St. LOUIS – Missouri’s legislative leaders look to mortgage Missouri’s future to benefit the wealthiest today
Ahead of Missouri’s Special Session, Missouri Jobs with Justice Voter Action Released the following statement:
“For too long, Missouri’s teachers and public sector workers have been stretched to their limits with overwhelming workloads, minimal pay, and already slashed budgets,” said Richard von Glahn, Policy Director with Missouri Jobs with Justice Voter Action. “We are at a critical point, and our elected leaders have the opportunity to invest in our neighbors and communities. Instead of addressing this crisis, politicians are scheming up another way to mortgage our collective future to benefit the wealthy today.”
According to an analysis from the Missouri Budget Project, Governor Parson’s specific tax proposal would reduce state general revenue by more than $950 million annually. This is equivalent to more than 1/4 of funding for public schools and would make it extremely difficult for lawmakers to fully fund schools, public safety, healthcare, and other critical needs.
“We cannot serve the Missouri public, who clearly supports public education, if we stifle our state revenue just to appease the wealthy,” said Noelle Gilzow, President of Columbia Missouri National Education Association. “To save a few dollars in tax money is not worth gutting our schools which are already underfunded. These are our children, our future. We should not enact these tax cuts – but continue to serve our constituents by providing a great public school for every child, regardless of zip code.”
According to MBP’s analysis, 33 percent of Missouri taxpayers would be left out entirely from this proposal. For those who would see a decrease in taxes, the wealthiest one percent of Missourians would receive an average of more than $6,000 while the lowest income Missourians would receive just $11.