Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP)

Missouri

The Missouri Budget Project: Senate-Approved Tax Scheme Would Cost Nearly $800 Million SB 509 Would Require Cuts to Critical Services

May 12, 2014

The Missouri Senate approved Senate Bill 509 this week. The measure would require sharp cuts to state services, undermining Missouri’s economy by starving it of the resources it needs to offer quality education from preschool to college, a state of the art infrastructure, and safe, healthy and stable communities. Moreover, the minor tax reduction for […]

Associated Press: Missouri lawmakers pass tax cut; veto possible

April 17, 2014

(Original Post) Thursday, April 17, 2014 By DAVID A. LIEB ~ The Associated Press JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Setting up a likely veto showdown, the Republican-led Missouri Legislature gave final approval Wednesday to an income-tax cut for millions of individuals and thousands of business owners that Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon warned could imperil funding for […]

The News Tribune: MoDOT sales tax petition withdrawn

March 6, 2014

Supporters of a ballot initiative that would raise the state sales and use taxes to fund transportation projects have withdrawn their petition from the Secretary of State’s Office. Missourians for Safe Transportation and New Jobs submitted a proposal last October to place an initiative increasing the sales and use taxes by 1 percent on the […]

Missouri Budget Project: Nixon-Kraus Tax “Deal” Would Undercut MO Services, Including Education

February 18, 2014

According to recent analysis, the tax “deal” between Governor Nixon and Senator Kraus is skewed to benefit Missouri’s wealthiest families, and leaves all services vulnerable to cuts as a result of its $364-$500 million cost. Read the Full Report

Missouri Budget Project: Tax Proposals Before Senate Ways & Means Would Dramatically Reduce State Revenue, Disporportionately Benefit Wealthiest, But Not Create Jobs

January 24, 2014

The Missouri Senate Ways & Means Committee will hear three major tax bills this week. Though they differ in their components, each would drastically reduce state revenue, disproportionately benefit Missourians with the highest incomes, and fail to create jobs. MBP’s full analysis of the bills shows it would cost state services between $500 million and […]

Los Angeles Times: Corporations lead taxpayers to the shearing

January 6, 2014

(Original Post) By Michael Hiltzik January 5, 2014, 5:00 a.m. Here’s a business practice likely to keep booming in 2014: corporate extortion. We don’t mean extortion of corporations, as is practiced by Somali pirates or entrepreneurial Russians. We mean extortion by corporations. In this field the victims are taxpayers, and what makes it a beautiful […]

Chicago Tribune: Boeing makes sky-high request for states wanting 777X plant

December 19, 2013

  When it comes to corporate incentives, leave it to an aerospace company to test the limits of what will fly. For those hoping to host production of its newest big jet, Chicago-based Boeing has a wish list that even Santa, his reindeer and all his little helpers would be hard-pressed to lift, let alone […]

Politico: Arthur Laffer is back as GOP tax man

October 15, 2013

  By RACHAEL BADE | 10/14/13 11:03 PM EDT Four decades ago at the Washington Hotel, a quirky economist made a pitch on the back of a napkin to Ford administration officials Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld: Cutting taxes would create an economic boom. Back then, many Republicans opposed tax cuts, but that famous “Laffer […]

Columbia Journalism Review: Invasion of the Job Snatcher

September 9, 2013

(Original Post) As the Missouri media takes up arms against Rick Perry, some facts and context get lost in the fray By Deron Lee FAIRWAY, KS — Texas and Missouri no longer square off as Big 12 opponents, but governors Rick Perry and Jay Nixon—with some help from Missouri’s media—have ignited a new interstate rivalry. […]

The Joplin Globe: Sloppy attempt would lead Missourians into dark hole

August 26, 2013

(Original Post) August 26, 2013 By Elliott Denniston Special to The Globe WEBB CITY, Mo. — Republican legislators and a handful of self-interested groups are campaigning to override Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto of House Bill 253, a slipshod attempt to revise our income tax code. The bill drastically shifts the burden from high earners to […]

Tax incentives are intended to spur economic growth that would not have otherwise occurred. More specifically, these narrowly targeted tax breaks are usually offered in an attempt to convince businesses to relocate, hire, and/or invest within a state's borders.

The City Wire: Some studies note impact of tax holiday promote spending

August 1, 2013

One back-to-school ritual designed to boost consumption will occur this weekend starting Saturday (Aug. 3) and ending Sunday (Aug. 4), as consumers may take advantage of a statewide tax-free holiday.

McClatchy-Tribune: States expand sales tax holidays beyond back-to-school items

July 22, 2013

  Many states with back-to-school sales tax “holidays” are expanding them to cover almost any purchase, in addition to the usual kids’ clothing, shoes, books and school supplies. As schools and students replace ink and paper with pixels, some states are expanding their holidays to cover sales taxes on low-cost computers and tablets. These electronics […]

Stateline: States Expand Sales Tax Holidays Beyond Back-to-School Items

July 10, 2013

(Original Post)   By Elaine S. Povich, Staff Writer A crowd of about 100 line up outside of the Apple Store in the Saddle Creek shopping center in Germantown, Tenn., to get a head start on last year’s tax free weekend. (AP) Many states with back-to-school sales tax “holidays” are expanding them to cover almost […]

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Tax calculator for Missouri legislation doesn’t give the full picture

May 2, 2013

(Original Post) I’m writing in response to Virginia Young’s “Tax shuffle could shake up Missouri” article (April 29) but specifically regarding the tax plan calculator that accompanies it online. The chart in the article comparing current law, the Senate and House plans is quite helpful and points out important distinctions between the proposals, but the […]

The Motley Fool: The 7 States With the Lowest Gasoline Taxes

April 22, 2013

(Original Post) The price of gasoline is constantly on people’s minds. The prices you see on those gas-station signs everywhere you drive are tough enough to swallow, but what you may not know is the extent to which gas taxes contribute to those prices. The federal tax is $0.184 per gallon, and states add their […]

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Missouri Senate declares class war against citizens

March 20, 2013

(Original Post) By the Editorial Board Midway through the first session of the 97th Missouri General Assembly, the state Senate — in the name of tax “reform” — has declared class war on at least 80 percent of the state’s 6 million citizens. The Senate has done this by proposing a massive shift in the […]

Missouri Budget Project: Racing to the Bottom

March 12, 2013

Senate Gives Initial Approval to Extreme Tax Cut Bill Which Would Devastate Missouri Services, Infrastructure, and the State’s Economy An extreme tax cut proposal, perfected this week by the Missouri Senate would slash Missouri’s general revenue budget by nearly $1 billion when fully implemented, resulting in devastating cuts to services throughout the state. Further, the […]

Missouri Budget Project: Senate Ways & Means Tax Cut Would Devastate Services, Infrastructure, and Economy

March 1, 2013

An extreme tax cut proposal approved by a Senate Committee this week would slash MO’s general revenue by more than one-fifth, resulting in devastating cuts to services throughout the state and undermining Missouri’s ability to invest in the very services that make it attractive to business. MBP’s latest report outlines the bill and its impact […]

The Daily Iowan: Raise the gas tax to increase revenue

February 22, 2013

(Original Post) BY DI EDITORIAL BOARD | FEBRUARY 22, 2013 5:00 AM The Iowa Legislature has considered a proposal that would increase by 10 cents Iowa’s motor-fuel tax, more commonly called the gas tax. This proposal is politically unpopular, given that gases prices are relatively high and the economy has not fully recovered. However, as […]

New York Times: Kansas’ Governor and G.O.P. Seek to End Income Tax

January 25, 2013

(Original Post) By JOHN ELIGONPublished: January 23, 2013 TOPEKA, Kan. — President Obama stood on the steps of the Capitol in Washington on Monday afternoon and laid out an expansive liberal agenda for the nation. Inside the Kansas State Capitol here this week, Gov. Sam Brownback and Republican legislators have been drafting what could be […]

USA Today: Time to tweak gas taxes? States weigh options

January 25, 2013

(Original Post) Larry Copeland, USA TODAY7:47a.m. EST January 25, 2013 A great tax debate is breaking out in state capitals from Vermont to Texas: How do we maintain and expand our vital-but-aging networks of roads, bridges and urban transit systems? For nearly a century, the nation has funded projects primarily with revenue from gasoline taxes. […]

The Omaha World Herald: Other states also target income tax to spur growth

January 18, 2013

By Paul Hammel WORLD-HERALD BUREAU LINCOLN — Nebraska isn’t the only state looking to eliminate state income taxes. Republican leaders in both Louisiana and North Carolina are pushing plans similar to Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman’s pitch — elimination of income taxes on individuals and on corporations to boost their local economies. Other states, including Oklahoma, […]

Kansas City Business Journal: Missouri looks to Kansas for economic guidance

January 16, 2013

(Original Post) Jan 8, 2013, 7:59am CST Updated: Jan 8, 2013, 8:33am CST Staff Kansas City Business Journal Missouri lawmakers are looking to Kansas for ways to increase taxes in some areas to offset tax cuts in others, The Independence Examiner reports. The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy said as many as 15 states, […]

Missouri Budget Project: Creating a State Earned Income Tax Credit for Missouri

January 14, 2013

In this time of economic turmoil, one of the most effective steps state lawmakers can take to stimulate Missouri’s economy is to create a State Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). A State EITC would benefit more than 440,000 Missouri families and is also proven to be a valuable economic stimulus, generating more than $64.3 million […]