Missouri Voters Set to Decide on Income Tax Elimination

WHO:

STLPR - State Rep. Bishop Davidson, R-Republic, is a sponsor of the amendment.

STLPR - State Sen. Ben Brown, R-Washington, co-hosted town hall meetings.

STLPR - Behla Ascher of St. Clair attended a town hall meeting.

STLPR - Amy Blouin, president and CEO of the Missouri Budget Project, spoke against Amendment 5.

STLPR - Jay Hardenbrook with AARP Missouri opposed the proposed amendment.

STLPR - Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe introduced the plan during his State of the State address.

WHAT:

STLPR - Missouri voters will decide on a constitutional amendment to eliminate the state income tax.

STLPR - The amendment would require lawmakers to expand sales and use taxes to replace income tax revenue.

STLPR - The state income tax generates approximately $8.5 billion in state revenue annually.

STLPR - The amendment includes a five-year window to expand transaction-based taxes.

STLPR - If passed, the amendment would prevent lawmakers from reinstating any version of an income tax without a new constitutional amendment.

WHERE:

STLPR - Town hall meetings were held in Washington, Missouri, and Union, Missouri.

STLPR - The town hall in Washington took place at Moe’s restaurant.

STLPR - A panel discussion against Amendment 5 was held at the library branch in Union.

WHEN:

STLPR - The vote on the amendment is scheduled for Tuesday.

STLPR - Gov. Mike Kehoe introduced the plan during his State of the State address in January.

WHY:

STLPR - Proponents argue that eliminating the income tax will spur economic growth and attract new residents to Missouri.

STLPR - Opponents claim that the amendment will lead to increased costs of living and tax burdens on low- and middle-income residents.

HOW:

STLPR - The amendment would allow the General Assembly to eliminate the income tax by reducing the top tax rate based on revenue growth.

STLPR - The proposal includes a requirement for local entities to reduce other taxes if they collect more revenue due to the expanded tax base.

(UPDATED July 30, 2026 19:32 UTC)

Missouri voters will soon decide on a constitutional amendment aimed at eliminating the state income tax, which currently generates about $8.5 billion in annual revenue. The proposed amendment would require lawmakers to expand sales and use taxes to make up for the lost income tax revenue and includes a five-year window for this transition. Supporters believe this change could boost economic growth and attract new residents, while opponents warn it may increase living costs and burden low- and middle-income families.