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As Nebraska lawmakers consider possible tax changes next year, they should take a long look over the border at what happens when a state enacts tax cuts that are too drastic and poorly planned.

Kansas is a mess because of deep income tax cuts put in place a few years ago.

Earlier this month state officials were told they will need to deal with a shortfall of $280 million in the current fiscal year. And the shortfall next year could top $600 million.

The tax cuts were supposed to spur economic growth. Under the theory pushed by Gov. Sam Brownback and Republican lawmakers, the tax cuts would, in effect, help pay for themselves.

It hasn’t worked out that way.

Things are so bad that Brownback has proposed covering the shortfall by shifting $100 million in road funding, and taking money from pension funds, state agencies and various programs.

The state has taken so much money from the Kansas Department of Transportation that lawmakers have begun jokingly referring to the department as “the bank of KDOT,” according to the Lawrence Journal-World.