Kelly names former senate president and state senator as co-chairmen of Council on Tax Reform

Governor Laura Kelly has named former state Senate President Steve Morris as co-chairman of a council she is creating to review the state’s tax laws.

The governor said Thursday that Morris will lead her Council on Tax Reform along with former state Senator Janis Lee.   Morris is a moderate Hugoton Republican who was Senate president from 2005 through 2012.

He lost his Senate seat in a primary-election purge in 2012 by Republican Governor Sam Brownback’s conservative allies.  Morris and Brownback had been at odds over income tax cuts championed by Brownback.

Lee is a Kensington Democrat who served in the Senate from 1989 through 2010.

Kelly said she would appoint a tax study group after vetoing two tax relief bills pushed by Republican lawmakers.

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