Kansas' Brownback still touts tax cuts as he heads to exit

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican Gov. Sam Brownback said Thursday that he wishes Kansas had preserved part of an income tax break he championed as a boon for small businesses and defended the now-repealed policy that critics said did not work.

Brownback cited the death of the exemption for more than 330,000 farmers and business owners as one of his regrets during his 6½ years as governor. He reflected on his tenure during a Statehouse news conference following his nomination by President Donald Trump to serve as U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.

His departure would elevate Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, a fellow GOP conservative, to governor. Brownback said he doesn't know whether he'll wait until his ambassador's appointment is confirmed by the U.S. Senate before resigning in Kansas.

The two-term governor saw his standing with voters and his national reputation drop as the state faced ongoing budget problems following aggressive income tax cuts backed by Brownback in 2012 and 2013. Legislators earlier this year repealed the exemption for farmers and business owners and increased income tax rates to raise $1.2 billion over the next two years, enacting the tax hike over Brownback's veto.

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