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0000017b-27e8-d2e5-a37b-7fffd9f70000On November 8, Missourians chose their next governor, determined races for U.S. congressional seats and several for the Missouri statehouse. In addition, voters decided among five proposed changes to the Missouri constitution.See the election results here, and view our coverage below on the local candidates and issues. Post election, we're continuing to add to our coverage with related content.

“Yes” on Amendment 4 Means No New Taxes on Services in Missouri

Ballot
Ken Zirkel
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Flickr

Missourians will decide this fall whether they want to prohibit a tax from being placed on any service or transaction.

Such services include basic goods like day care, pizza delivery and car repair services, among others.

“I just recently broke my hand in six different spots and that doctor provided a service for me… I don’t want to pay an additional fee for medical care,” Louie Layton, sales and marketing representative for Continental Title Company said. 

Layton was among a few dozen business representatives and citizens in attendance at the Greater Springfield Board of REALTORS Monday in support of Amendment 4.

North Carolina and Washington State currently collects taxes on services. The neighboring states of Illinois and Oklahoma have talked about doing the same. Scott Charton, communication director for Missourians for Fair Taxation, said he feels this is a little too close to home.

“In North Carolina, if your car breaks down, you would have always paid a sales tax on the new part but now the service of the mechanic is taxable,” Charton said.

A tax on services could be 10 percent. Charton said the current Springfield/Greene County sales tax is an estimated eight percent.

The official ballot language from the Missouri Secretary of State’s office says: A yes” vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to prohibit a new state or local sales/use or other similar tax on any service or transaction.

A no” vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution to prohibit such state or local sales/use or other similar tax.

The Secretary of State’s office notes that the “potential costs to state and local governmental entities are unknown, but could be significant.  The proposal’s passage would impact governmental entity’s ability to revise their tax structures.  State and local governments expect no savings from this proposal.”

At this time, there is no formal group encouraging people to vote “no” on Amendment 4.

The Missourians for Fair Taxation website lists 15 members of its coalition, including The Missouri Bankers Association, Missouri Broadcasters Association, and Missouri Auto Dealers Association.

Missouri REALTORS president Miles Noennig on Monday asked supporters to contact 10 people a day and emphasized the power of yard signs.

“The taxpayers are already paying a whole bunch of different taxes,” Noennig said. “One more tax is not just one more tax, it’s too many taxes.”