Comments from Candidates

Christopher Dwyer (L) Senate #19
Q1: I do not support HB 2131. I support ending state income tax. Q2: Corporations do not pay tax. All taxes are passed to the customer.
Q3: Increase the gas tax. Those that drive on the roads pay for the roads. Q5: I support a balanced budget. I agree with no deficit spending.
Q6: I am against the state income tax It needs to end.

Linda Sanders (D) Senate 27
Q5: Need to know more
Q6: Need to know more

Michael Niemeyer (D) State Rep #15
Q1: Revision of Income Tax — The current “brackets” are a bit of a joke. There is no difference between someone making $20,000 and someone
making $2,000 in the current income tax system. What that ends up meaning is people with low incomes pay a higher percentage of their income
as taxes, whether it be sales, property, or income, there is no escape. As income increases, more of that money goes into other places, investments,
and the like, which do not have an immediate levy. To put this another way, handing 1000 people $1000 will return more money to the state than
handing one person $1,000,000. That needs correction.
Q2: State Disclosure — I do not think this is something that needs to be for public release, but I do think for determining proper tax policy the state
needs the information. This is basic oversight.
Q3: Toll Roads — Having lived in areas where toll roads exist (the Chicago area for a time), they can be a source of direct revenue for maintenance.
Long term, I think we’ll need to look at alternate means of transport, but in the short term, public pay roads are a valid means to gain revenue for
maintenance.
Q4: Tax “Expenditures” — These should ALWAYS be examined. Getting a tax break should have a reason, and that reason needs to be better than giving
someone backdoor welfare. All too often some sort of credit or break is given that costs the state millions of dollars. Given the costs involved, we would
frequently be better off picking the neighborhood where the “development” is supposed to happen, and handing out cash. I am not saying the state should
do that, I am saying we could be better off if we did it that way than through the system of phony tax breaks given out now.
Q5: Spending Limits — This is a flat no. Spending limits never take into consideration real problems that require action, be they natural disasters,
infrastructure improvements, or anything else the state may wish to do. While placing a break on deficits is a good idea, creating a hard limit on
expenditures limits the ability to more forward in the future. I am sure we could go back to the 19th Century, but I prefer electricity, and think most of
Missouri residents do too.
Q6: Income Tax Surcharge — This one I do not agree with. Adding this to municipal control strips the ability of the state to keep some sanity in the system.
A better choice would be eliminating the state sales tax completely, and roll the revenue needs into revised income tax brackets.

Mary Still (D) State Rep #25
Q3: Toll Roads — Maybe but not privatized. Specific case by case analysis.

Amy Coffman (D) State Rep #44
Q3: Toll Roads — NA – I won’t rule out a toll road amendment but it’s not my first preference.
Q5: I’ve worked against TABOR in the past

Jeanette Mott Oxford (D) State Rep #59
Q1: Income Tax Revision — I’ve proved (my support) by doing it.
Q2: I’ve been a co-sponsor of Rep. Low’s bill.
Q3: Toll Roads — There are a lot of problems inherent in the toll road solution. I don’t like amending the constitution, but apparently it would be necessary
for toll roads to happen in MO. I would prefer that transportation needs be taken care of through fair, adequate, and sustainable personal and corporate income
taxes. However, with 60% of Missouri households having incomes of less than about $50,000, it might be impossible to meet our transportation needs through this
mechanism. Adjustments to corporate taxes may be even harder to win than individual income tax changes. A refundable earned income tax credit for low wage
workers, such as the one provided in HB 2131, or my state EITC legislation also might help offset some of the hardship of toll roads beyond solutions that exempt
local drivers.

April Harris (D) State Rep #63
Q2: NA – I do believe that such information should be available upon request.
Q3: Toll Roads — I would be very careful as it relates to legislation to implement administering them.
Q5: State Spending Limit — Legislators should have the authority to amend the state’s spending limit.

Robert Stelzer (D) State Rep #67
Q3: Toll Roads — No toll roads! We will just have to work hard to find innovative solutions.
Q6: Local Revenue — NA, but underlines “with voter approval.”

Stacey Newman (D) State Rep #73
Q1: I support Rep. Oxford’s efforts to restructure Missouri’s income tax structure and will be a progressive voice beside her in the Missouri House.
Q3: I am hesitant to pledge my support of a constitutional amendment that has not been drafted, and may not be necessary. However, I will pledge to support
legislation to implement state-administered toll roads under the circumstances you described.
Q5: I have seen the devastating results that TABOR has had on states like Colorado and I would do everything within my power in the General Assembly to stop
similar legislation.
Q6: If and only if approved by voters.

Steve Brown (D) State Rep #73
Q1: Our current policy amounts to a regressive “flat” tax and does not provide the revenue needed for essential public services.
Q2: We can only know about those things we can measure. We certainly need to know how corporations are (and could be) impacting state revenue streams,
so we should be requiring them to report their federal tax liabilities and other financial information.
Q3: I think that if we are facing a transportation budget shortfall, the implementation of toll roads is totally appropriate. I agree, as well, that the bulk (if not the
entirety) of the tolls should be paid by people passing through and not the local commuters who already pay state and local taxes for the roads.
Q4: Yes. In fact, I would sponsor legislation that requires all such tax expenditures to be publicly accessible on a state government website. Democracy functions
best when the citizenry is best informed about its government’s actions and priorities.
Q5: I have every faith that the voters in this state are capable of restraining spending as much as they like through the ballot box. There is no need to pass a
constitutional amendment for a state spending limit.
Q6: Yes. It is sad and unfair that local governments are only able to raise revenue through such regressive means. Local governments are often put in a bind.

Margo McNeil (D) State Rep #78
I am familiar with most of these tax issues through workshops presented by MNEA and because I am on your email list and get regular updates. I strongly feel
that something needs to be done to revamp the tax structure.
Q3: Personally, I hate toll roads and make every effort to bypass them when possible. However, I would consider legislation creating toll roads after looking
carefully at the whole tax picture.
Q5: I’ve worked with MNEA to lobby against TABOR legislation every year it has been presented.

Ron Waggoner (D) State Rep #85
Q1: NA — Probably, I need more info than what is on this sheet.
Q3: Toll Roads — NA – probably, need more info
Q5: NA — Not sure, I need expert testimony to make a just decision.
Q6: Local Revenue — NA – I do not understand this completely. Probably not.

Richard H. Riley (R) State Rep #86
Q1: Yes. I do think the Missouri Tax system does need to be changed including the Income tax, Sales tax, and other taxes. Your enclosure indicates we will
have a budget shortage in fy 2010 of 450 Million dollars. The decreases in medicaid, disease prevention, mental health, higher education and others including the
expected 450 deficit expect in 2010 should all be look into to help refund these programs and eliminate the deficit expected in 2010. I think this will take a lot of
work on the part of the house and Senate, and the Governor to correct the problems. a) We need to take a look at the total revenue spent and see where we can
make needed changes. b) We need to look at the departments to see that they are using there monies to best and eliminate and waste. c) We need to
restructure the income tax system and make it more fair to all citizens. These are just some of the studies and adjustments which we need to do to correct the
this situation.
Q2: Yes. This would be part of the study that I would like to see in my answers I have given in the above paragraph.
Q3: Yes. I feel that we should have toll roads to increase the revenue to pay off these bonds and to help increase the needed funds for the states operation.
Q4: Yes. Tax Expenditures —This is what I have been trying to say in the previous answers to the other tax and budget problems facing this state.
Q5: Yes. I do agree with setting a limit on state spending and to now allowing deficit spending. This again needs to be analyzed to a greater degree.
Q6: NA. This idea of a surcharge for local governments would need to be very carefully looked at before I could answer either yea or nea.

Martha Ott (D) State Rep #86
Q1: I have attended your workshop several times and fully agree that our tax structure is out of date and needs revision. I support progressive tax reform to make
Missouri’s taxes fairer for taxpayers while also increasing state revenues to maintain adequate funding for public schools and other vital services. I believe taxes
should be fair, adequate and sustainable, and strongly oppose unfair tax changes that would undermine the revenue that supports public education and the
healthcare services Missourians need.
Q3: I have studied your position statement and agree that a sales tax should not be levied to finance transportation needs. I would most likely support
implementation of toll roads exempting local users depending on how broad a range local users are defined. I am sure there would be many other components
to consider in supporting legislation for a constitutional amendment.
Q6: I need more information to adequate take a position on levying a local surcharge on the state income tax. It may depend on the income brackets for which the
surcharge is levied., if the income brackets are changed to provide tax relief for our lower income citizens, and some of the regressive sale taxes are eliminated. I
will be interested in learning more about this proposal.

Jeanne Kirkton (D) State Rep #91
Q3: I do not support toll roads.

Ronica Herman (D) State Rep #92
Q3: NA This is something that I would consider with more info.
Q5: No (State Spending Limit) – I am not sure if I understand this thoroughly.

Nick Haul (R) State Rep #100
Q1: No. I believe Missouri should go to a flat tax or no income tax.

Philip J. Sherman (R) State Rep #118
Q2 (Corporate Income Tax Disclosure) — yes – As long as its not complicated! Googlelize it. Keep it Simple.
Q3 (Toll Roads) — yes – emphasizes “administered solely by the state.”
Q4 (Tax Expenditures) — yes of course. This is what the State Government spends, not what you’re talking about here.
Q5 (State Spending Limit) — yes Not a new one, we already have one. Duplication. (circled “Hancock Amendment”). It’s the same thing.

Charles A. Dake (D) State Rep #132
Q6 Local Revenue — yes, if it does away with property taxes.

Dennis Lee Chilton (D) State Rep #144
Q1: yes – I favor productive use of tax dollars and not more Jails, prisons, and mental hospitals. We need subsidies for small manufactures.
Q3: For toll roads if Missouri users are exempt.
Q4: (Tax expenditures) My worry is what you are going to do with this revenue.
Q5: (State spending limit) – Yes if you are going to build more jails, prisons and mental hospitals. You can make money with spending and you can also
waste money by spending.

Nancy Pope (D) State Rep #155
The questions on spending and taxes were well considered and afforded a view of taxing that could be fair and just.
Q6: I did not answer questions VI, believing I need more information.

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