Government Mike Kehoe is holding to tax fiscal mortgage as he predicts a tighter Missouri Budget • Missouri Independent

The Missouri state budget will be tighter in the coming years as the state concludes to use the federal assistance distributed for recovery from the Covid Pandemi, but Government Manager Mike Kehoe said on Thursday that he remains obliged to end the state’s income tax.

Kehoe said to editors and publishers attending the Missouri Press Association Day at Capitol exempt capital gains – The profits of selling investment such as a company or shares. Removing the income tax, he said, will be a long -term project.

“None of the big images, especially the income tax, which is the biggest, can be a light switch,” said Kehoe. “It must be something that is responsible that finances important services, but ultimately has the final goal.”

About 65% of Missouris $ 13.4 billion in annual general income comes from personal income tax. Exempting capital gains, a proposal that was First tax relief bill discussed In a committee hearing this year would reduce revenue by approx. $ 300 million annually.

The entire state budget, $ 51.6 billion, includes approx. $ 24.4 billion in federal assistance to programs such as Medicaid, Highway Construction and Education. The federal part includes about $ 2 billion, which remained in state accounts from the Actican Rescue Plan Act in 2021, money to be spent at the end of 2026.

Kehoe that was Inaugurated January 13thWill present its budget and regulatory priorities with the annual state of the state address on Tuesday. The session with editors and publishers held during a lunch at the Governor’s Mansion was the first time he has taken questions from the media since he took office.

Together with the budget, Kehoe said the state’s speech would focus on four areas – agriculture, economic development, vocational education and law enforcement. Adding investment to support these needs, he said, will be tough with a budget that has suffered overall growth and will give way to tax cuts.

“It will be a balance,” Kehoe said. “It won’t be easy, but it’s still something we’re very committed to continuing to do.”

He said the speech will also tackle actions that Kehoe wants to limit the impact of amendment 3, which made abortion legal in Missouri up to the point that was the viability of the fetus.

“You want to hear a lot about our belief that we need to protect innocent life,” Kehoe said. “We said through the campaign if amendments 3 were adopted, which we were very 100% against the fact that we would put our hand on the Bible and say that we would protect the constitution, but we will always see ways to protect innocent life. “

During the question of journalists, Kehoe said he has considered how to pack state aid for new or improved stadiums to house Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals. Kansas City -Voters in April Defeated an extension of VAT tax It would have supported plans for new stadiums and Kansas has adopted legislation Offers large incentives If the teams jump the state line.

“I’m not a fan of just throwing money at stadiums, but I’m a fan of keeping the financial activity that these two teams deliver and we will continue with stay,” Kehoe said.

Kehoe also said he does not support legislation to create a Independent Ombudsman and Supervisory Committee for Correction Department. The prison system has historically seen a large number of deaths among people in custody, complaints about the health care system for imprisoned people and high revenue among corrections.

He has confidence in Trevor Foley, his nominees to be the director of the department. Foley has been acting director for 15 months and sees no need for a new layer of supervision, Kehoe said.

“I think he’s having it on the right way right now,” Kehoe said.

Earlier in the day, members of the Press Association met with newly inaugurated State Secretary Denny Hoskins, LT. Gov. David Wasinger and the house speaker Jon Patterson.

Hoskins, who fought for a promise of ballot papers in elections, said he is not optimistic legislators who will join.

“If the last few years are any indication, it would have a very uphill,” Hoskins said.

He is more optimistic, Hoskins said that legislators will adopt legislation to enforce the provision in amendment 7, decided in November that only US citizens can vote in Missouri elections. Exactly how citizenship will be verified, he said, studied by looking at actions in other states.

Whatever goes, Hoskins said is likely to generate a lawsuit.

“If we were to adopt a rule, or the legislature adopted something that said ‘hello, to register to vote or vote, you must provide proof of citizenship,’ whether it is a passport or a birth certificate, I ‘ I’m sure it would be challenged in court, ”Hoskins said.

In his remarks to the journalists, Patterson said he has been informed of Kehoe’s plans for the state of the state, and that it will hit themes Kehoe pushed into his campaign.

At abortion, Patterson said there is still no consensus among Republicans about how strong to write a bill revising the provisions of amendments. Something that has been adopted, he said, will have to win support from voters, he said.

“We’re just trying to find the bill that we think makes Missouri as pro -life as it can be, and it would pass with voters,” Patterson said. “Then again, it recognizes that voters were talking and that whatever we do must return to the voter’s will.”

One thing that separates Kehoe from former governors is that he has worked in the halls of the legislature and visitors in their offices. It will help him with his agenda, Patterson said.

“Everything that happens here in Jeff City is based on relationships,” Patterson said. “So the fact that our governor does, I think, is great.”

Kehoe said he will visit legislators every day at the session.

“So,” he said, “after they’ve been over the shock because a governor has never been there before, we usually have some beautiful advance conversations.”

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