When you see construction projects underway in your community, does it make your blood boil to see license plates from Texas all around the job site instead of ones from Kansas?
Hire Kansans First would require companies that have been granted a state contract worth $100,000 or more annually must ensure at least 70% of their contract employees are Kansas residents. It also requires companies seeking tax incentives from the State to also employ at least a 70% Kansas workforce.
This is a commonsense way to make sure that Kansans are seeing the benefit of their tax dollars because it puts Kansans to work and keeps that investment here in our state.
While this bill has been waiting (and waiting…and waiting…) for a hearing in Anthony Brown’s House Commerce Committee, Kansas workers are waiting for leadership from Topeka. There’s been plenty of discussion about raising taxes on working families and even putting off highway projects so the richest Kansans can get a tax break, but barely a whisper about legislation that would put Kansans to work right away.
Today Rep Annie Tiezte tried to help change that, and she offered Hire Kansans First as an amendment on a related bill on the floor of the Kansas House. After a few minutes of debate the House rejected the amendment 36-77.
How did your Representative vote when given the chance to make sure that Kansans got to work on the projects funded with Kansas taxpayer dollars?
Here’s the vote breakdown.
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