Kansas politicians respond to law offering $1 billion in public incentives to mystery corporation
Kansas politicians respond to law offering $1 billion in public incentives to mystery corporation
A bipartisan group of Kansas politicians criticized the secrecy surrounding a new law that could give over $1 billion in public subsidies to an undisclosed company considering opening a plant in the state.
Legislators had to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in order to learn even the most basic details about the company, such as its name and how many jobs it would bring to Kansas. The new law, which the governor pushed in order to attract the company, offers reimbursements for taxes, salaries and other expenses to companies that invest $1 billion in Kansas.
"When you're dealing with taxpayer money, it's all about transparency, which was clearly swept under the rug," state Sen. Mark Steffen, a Republican, Fox News.
Regardless, the Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion (APEX) Act passed the House 80-41 and the Senate 31-9.
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Gov. Laura Kelly signed the bill into law in February. She said the subsidy package "positions Kansas to potentially land a once-in-a-generation opportunity that could transform our economy."
‘Citizens of Kansas deserve transparency’
The NDAs prevented lawmakers who signed from discussing the "who, what, when, where or why with the rest of the legislature," state Rep. John Carmichael, a Democrat who did not sign an agreement, told Fox News. "As importantly, they can't tell their constituents what they knew and why they voted the way they did."
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