United for Missouri Supports State Tax Reform Efforts

Press Release

For Immediate Release

3-1-2018

Contact:     Carl Bearden, CEO, [email protected]

United for Missouri Supports Missouri Senate Tax Reform Bill Says there is more to be done

Jefferson City, Missouri – Today CEO Carl Bearden issued a statement on the efforts by leaders in the Missouri Senate and House to make Missouri’s tax system better for all.

“The efforts of Senator Bill Eigel and Speaker Pro Tem Elijah Haahr to change Missouri’s antiquated, regressive income tax system are long past due.” said Carl Bearden, CEO of United for Missouri. “These efforts share some common traits while also presenting different ideas to address a state income tax system that needs to change to make Missouri more competitive.”

United for Missouri is recommending passage of Senator Eigel’s tax reform legislation, Senate Bill 617. The Senate Ways and Means Committee voted out a substitute that included parts of two other tax proposals, SB 611 (Koenig, R-15) and SB 667 (Onder, R-2).

“Senator Eigel has worked diligently with colleagues from both sides of the aisle to develop a bill that serves the needs of Missourians to create a fairer and simpler tax system,” Bearden said. “Senator Eigel will present a Senate Substitute that will include these inputs and improvements to the original tax reform proposal.”

United for Missouri anticipates that the Senate Substitute will eliminate the Capitol Complex Tax Credit and addressing concerns about the streamlined sales tax portion of the bill.

Bearden said, “The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is anticipated to overturn Quill Corp v North Dakota. If this is the case, there would be no need for the streamlined sales tax to be implemented as proposed. The language in the streamlined sales tax portion of SB 617 presents many challenges for Missouri manufacturers and businesses. United for Missouri encourages at a minimum the delay in implementation of the streamlined sales tax language to take into consideration the SCOTUS ruling and to allow fixes in definitions contained within the language that will create unintended problems.”

“There has been some question regarding the gas tax contained in SB617. United for Missouri typically opposes all tax hikes. However, this proposed gas tax increase is accompanied by the elimination of the bottom brackets of the current Missouri income tax system which eliminates both the regressive nature of the gas tax increase and the existing regressive nature of the state income tax.”, Bearden continued.

In the House, Speaker Pro Tem Elijah Haahr has sponsored House Bill (HB) 2540. It also proposes to significantly reform Missouri’s antiquated tax code. United for Missouri believes that any tax reform bill passed should contain a provision that would trigger further reductions based on state revenue.

“Speaker Pro Tem Haahr’s bill has several interesting features that result in much needed changes in our tax system.” Bearden said.

United for Missouri will be working with Speaker Haahr and Senator Eigel on behalf of all Missourians who desire to have the fairest, simplest tax system possible.

United for Missouri is a long-established nonprofit 501(c)4 conservative policy advocacy and legislative accountability group committed to economic freedom. Its offices are in Saint Charles and Jefferson City, Missouri.

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