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When Democrats and moderate Republicans picked up a large number of seats in the 2016 elections, expectations were high that they would form a governing coalition that could check the power of the more conservative Republicans who have all but ruled in the Kansas Statehouse through most of the Brownback administration.

But there were signs Wednesday that relations between the two groups is being strained, particularly after a vote in the House late the night before when a $600 million income tax bill went down in flames, 37-85.

Only moments earlier, the bill passed through the Senate, 26-14, which was only one vote shy of the two-thirds majority needed to override an all-but-certain veto from Gov. Sam Brownback. But when it reached the floor of the House shortly before midnight, the Democrat-moderate "coalition" appeared to rupture.

All four House members from Lawrence Democrats Barbara Ballard, Boog Highberger and John Wilson; and Republican Tom Sloan voted in favor of the bill, as did Rep. Jim Karleskint, R-Tonganoxie, whose district covers eastern Douglas County and Eudora.

But House Democratic Leader Jim Ward of Wichita voted no, as did other prominent Democrats such as Tom Assistant Minority Leader Stan Frownfelter of Kansas City, Minority Whip Ed Trimmer of Winfield, and Rep. Brandon Whipple of Wichita.

Moderate Republicans also split on the vote, with Rep. Melissa Rooker of Fairway voting in favor, but Rep. Russ Jennings of Lakin switching to no before the final tally was taken.

One sign that relations between the two groups was growing tense was in a Twitter exchange on Wednesday between Ward and moderate Republican Tom Cox of Shawnee, who supported the tax bill.

First, there was Ward:

Which prompted this reply from Cox.

Later in the day, in a House Democrats caucus meeting, Ward rejected the accusation that he had not tried to work with moderates, outlining a list of things he said would get him, and probably several other Democrats, to vote yes on a tax bill, but he said moderates had not been willing to cede much ground on any of them.

The list included such things as restoring tax deductions and tax credits that benefit the middle class but were repealed or reduced in Brownback's tax plan, or a higher rate than what has been proposed so far for the upper bracket in a three-tiered tax system.

He also said he would consider concessions outside of the tax discussion, like allowing a vote on concealed-carry, or sending a bill to Brownback's desk establishing a task force to monitor the state foster care system.

In the caucus meeting, however, Ward also conceded that the caucus itself was split almost down the middle, with about half of the 40-member caucus saying tax plans like the one offered Tuesday night may be short of what they would like, but are a good first step toward funding schools and solving the state's budget crisis.

"The other group, which is about half-and-half, recognizes the work but says we need more because my district's going to pay a lot of those taxes and I don't have enough to convince them it's good for them long-term with what's on the table, so I want to see it improved enough that I can go home and defend it," Ward said.

But Sloan, who is counted among the moderate Republicans, said Democrats in that second group are being unrealistic.

"You never fix things in perpetuity," Sloan said during a interview in his office.

Sloan said he promised voters during his last campaign that he would vote for restoring a three-tiered income tax system that would generate enough money to fund core public services. But he said most voters he spoke with do not want to return to tax rates as high as they were before the 2012 tax cuts that Brownback championed.

Given that, Sloan said he thinks Democrats should accept the fact that they are not going to get everything they want, and they probably are not going to completely solve the state's budget problems with one bill in one legislative session.

Ward, meanwhile, tried to downplay tensions with moderate Republicans, saying he believes the two groups will eventually come together.

"Everyone's going to calm down, as we will, because we really want to do the right thing for Kansas," he said. "We're going to get in a room and get to 'yes.' It may be today; it may be tomorrow. ... I see no reason to beat up on (moderates)."

At that point, though, Ballard interjected, saying: "They're beating up on some of our people too."

Continued here:
Tax vote exposes rift in the Democrat-moderate Republican coalition - Lawrence Journal World (blog)