A conservative advocacy group says more than 200 local governments across Missouri are trying to raise taxes. The tally includes proposals such as property tax hikes, sales taxes, and bond issues that are up for votes on the ballot in April. Patrick Werner heads the Missouri chapter of Americans for Prosperity, a group that advocates for lower taxes and limited government.
“That’s over 85 percent of Missouri counties either have some sort of county-wide or some sort of local municipal school board, fire district tax within their county jurisdictions…St. Louis County, for example, 15,” Werner says.
Werner says his group put the data together to let state lawmakers know that while they’re trying to cut taxes in Jefferson City, local politicians back home are trying to raise them.
Meanwhile, Republican leaders in the Senate are backing a temporary one-cent sales tax to address Missouri’s transportation needs, while House Speaker Tim Jones is on record as wanting any transportation fix to be revenue neutral.
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