It is a redistribution of sales tax revenue,” Rogers said.

Rogers raised concerns about a proposed Kansas City Chiefs stadium deal, saying it would provide little direct return to taxpayers while leaving them responsible for long-term costs.

“We get $0 in revenue,” Rogers said. “We own the stadium as taxpayers.”

Unfunded mandates continue to place pressure on local governments by requiring counties to fund services without additional support, she said.

Rogers called for broader tax reform rather than targeted exemptions, saying relief should apply across the board rather than shifting the burden between groups.

“We need to be looking at tax relief for everybody,” Rogers said.

She said she supported exploring alternatives to property tax, possibly including proposals that could require voter approval through a constitutional amendment.

Rogers also addressed energy development, calling for a statewide moratorium on large-scale projects while more oversight is put in place.

Some projects use nondisclosure agreements and aggressive financial offers that limit transparency and put landowners at a disadvantage.

“They’re predatory,” Rogers said. “I don’t want to see people being taken advantage of,” she said.

Rogers also called for stronger emphasis on student outcomes and workforce readiness in education.

“We need to be educating these children to proficiency and making them prepared for adulthood,” Rogers said.