To the editor:

Taxes and fees support government. When combined, taxes and fees are either regressive (everyone pays about the same amount regardless of ability or income), flat (everyone pays approximately the same proportion of income) or progressive (those who have more pay at a higher rate).

Federal and state income taxes are supposed to be progressive. Gov. Brownback has essentially flattened the income tax rate, exempted most partnerships (including Koch brothers), repealed the food sales tax rebate and now proposes to raise the regressive sales tax rate. These actions are a dramatic shift of the tax burden onto the backs of the poor, the elderly and working class residents of Kansas.

It seems the Koch brothers got the bargain they paid for, thanks to Sam. It’s not clear whether Kansas voters bargained for what they got: a snout in a poke and a poke in the snout.