Missouri voters will decide on Amendment 5 during the Aug. 4 election, and supporters and opponents are taking their case directly to voters ahead of the vote.
Americans for Prosperity-Missouri and Missouri Tax Relief Now spent this week holding a series of “Road to Zero” town hall meetings in southeast Missouri focused on the proposal. Events were held in Dexter, Poplar Bluff, Sikeston, Benton, Cape Girardeau and Perryville. Attendees included state Sens. Jason Bean, R-Holcomb, and Jamie Burger, R-Benton, along with state Rep. Bishop Davidson, R-Republic.
Amendment 5 would begin a process to phase out Missouri’s individual income tax while allowing sales taxes to be expanded to replace lost revenue. Supporters argue the change would make Missouri more competitive and give taxpayers more control over when they pay taxes. Opponents contend the proposal could shift the tax burden onto consumers and lead to new sales taxes on services.
Camellia Peterson, legislative director for Americans for Prosperity-Missouri, said many people attending the town halls are seeking more information before deciding how to vote.
“They’re concerned that their sales tax rate is going to skyrocket, or they’re concerned about people on fixed incomes and seniors and how that will affect their costs and the affordability factor, along with the nuts and bolts of just how it would work and what it would do for the state,” Peterson said.
Peterson said attendees have included supporters, opponents and undecided voters.
“We have people who come who like the idea, they want more information. And we have people who come who are on the fence, they’re not sure. We have people who come who are against it,” Peterson said.
One concern raised by opponents is whether phasing out the income tax could affect future funding for education and other government services.
Peterson rejected that argument, saying the proposal is designed to be revenue neutral.
“In this process, nothing can be done that would affect school funding,” Peterson said. “This process with Amendment 5 doesn’t affect the budget one way or the other, because it is completely revenue neutral.”
Supporters of the amendment frequently point to Tennessee, which does not levy a state income tax. Peterson said Tennessee’s economic growth is often cited during discussions about Missouri’s future.
“The folks in the Bootheel and those towns are not seeing the growth that they have seen in Tennessee in the last 20 years,” Peterson said.
Meanwhile, Missouri Realtors is leading organized opposition to Amendment 5. The association recently held a statewide “Protect Your Power” rally in Columbia, where members urged voters to reject the measure. The group argues Amendment 5 could allow lawmakers to impose new sales taxes on services and weaken taxpayer protections approved by Missouri voters in previous elections. Missouri Realtors says the proposal could ultimately give lawmakers too much authority over future tax policy.
Supporters, including Gov. Mike Kehoe, argue the amendment would create a constitutionally protected path to eventually eliminating Missouri’s income tax while allowing workers to keep more of their earnings. Opponents continue to argue the proposal would shift taxation rather than reduce it.
Missouri voters will have the final say on Amendment 5 when they head to the polls on Aug. 4.
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