TOPEKA ? Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has signed a bill clarifying that a new law aimed at reducing local property taxes doesn’t take effect until 2018.

Brownback’s office announced Wednesday that he had signed the measure.

It resolves a conflict between two versions of the law contained in separate bills increasing sales and cigarette taxes to balance the state budget. One version said new limits on cities and counties in levying property taxes would take effect July 1 and the other, in 2018 as intended.

Cities and counties generally won’t be allowed to spend an increase in property tax revenues above the rate of inflation as measured by the consumer price index without voters’ approval. If cities and counties can’t spend the extra revenues, they’ll have to drop their property tax levies.