City leaders participated in the annual Government Day at the State Capitol.

Phyllis Fitzgerald, Mayor of Junction City, said that it is a great opportunity for elected officials in local government to gain experience in bigger State government.

“Every year – once a year – there’s a Government Day that is set aside, and that’s where the local government officials come to the Capitol and when you come [here] you get to visit your legislators…have an appointment with them, sit down, talk about any issues,” said Fitzgerald.

The day also gave local leaders an inside look at the bigger issues facing the entire State of Kansas.

“When you come to the higher level and you come with some experience from being at the local level, you have a better understanding when things are starting to be voted on – like the budget,” said Fitzgerald.

During a Mayor’s luncheon, Fitzgerald said that Representative Tom Phillips provided them with some startling realities regarding the bigger picture of State finances.

“He said, in the State of Kansas there are $6 billion dollars of sales tax exemptions that are on the books…it’s a long list of organizations, groups, companies that are on this exemption and he said on that list there’s about 15 of them that generate about 90% of that” said Fitzgerald.

Referring to products that go through a manufacturing process, Fitzgerald quoted Rep. Phillips in saying that it’s like a car plant building a vehicle and not paying sales tax on anything and then the consumer pays sales tax when they purchase that vehicle.

“And he said, our bridges and highways – when we have all that work done – those are tax exempt, but if they start taxing them then our cities and our counties, if we have to start paying that taxing on building bridges and highways, it would trickle down to the taxpayer, the citizen would end up having to pay that,” said Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald said representatives from the Kansas League of Municipalities, lobbyists for all of the 600+ cities in the State, were also in attendance to provide information to the local leaders regarding bills that they are supporting and how to get and stay in contact with legislators.

City Manager Allen Dinkel and Commissioner Jim Sands also attended Government Day.