But we believe the proposal [to replace Missouri's income tax with a much higher, more expansive sales tax] would be a disruptive and potentially dangerous tax shift, putting more of the burden on lower-income and middle-income residents.
It would lead to a dramatic increase in the state sales tax -- capping it at 7 percent (compared to the current rate of 4.225 percent).
It would lead to a much broader set of goods and services being subject to the sales tax -- chief among them, would be a sales tax on food that could be as high as 5.5 percent.
It could starve state government of needed money -- with critical implications for education funding and a host of other important programs.
And it would limit the ability of local governments to raise money as it would cap the total sales tax at 10 percent. That will inevitably put more pressure on governments to turn to the property tax as a source of revenue.
Image credit: Southwest Missouri Magazine
