Scott Schwab aims GOP gubernatorial campaign at property tax reform

TOPEKA — Secretary of State Scott Schwab elaborated Monday on plans to seek the Republican nomination for Kansas governor in 2026 by emphasizing the need to limit residential property taxes, forbid land acquisition by China and reduce the size of state government.

Schwab, who served Johnson County in the Kansas House prior to election as secretary of state, has sought to stake out positions on policy issues ahead of potential GOP rivals in the contest to replace term-limited Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.

“I have a proven conservative record and a servant’s heart,” he said a two-page statement. “It’s important for Kansans to take the right path. That’s why I’m running for governor.”

Schwab, 52, was elected in 2018 to the job of secretary of state. In that job, he’s the state’s supervisor of elections and responsible for business filings. He won reelection in 2022 after a primary showdown with Mike Brown, who went on to serve a term as chairman of the Kansas Republican Party.

In January, Schwab confirmed he would run for governor. Brown has been mentioned as a possible GOP candidate along with Senate President Ty Masterson and Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt.

Schwab said the alarm among taxpayers about rising property assessments and taxation was a key issue for Kansans.

“Small towns are getting smaller. Rural communities are falling further behind. Kansans want their state to be great, not middle of the road or mediocre,” Schwab said. “We must find a long-term solution to the state’s growing property tax problem. It makes no sense for our senior citizens, who worked all their lives to build a retirement, to see unrealistic property taxes force them from their home.”

Schwab said higher property taxes were also making it more difficult for a younger generation to afford a home in Kansas. It doesn’t help Kansas to create new jobs if people capable of filling those positions can’t afford to live in the state, he said.

In 2024, the Kansas Legislature focused on lowering state income and sales taxes — work that included passage in June of a bill lowering state tax collections by $1.2 billion over three years. The Legislature’s property tax debate was put off until the 2025 legislative session, but the state has a modest role in raising revenue from that source.

Property tax is the domain of cities and counties, which take in sales tax revenue but derived much of their operating capital from property taxes. Local units of government typically resist actions by the Legislature to restrict property tax revenue to cities and counties.

“It cannot be a quick fix with unintended consequences for our state’s economic stability,” Schwab said. “Sound, equitable solutions for the next generation are a must to provide stability for taxpayers, local governments and our vibrant business community.”

He didn’t offer an opinion on a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that would cap annual increases in appraised property values. Escalating valuations can raise property taxes paid by residential or commercial owners even when mill rates remain flat.

Schwab, who has repeatedly assured Kansans that elections in the state were fair and accurate, said he worked with the Legislature to advance a bundle of election security bills. He said he extended cybersecurity resources to county election officials and launched a certification training initiative to assist local election workers.

He noted his support for President Donald Trump’s quest to prevent China from purchasing real estate adjacent to U.S. military facilities. The 2024 Legislature passed a foreign-adversary bill prohibiting certain countries, including China and Iran, from owning nonresidential property within a 100-mile radius of a military installation or some other vital infrastructure. Kelly vetoed the measure because it was viewed as unconstitutional.

“Our nation’s adversaries have no business setting up covert operations next to critical infrastructure, whether it’s a military base, world-class animal health facility in Manhattan or a nuclear power plant in northeast Kansas,” Schwab said.