Author

Chris W. Courtwright

Chris W. Courtwright

Chris W. Courtwright, currently a member of Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly’s Council on Tax Reform, retired in July after 34 years as the Kansas Legislature’s Principal Economist and member of the prestigious Consensus Revenue Estimating Group. The author of "Kansas Tax Facts," considered the authoritative guide on Kansas state and local tax policy, Courtwright was keynote speaker at the 2013, 2016 and 2018 Kansas Economic Policy Conferences and has given presentations at the Federal Reserve Regional Economic Roundtable and the Journal of Policy History Conference.

OPINION
The Kansas Department of Revenue said state income and sales tax revenue during August surpassed expectations by $11 million to record the 25th consecutive month in which revenue topped the official projection. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

‘Trigger’ for tax cuts would tie hands of Kansas policymakers, harm response to future crises
By: - March 29, 2023

Kansas tax discussions this legislative session have included a “trigger” concept — a formulaic statutory mechanism that automatically triggers future income tax rate cuts based on growth in receipts. One frustration is that no one knows what language may emerge on the back of a cocktail napkin at 2 a.m. during the veto session to […]

OPINION
The Kansas Department of Revenue reported the state took in $96 million or 11% more in state tax revenue in September than anticipated. State officials said a 40% surge in corporate income tax revenue was a sign of business optimism for the rest of 2022. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Flat tax would have catastrophic consequences for Kansans. We’ve already seen it happen.
By: and - February 1, 2023

Even with the damage of Sam Brownback’s failed tax “experiment” visible in the rear-view mirror, the Kansas Chamber and others have begun pushing for a “flat” (one-rate) income tax, significantly benefiting wealthy individuals and large multinational corporations at the expense of working-class Kansans. Perhaps they think people have forgotten that the 2012 Brownback tax experiment […]

OPINION

To recover from COVID, Congress must return more of our money to Kansas and its local governments
By: - January 5, 2021

The Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Chris W. Courtwright spent 34 years as the Kansas Legislature’s principal economist and is the author of “Kansas Tax Facts.” Even as the latest COVID-19 federal […]

OPINION
Kansas unemployment dropped to 3.3% in December, the lowest rate since the April 2020 surge to 12.6% at outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. It remained under 4% throughout 2021. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Without federal help, Kansas faces ‘nasty cocktail’ of budget choices next year
By: - September 24, 2020

The Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Chris W. Courtwright spent 34 years as the Kansas Legislature’s principal economist and is the author of “Kansas Tax Facts.” In the wake of a wild […]

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