A proposal that would have reduced property taxes on autos, farm equipment, and other personal property failed to pass in the 2023 Legislative Session. The bill’s sponsor is state Sen. Bill Eigel, R-Weldon Spring. Next year, he hopes to eliminate property taxes altogether.
Eigel is filing a constitutional amendment that would require ‘spending discipline’ to offset property taxes at the local level.
“Basically, specifically how it’s going to work, it’s going to require a combination of either spending cuts or revenue growth, natural revenue growth to reimburse local counties for personal property tax revenues that they maybe short on, and at the same time, it will get rid of personal property tax in the state of Missouri,” he said.
He did not specify how he would increase revenue to help offset the elimination of property taxes.
“This is not a special interest bill,” said Eigel. “There isn’t a single lobbyist working the hallways of Jefferson City trying to help me get this bill passed. This is a bill that I filed and have wanted to take up and be the champion of because I know how many Missourians are actually hurting out there.”
Eigel said personal property taxes punish working and middle-income class households and calls it a “bad tax mechanism” that is holding Missouri back from growing like other states.
“I know where the people stand,” said Eigel. “The people know that we’ve got to get rid of this tax and that’s what’s best for Missouri. We’re going to be working on finding out who in the legislature or who in statewide office is going to get up and get behind the proposal I’m putting forth and maybe, more importantly, who’s actually going to work against us.”
He recently told Missourinet affiliate KCMO that residents should not have to pay rent to the government for owning a car each December 1.
The progressive-leaning Missouri Budget Project said it does not have enough information about the bill to comment.
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