Budget Revenue Packages Introduced In Senate

Competing revenue package proposals aimed at addressing what Governor Bob Holden says is a budget shortfall have been introduced in the Senate. One of the proposals, put forward by Senator Doyle Childers of Reeds Spring, would change the source of tax revenues to fund education from property taxes to income taxes. Childers also wants to temporarily increase the state sales tax for a period of three years. Senator Wayne Goode of St. Louis proposes a three-prongued approach. He’s introduced one bill to send a cigarette tax initiative and a surcharge on the wealthiest Missourians to a vote of the people; He’s introduced a miscellaneous revenue bill which would collect money from various sources; And he’s put forward legislation that would lift the loss limits at casinos. The bills are now before the Senate Appropriations Committee.