By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
During a visit to St. Joseph Missouri Governor Mike Parson outlined his plan for the proposed tax cuts being discussed during the upcoming special session.
Parson wants the income tax rate lowered from 5-point-3 to 4-point-8 percent and also wants to see the bottom tax bracket eliminated.
Parson says there is no question that the state of Missouri can afford such a tax cut.
"We've been working on this for over a year trying to find out really where we're at, still going to be able to maintain all of the programs we've started, still have discretionary spending left over, and then still have money on the bottom line as the budget goes forward," Parson tells reporters. "So, we're just in an extremely good place right now and if you run the numbers out for the years to come, we'll be able to afford this and maintain this."
Parson says the Missouri economy is strong enough to support this tax cut for years to come. Parson says Missouri is fourth in manufacturing, top 10 in the aerospace and automobile industry, number three for apprenticeship, and most importantly Missouri is top 10 in sight selection
"Those are tremendous opportunities that we've never had before and we're just on the right thing, we're on the right path here when we talk about workforce development and infrastructure," Parson says. "Cause everything feeds off those two things and we're reaping the benefits of it."
Parson says he's working to talk to all of the Missouri legislators and says it seems that most of them agree with the cuts he wants to make.
"And the bottom line I think it is right now. with what we've all been in our state is just having record revenues is so much better than most states around us, and if we can't as legislators, and as the governor, if we can't give money back to people that's their money that they deserve and we can't help the number one industry in the state agriculture, you know we need to pack our bags and go home," Parson explains.
The Conservative Caucus, all Republicans, blocked legislation this past regular session.
During his visit to St. Joseph Parson also cited the importance of extending the ag tax credit to six years, after he vetoed a two-year extension following the regular session.
