Governor Eric Greitens’ (R) call for a thorough audit of Missouri’s tax credit system gets a thumbs-up from State Rep. Lauren Arthur (D-Kansas City).

Governor Eric Greitens (R) delivers his State of the State address to the Missouri Legislature on January 17, 2017 (Photo courtesy of Tim Bommel, House Communications)

“This is an area where I think we may find common ground, and I hope that we continue conversations that there’s a little more specificity and a little more information on what he’s (Governor Greitens) expecting, but wherever we can evaluate and make sure that the state government is making the best decisions possible I think is worth doing,” Arthur tells Missourinet.

During his January State of the State address, Greitens complained that the “people who get paid first today are insiders and lobbyists who have rigged the system to get special interest tax credits.”

Greitens says “insiders” have gamed the system, adding that about $2 billion has been promised to “special interests” since 2010.

He did not provide specifics about those $2 billion to lawmakers, during the address.

Greitens says that if special interest tax credits made for a prosperous economy, Missouri “would be thriving”.

He told lawmakers that Missouri’s tax structure “is complex, corrupt and high.”

State Rep. Stacey Newman (D-Richmond Heights) has been pushing for tax credit reform as well.