RELEASE: Missourians Fear Impacts of Republican Tax Scheme

Missourians from around the state vocalize dissent against H.J.R. 174 to drastically increase sales taxes in an effort to eliminate the state’s income tax.

Missourians are making their voices heard on how disastrous the changes to sales tax would be for families and their communities. Speaker Patterson’s HJR 174, dubbed the “Republican Everything Tax” by Missourians, continues to threaten working families in the state by drastically expanding Missouri’s sales tax and pushing additional costs on nearly everything we spend money on in an effort to give a tax break to Missouri’s wealthiest few.

Missourians from around the state currently contend with rising costs daily and recognize the dangers this bill presents on their abilities to make ends meet. They realize the Republican Tax Scam would slash two thirds of the general revenue budget forcing spending reductions in education, healthcare, and state infrastructure, severely impacting working families. 

The following Missourians have offered the below comments and are available to speak to press:

“We’re being asked to sell out Missouri children in exchange for a few more dollars in our paychecks that we’ll be robbed of any time we have to open our wallets anywayIt feels like communities are making a deal with the devil and private equity, and legislators are offering things like eliminating the income tax to “give back money to the average person” and preying on greed and a desperation for survival… and all it will cost is the future of every child who will no longer receive an education.” – Carter Taylor, Teacher with the Kansas City Public School District

“Having to pay more for goods and services would be absolutely devastating to someone like me who has to live on such a very very limited budget. I cannot even afford to go out to eat and socialize with my friends over. And prices are so high already that none of them even have enough extra money to treat me to a meal. I’m hanging on by my fingernails as it is, and if the costs go up, I won’t have a place to live. This is all I’ve got. My next step is a medicaid nursing home which would end up costing the state a lot more money. – Jennifer Layton, Columbia, Disabled MIssourian

“This past year as a small business owner it has been very hard navigating all of the price changes and fluctuations in the products we use for our business.  Our goal was to not raise prices and be able to still be profitable enough to sustain our business and be able to put food on our table.  The idea of taxing goods more and then taxing services terrifies me as a small business owner.  Will our customers be able to afford our service with the added tax?  Will we have to eat the price of the tax or raise our prices in order to survive?” – Stephanie Graham, Lee’s Summit small business owner

“HJR 174 would cause catastrophic cuts to the state programs and services that all of us depend on. Those cuts would hurt the most vulnerable. Rural MO hospitals are closing. Medicare will be affected. Emergency assistance across the state will be affected… there’s many others too numerous to mention. Increased sales tax burdens fall disproportionately on the middle class and poor, while the rich fat cats get tax breaks.” – Henry Grubb, Odessa, Retired Teacher

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