MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG
Mo. Digital News
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Mo. Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG
Mo. Digital News
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Mo. Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
The resolution would abolish the state individual and corporate income tax and increase the state sales tax from 4.22 percent to 5.11 percent.
The bill would also get rid of sales tax exemptions on such things as groceries and certain medical services.
Democratic Representative Roman Lee LeBlanc of Jackson County says senior citizens would be the most affected by this bill.
| Actuality: LEBLANC.WAV |
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| Description: This would be double taxation. They pay income tax on the money they have saved up all their lives in a nest egg. Now you want to go and put a tax on products and services that they were currently not paying taxes on. To me that sounds like a great example of double taxation. And if that's what we really want to do to our seniors, then I encourage the body to vote for this unfair tax. |
Along with Representative LeBlanc, Minority Floor Leader Paul LeVota says the bill would hurt the middle class.
| Actuality: LEVOTA3.WAV |
| Run Time: 00:20 |
| Description: The corporations are able to use loop holes, tax credits and everything else not to pay. Very low income people don't pay anything. And who's in the middle? The middle class pays the chunk of everything that happens in this government. This bill does not solve that problem. |
On the opposite side of the aisle, Republican bill sponsor Ed Emery says the bill would spur job growth while forcing illegals who don't pay income taxes to pay sales taxes.
Missouri voters will get to vote on the bill if it passes through the Senate.
Reporting from Jefferson City, I'm Rebecca Layne.