Not too much affiliated with Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback gets the majority Kansans in bright spirits — unless it’s regarding his impending departure.

Wednesday evening, Kansans got what they wanted.

President Donald Trump appointed the Kansas governor to serve as a religious freedom ambassador, removing Brownback from his position as the state’s governor for the first time since 2011.

Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, a plastic surgeon from Hays and fifth-generation Kansan will succeed Brownback should he vacate office and be approved by the Senate.

Kansans haven’t had near as high of spirits in regards to Brownback since rumors circulated of his selection as the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. for food and agriculture — a position that would have relocated him to Rome.

If only that had never surfaced.

Months later, we’re still left with the second-least popular governor in the country. Brownback’s approval rating rivaled that of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie — the man who was famously taking in some sun on a beach he closed to the rest of the state. Brownback had often led in previous editions of the poll until Christie claimed the honor in April.

Every state will debate politics, but none will agree in disapproval the same Kansans have about Gov. Brownback. Mind you he imposed the largest income tax cut in history, resulting in significant budget shortfalls — plaguing the state’s public education system — the state will likely continue to riddle long past his departure.

By cutting already low income tax rates — what he so famously called a “real live experiment” on cable news — Brownback put state public services on the brink of death. In June, state legislatures did the unthinkable with an override an emergency tax increase that would end Brownback’s five-year tax experiment that failed to bring prosperity to the state.  

Should he vacate the office, unnecessary vetoes following him, the need for two-thirds overrides from the House and Senate — a major time expenditure — should dissipate.

Reviving the state and its budget from life support will take time, but with Brownback and his tattered legacy out the door, maybe we can pick up the pace.

Perhaps Colyer, a plastic surgeon in suburban Johnson County, can give a facelift to the carnage of this tax experiment gone wrong.