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Missourinet

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You are here: Home / Archives for Will Kraus

Legislature sends $620-million tax cut proposal to Governor

April 16, 2014 By Mike Lear

The legislature has sent Governor Jay Nixon (D) a proposed $620-million a year cut to income taxes, and Republicans are considering whether enough votes to override a veto are in reach.

House Speaker Tim Jones signs SB 509, the proposed $620-million a year tax cut proposal.  (photo courtesy; Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)

House Speaker Tim Jones signs SB 509, the proposed $620-million a year tax cut proposal. (photo courtesy; Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)

Nixon has 15 days to act on the bill (SB 509). He could sign it, allow it to become law with no action, or he could veto it as many Republicans anticipate he will. 

Nixon called an evening media conference shortly after the House vote and didn’t say he would veto the bill, but hinted at it.

“On its face,” Nixon told reporters, “this year’s reckless fiscal experiment looks an awful lot like last year’s reckless fiscal experiment.”

Nixon vetoed a tax cut proposal last year and 15 House Republicans voted with Democrats to sustain that veto.

104 lawmakers voted for the tax cut proposal Wednesday, with one Democrat siding with Republicans. 109 votes would be needed to overturn a veto and 7 lawmakers were not present for the vote.

Backers say the legislation would let Missourians keep more of their paychecks and that would lead to a stronger economy. Nixon and opponents say the reduction in state revenue threatens state programs and services, particularly education.

The timing of the passage means that if Nixon vetoes it, lawmakers could have a chance to attempt a veto override before the end of the session.

Filed Under: Business, News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: Jay Nixon, Missouri House of Representatives, Missouri State Senate, tax cut, veto, Will Kraus

‘Flimsy’ Republicans join caucus leadership ahead of debate of income tax cut (VIDEO)

April 16, 2014 By Mike Lear

11 of the so-called “flimsy 15” stood with House Republican Leaders in an apparent show of caucus solidarity ahead of debate, and likely a vote on, Senate tax cut legislation this afternoon. 

The House has taken up Senator Will Kraus’ (R-Lee’s Summit) legislation, SB 509, for possible passage to Governor Jay Nixon (D).  It would cut income taxes by one-half percent over several years beginning in 2017. The “flimsy 15” was what a pro-business lobbying group called 15 Republicans who voted with Democrats last year to veto a proposed income tax cut.

 

One of the most vocal opponents of last year’s bill was Representative Nate Walker (R-Kirksville), who called that legislation “flawed” and said he had to do what was right for his constituents. Walker says he was not coerced to stand with his caucus’ leadership today.

“It was my choice to be there and I support [Kraus’] bill,” Walker tells Missourinet.

He says the lawmakers among that 15, 14 of which are still in the House, met after the veto session and talked to House Republican leadership about their concerns.

“I think this is a good step and I think we need to try this,” Walker says, “and I think the economy will benefit from it.”

“I know why they called us,” says Representative Mike Thomson (R-Maryville), another of the 15. “But we’re a part of the caucus. We always vote our district and our feelings.”

Thomson asks why similar attention hasn’t been paid to Republicans who voted against Right to Work last week in the House. “I don’t know why we were singled out on this to be quite honest.”

Filed Under: Business, News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: Andrew Koenig, Denny Hoskins, Jay Nixon, tax cut, Tim Jones, Will Kraus

Nixon lays out specifics for tax cut plan (AUDIO)

February 13, 2014 By Jessica Machetta

Gov. Jay Nixon says he’s working with legislators to pass a bill that cuts taxes for working Missourians. Nixon vetoed a tax-cut measure last year, saying it would have imperiled funding for K-12 education. The legislature failed to override that veto when two Senate leaders voted with Democrats in opposing the override.

4ADXdNixon says he will not sign a tax-cut bill unless it contains certain, clear-cut provisions, including fully funding elementary and secondary education. He’s also calling for an end to corporate and special-interest hand-outs.

“Despite evidence that the economy is moving forward,” he said, “there are still some who insist the way to grow our econ is to take money out of classrooms, and I just don’t think that’s the right approach. Last summer we saw the people of Missouri agree, as folks in all corners of the state and all political stripes came together to help sustain my veto of House Bill 253.”

“If we’re going to cut taxes, I want it done the right way, in a way that protects investments in our classrooms and gives a break to folks who really need it,” he said, adding that he’s had productive discussions with lawmakers, including Sen. Will Kraus of Lee’s Summit, on crafting a tax-cut measure he’ll approve.

“We cannot jeopardize the best economic development tool we have: public education. To that end, I will not support any tax cut that prevents us from fully-funding the state’s K-12 foundation formula. Period,” he said. “Second, a good way to make sure a tax cut for working families is affordable is to finally reform our state’s most expensive – and least efficient – tax credit expenditures. It’s a question of fairness. For too long, these programs have allowed wealthy developers and special interests to reap massive windfalls at taxpayer expense. Let’s give a break to the working families who need it the most by reining in handouts to those who need them the least.”

And the Governor says he will not support what he calls “tax gimmicks” that reward creative accounting instead of a hard day’s work.

“Some members of the General Assembly continue to propose cutting taxes on what’s called ‘pass-through’ business income,” he said. “There’s just one problem: these tax cuts primarily benefit well-heeled corporate partnerships like law firms, and there is no evidence, anywhere, that these schemes do anything to create jobs. If the legislature is serious about giving tax relief to ordinary Missourians who need a break – they need to shelve these giveaways to the lawyers and lobbyists who don’t.”

Nixon said he’s told leaders in the House and Senate that if a bill gets to his desk that violates any of those principles, he will not hesitate to veto it.

Kraus said the agreement will provide broad-based tax relief to the people of Missouri and protect funding for our public schools.

“The principles upon which this agreement is based – fully funding the foundation formula, reforming inefficient tax credit programs, and giving working Missourians a tax cut – provide a solid framework for a bill that members of both parties can agree on” Kraus said.

Kraus said his bill would provide a .25 percent reduction to the individual income tax rate effective only after the K-12 foundation formula is fully funded and only after $200 million in revenue growth. The legislation would provide an additional .25 percent reduction to the personal income tax rate effective after legislation is enacted to reduce low income housing tax credits to $110 million annually and historic preservation tax credits to $90 million annually.

AUDIO: Nixon lays out his plan at the Missouri Press Association luncheon. (6:43)

Filed Under: Education, Legislature, News Tagged With: foundation formula, HB 253, tax credits, veto, Will Kraus

Senate committee passes tax cut bills

January 23, 2014 By Mike Lear

A Senate Committee has endorsed two proposals for a tax cut for individuals and small businesses that legislative staffers say would cost the state about $900-million a year if fully implemented.

The two bills would reduce personal income taxes from 6 to 5 percent over 10 years and grant a 50 percent deduction from small business owners over 5 years for business income reported as an individual. The cuts could begin next year if general revenue rises by 100-million over the highest total from the past three years.

The legislation would also give an additional $1,000 tax deduction to people with incomes under $20,000 regardless of whether state revenue continues to increase.

The bills’ sponsor, Senator Will Kraus (R-Lee’s Summit), says in a statement, “SB 509 & 496 is designed to take no money from existing programs, including education. Instead, it takes a portion of future revenue growth and returns it to Missouri residents. In other states, similar reasonable cuts have led to higher overall state revenues.”

Governor Jay Nixon (D) responded to the passage with a statement re-iterating that he would not sign anything that he thinks takes money away from schools. He tells legislators they must choose between cutting taxes or funding schools.

Filed Under: Legislature, News Tagged With: Jay Nixon, Will Kraus

Bill ending controversial document scans signed into law

July 1, 2013 By Mike Lear

The Revenue Department can no longer scan personal documents from applicants for drivers’ and non-driver’s licenses, under a bill signed into law by Governor Jay Nixon. 

Senator Will Kraus (photo courtesy; Missouri Senate)

Senator Will Kraus (photo courtesy; Missouri Senate)

Senate Bill 252 also orders the Department to by the end of this year purge its computers of all copies of those scans made since September. Some scans will continue in instances specified under the legislation, however, such as for commercial driver’s licenses. The bill took effect immediately upon being signed by the Governor.

Revenue Department representatives have twice testified under oath to legislative committees that if the Governor signed that bill, such scans would cease.

The sponsor of that bill, Senator Will Kraus (R-Lee’s Summit), says that doesn’t put all the issues regarding those scans to rest, however. He says state lawmakers will continue investigating why those scans were started in the first place and whether they were part of an effort to comply with the federal Real I.D. Act. A 2009 state law exercised Missouri’s option not to participate in Real I.D.

“That issue’s probably not going to go to bed because I think there is a number of people who would like to understand why our Department of Revenue would tell the federal government we were going to be in compliance with a law that we in the state of Missouri … and this governor signed … [a state law] that says we are not going to follow the federal law on Real I.D.”

Revenue Department employees have testified that the scans were started as part of a new, third-party system for issuing driver’s and non-driver’s identification that they say would help to combat fraud.

Filed Under: Legislature, News Tagged With: Department of Revenue, Governor Jay Nixon, scan, Will Kraus



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