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(AP) - An offer from the Kansas Association of Realtors to compromise on tax issues is getting serious consideration from the Republican chairmen of the Legislature's tax committees.
Association members rallied Wednesday at the Statehouse to preserve two popular income tax deductions for homeowners.
Republican Gov. Sam Brownback is targeting the breaks in a broader plan aimed at positioning Kansas to phase out individual income taxes.
Realtor lobbyist Luke Bell said the association is willing to see the deductions phased out over time, if other income tax breaks are also phased out as personal income tax rates drop.
"It's a vitally important benefit to the tax to the middle income families," Bell said. "It supports the housing markets, so we think it is desperately needed and know that we disagree that only wealthy people take the credit."
Supporters say the elimination would be balanced by other proposed income tax cuts.
Senate Tax Committee Chairman Les Donovan of Wichita says it's an option to consider. House Chairman Richard Carlson of St. Marys was even more receptive and said the idea is viable.
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The Kansas Association of Realtors spent $195,000 in January on advertising designed to build pressure on legislators to preserve two popular income tax deductions for homeowners.
The association disclosed the spending in a report on its lobbying activities filed with the secretary of state earlier this month. The group opposes Gov. Sam Brownback's proposals to scrap income tax deductions for property taxes on homes and interest on home mortgages.
Realtor lobbyist Luke Bell said Wednesday the association ran spots for two weeks on 35 radio stations and published ads in 13 newspapers. It also ran ads on websites.
The group reported spending about $152,000 for all of 2012, most of it on advertising or communications with members to get them to pressure lawmakers.