By Kurt Erickson
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
(TNS)
JEFFERSON CITY — The Missouri Democratic Party’s state committee voted unanimously Thursday against endorsing a proposed constitutional amendment on the Aug. 4 ballot that would phase out the state’s individual income tax.
While the party’s decision was hardly a surprise after no Democrats supported Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe’s top priority of the year during the legislative session, they are not alone in their opposition to the proposal.
At least 10 Republican lawmakers publicly have signaled their opposition to the plan by either voting “no” on the legislation or issuing statements later reversing their “yes” votes.
Among them is Rep. Tony Harbison, R-Arcadia.
Harbison, whose 144th House District is home to some of Missouri’s most rugged landscape—including Taum Sauk Mountain and the Current River—voted to put the constitutional amendment on the ballot in April.
In a mid-June announcement, however, Harbison flipped on his support of the change, saying his constituents would be hurt by higher prices for necessities and services if sales taxes are increased.
“Our working poor, seniors and veterans cannot afford higher taxes on the goods and services they depend on every day,” Harbison said.
At issue is Amendment 5, which asks Missouri voters to give state lawmakers the power to begin raising sales and service taxes on items and services, such as haircuts, lawncare and software downloads to generate revenue to replace the state’s 4.7% income tax on individuals. The proposal would not apply to Missouri’s corporate income tax.
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Democrats echoed Harbison’s concerns about who will bear the brunt of eliminating the income tax in favor of high sales and use taxes.
“This isn’t a tax cut, it’s shifting the burden of the state’s bills onto regular working families, retirees, and veterans,” said former U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan, chair of the Missouri Democratic Party in a statement. “The people writing this want to eliminate the big tax they pay and then increase the taxes you pay to survive to make up for the massive hole they are blowing in our budget.”
Carnahan called Amendment 5 “a scam that working-families in Missouri cannot afford.
Harbison also said concerns about the state budget have made him wary of altering Missouri’s main source of revenue. Kehoe is being urged to make significant budget vetoes next Tuesday when he takes action on the spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1.
Other Republicans who have distanced themselves from the plan include Republican Sens. Greg Sharpe, of Ewing, and Rudy Veit, of Wardsville, both of whom are term-limited and running for seats in the state Senate.
When the legislation was in front of the House in April, they voted “no.”
Sharpe said he is concerned about raising taxes on farmers in his agriculturally focused district in northeast Missouri.
“Farmers and ranchers are already dealing with rising input costs, supply chain pressures, and uncertainty in the markets. This amendment opens the door to taxing more of the essential services and transactions farming depends on every single day, from equipment repairs and parts to transportation, labor, and other operational costs,” Sharpe said.
Sharpe’s concerns come as two major lobbying groups that typically support Kehoe and lean Republican are sitting on the sidelines.
The Missouri Farm Bureau endorsed Sharpe, but has not endorsed Amendment 5.
Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins told Brownfield News there are mixed feelings among the organization’s farmer members about the phaseout.
“I hear a lot of interest from some, and I hear concern about others, because of questions,” Hawkins told the radio outlet. “Not so much that they wouldn’t be interested in an overhaul at the state level, but it’s the question of how it would be replaced and recognizing that there’s a lot of conversation yet to come.”
The Missouri Corn Growers Association, Missouri Cattlemen’s Association and Missouri Soybean Association also have not endorsed the proposal. The state’s largest business lobby, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, likewise has stayed out of the fight.
Veit, who represents parts of the capital city, said he voted “no” on the proposed amendment because it is a “bait and switch that will lead to higher taxes on goods and services we all use every day.
“That means a heavier burden on Missouri families and particularly seniors and retirees living on Social Security, and veterans and people with disabilities who live on fixed incomes,” Veit said.
Photo caption: Missouri Rep. Tony Harbison, R-Arcadia (Tony Harbison for Missouri/Facebook)
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© 2026 the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Visit www.stltoday.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC.
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