Brownback refuses to admit raising taxes after nearly bankrupting Kansas

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback, who has cut Kansas taxes to the bone, signed into law Tuesday two tax hikes that will add $384 million to state coffers to avert running a deficit. But John Hanna reports that Brownback is in denial about the nature of the bills.

Brownback said while some critics "would have you believe" the state is raising taxes, "that is not accurate."

His chief sell was that because his income tax cuts will save state taxpayers $1 billion over the coming year, they've gotten a tax cut overall even with the new taxes. Well at least some taxpayers did. Guess who didn't:

A new analysis Tuesday from Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy, a nonpartisan but left-leaning policy group based in Washington, said the cumulative effects of the changes in tax policy since 2012 have benefited the state's wealthiest residents the most, while increasing taxes for its poorest residents.

The analysis posted online said the poorest 20 percent of the state's residents will pay 1.5 percent more in taxes than they did in 2012, or an average of $197 a year. Meanwhile, the wealthiest 1 percent will pay 1.9 percent less, or an average of about $24,600, the group said.

And where is Brownback turning to plug the leak he created in the state's budget? By raising the sales and cigarette taxes—otherwise known as regressive taxes on the poor.