Two business groups in Kansas, Kansas Realtors and Bankers Assciations, have wanted the mortgage registration fee repealed.

It’s a fee you pay counties to record if you purchase property on a mortgage.

County officials in Kansas are opposed to a change, noting without that fee revenue, they would have to spread the cost to property taxpayers.

State Senator Tom Hawk of Manhattan is opposed to repealing the fee. “I think it takes too much money away from our county units of government, both here in Geary County and in Riley County. If we do that there’s a good argument for it, but that will shift that tax burden to all the taxpayers. But it’ll be interesting to see how that plays out, because no issue we get is ever 100 percent easy.”

Hawk spoke during a Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce sponsored legislative coffee on Saturday.

During that event none of the legislators in attendance supported in its present form, the measure repealing the fee. In addition to Hawk, those included State Senator Jeff Longbine, and State Representatives Tom Moxley and Allan Rothlisberg. Moxley also noted he would not support the repeal, unless the money could be made whole to counties in some other way.