WATHENA, Kan. — In the small towns of Northeast Kansas, sympathy among many residents was low on Monday to help out the cash-strapped government with a delay in state income tax refunds.
Harvey Hewins, a small business owner in Wathena, said taxpayers should demand interest for any refund that’s held so the state can pay debts.
“An I.O.U. is just not going to do it.
I have to pay for my lifestyle, and the government should have to pay for theirs,” Mr. Hewins said.
Don Gabriel, 55, sat in a bar in Wathena, babying a beer, indifferent to the situation. He’s unemployed — and worked half of 2008.
“I’m probably going to owe because of the unemployment that I’ve been collecting,” he said. “It doesn’t really make much difference to me.”
Rebecca Williams, of Elwood, Kan., puts blame on Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius for the government not having enough money to pay bills.
“If she’s in charge, then why doesn’t it come out of her salary?” she asked. “This will make everyone whose already suffering, suffer more.”
That’s a sentiment echoed by Joe Shalz. The unemployed Wathena man wants to know why the shortfall wasn’t factored into the state budget.
“(My refund) isn’t going to amount to much, but it’s mine,” Mr. Shalz said. “At this point, it ain’t like I’d like to have it. I need it.”
At a bar in Elwood, Tasha Hontz said the measure isn’t fair to the working class. She was interrupted by her husband, Tim.
“Sure, it’s not fair, but they got you over a barrel. They can do what they want and you ain’t got no choice,” said Mr. Hontz, who is running for City Council later this year.
Elisie Stueze, 71, a secretary at a tax office in Hiawatha, Kan., expects $200 back after filing her taxes earlier this month.
She said the governor’s tax measure will hurt some working people, but something must to be done to prevent Kansas from sinking into debt.
“I don’t know. I guess we all just need to shoulder the burden. We can’t just keep on relying on the federal government,” Ms. Stueze said.
Ahmad Safi can be reached at ahmadsafi@npgco.com.