Missouri voters will get their chance to decide whether to gradually eliminate the state’s 4.7% income tax and expand sales taxes on goods and services to try and make up the difference. The state legislature has passed the proposed change to the Missouri Constitution that is a priority for Gov. Mike Kehoe.
State Rep. Bishop Davidson, R-Republic, is the sponsor of the proposal.
“We have been reducing income taxes over the last decade, began those triggers, I believe it was 2016. We’ve reduced from a 6% to a 4.7% rate. And not a single year of those have we seen reduced revenues or shortfalls. And so, I think that speaks to how we have been overtaxing,” Davidson said during a final House vote on the plan.
Votes on the proposal have largely fallen along party lines, with a few Republicans opposing the plan in both chambers.
Some opponents have argued that the proposal could bankrupt the state. On the flip side, some supporters have said Missouri cannot afford to not eliminate the income tax.
State Rep. David Dolan, R-Sikeston, said for Missouri to be competitive, the tax code must evolve.
“Missouri’s cost of living is decent until you realize the paychecks haven’t changed very much. In our big cities, they have some growth, but rural areas are struggling,” said Dolan.
Three Senate Republicans voted last week against the proposal, including State Sen. Joe Nicola, who questioned what happened to the GOP priority leading into session being the lowering of property taxes.
Missourinet asked House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, D-Kansas City, to give her stance on the income tax plan being a priority over lowering property taxes.
“Folks who are fighting to eliminate the property tax, or at least reduce property taxes, or even to just revisit how we approach property taxes across our state, they don’t have a billionaire backing their efforts. The elimination of the income tax has been a priority for billionaire Rex Sinquefield for years, and he has finally found a governor to do his bidding and a Missouri GOP supermajority to follow suit,” Aune told Missourinet.
Could the proposal help Republicans or Democrats in November?
“I think that this will be a huge gift to Democrats if it’s on the November ballot. Frankly, I think it’ll be a huge gift to us if it’s on the August ballot. The fact of the matter is, that the Democrats’ messaging on this is winning. And to be clear, it’s also not just the Democrats’ messaging – it’s conservative grassroots as well,” said Aune.
For more information on House Joint Resolution 173, click here.
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