Republicans in the Missouri Senate have scaled back a proposal to cut state taxes in order to emulate tax cuts in neighboring Kansas and Oklahoma.
Governor Jay Nixon (D) has strongly objected to the bill's sales tax hike, saying it would hurt the poor and elderly the most. That provision has been dropped. House Bill 253 would now cut the personal income tax rate by half a percentage point and the corporate rate by three points, and phase them both in over the next 10 years. Republican Will Kraus of Lee’s Summit is handling the measure in the Senate.
"I think it’s a good bill for Missouri," Kraus said. "It's phased in over a time period that I think (is) reasonable, and I think the Governor can sign it, because we do have that trigger in there that if we don’t raise $100 million, then next year's phase-in doesn’t go into effect."
The changes still didn’t satisfy Senate Democrats, who blocked the bill for several hours Tuesday night. Minority Floor Leader Jolie Justus (D, Kansas City and Callaway County) says they relented after Republican leaders threatened to force a vote on a stalled voter photo ID bill. The tax cut bill is expected to be voted on today (Wednesday), after which it would return to the House.
Follow Marshall Griffin on Twitter: @MarshallGReport
