Tax cuts: Time for Kansas basketball fans to worry?

Every Kansas basketball fan should be thankful today for Bill Self. The head coach took a huge, costly hit on Tuesday night.

Over the years, I’ve wondered how long Bill Self would lead Kansas basketball. I’ve avoided most of the television talking heads and articles trying to imagine what could lure or convince Self to leave.

Some suggested he might go to the NBA for this or that reason. Others wrote that Self would leave when Tyler wrapped up his time on the court in Lawrence. Admit it, you know you’ve thought about it.

The Kansas legislature may have given the head coach one reason to think twice about coaching the Jayhawks. Late Tuesday night, the Kansas legislature shocked the governor and voted to override his veto of a bill that eliminates tax cuts. Coach Self is the biggest beneficiary of those tax cuts implemented by Governor Sam Brownback in 2012.

A year ago, KCUR detailed the legal loophole used by Self and many others in Kansas to avoid paying taxes.

The article with the dramatic headline “Thanks To Tax Cuts, Bill Self, Highest Paid State Employee, Owes Little in Kansas Income Taxes.”

I’m not going to suggest the tax cuts were good or bad.

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As a matter of fact, elected officials in Kansas voted in favor of the plan and the governor has defended it for 5 years. When legislators voted to end the loophole on Monday, Brownback immediately said he’d veto their bill. On Tuesday afternoon, he did just that. The tax battle in Topeka ended with the successful override vote.

Now there are many questions to consider. How will this decision impact Kansas basketball and Kansas football? David Beaty also took a hit in the wallet.

I hope Athletic Director Sheahon Zenger will sit down with the head coach immediately to sort out the details? Someone needs to take action on this now, before it becomes a bigger issue.

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