Income tax elimination headed to your ballot

Dear Constituents,

 

As we draw near the end of session, we in the House of Representatives are beginning to hear several bills sent over by the Senate. Understandably, the one of most interest to many is HJR 173/174 - the Income Tax Elimination legislation.

 

In my last Capitol Report, I shared that I was a cautious “YES” when this legislation initially passed through the House. I gave the Senate some latitude, hoping they would include caps on sales tax increases, carve-outs for key industries like agriculture, real estate, and healthcare, as previously mentioned by the Governor, and other meaningful improvements. Unfortunately, the legislation returned to the House in a form I could not support, so I voted NO after the final debate. Despite this, the bill did pass by a vote of 95–59.

 

My primary concern is that no specific plan has been clearly laid out for voters. Instead, we are being asked to grant the legislature permission - for five years - to bypass constitutional protections that would normally require voter approval for tax increases. I am also concerned about how this proposal could impact senior households in my district. I have heard from many individuals on both sides of the aisle, and a significant number share these same concerns.

 

In a time when many citizens feel a lack of trust in government, I find it difficult to support a “trust us, we’ll figure out the details later” approach. That said, this decision will ultimately be in the hands of voters when it appears on the ballot later this year.

 

The ballot language will read:

 

"Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:

 

- Phase-out the individual income tax based on revenue growth;

- Reduce personal property and other local taxes when local revenues increase;

- Modify the sales and use tax to eliminate income tax and reduce local taxes; and

- Protect local funding for public schools and other purposes?"

 

The choice will be yours.

 

In closing, while I do support the idea of eliminating the income tax to help Missouri prosper and taxpayers choose how they want to spend their money, I believe it is important to have a clear, detailed plan in place beforehand. I encourage each of you to educate yourselves by reviewing the bill and deciding what you believe is the best path forward for our state.

 

Thank you for placing your trust in me to represent this district. I truly appreciate each and every one of you.

 

As always, if I can be of service, please do not hesitate to contact my office.

 

State Representative Lisa Durnell Capitol Report

Missouri District 154