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Minor Border War Averted

Senator Luann Ridgeway ( R,Smithville) describes bi-state tax rectification.
kcur photo by Dan Verbeck
Senator Luann Ridgeway ( R,Smithville) describes bi-state tax rectification.

By Dan Verbeck, KCUR News

Kansas City, MO. –
You live in Kansas but work in Missouri: A new law is signed allowing you to deduct property taxes you pay in the Sunflower State from what you owe Missouri.

The Greater Kansas City Area Chamber of Commerce lobbied so hard for the bill, Lt. Governor Peter Kinder chose the Chamber offices to sign it into law. The law changes tax structure for non-residents that work in the Show Me state. It's chief sponsor was State Senator Luann Ridgeway of Clay County, who says "If Kansas or any other bordering states allows our citizens that work in their state to deduct their local property taxes paid to this state then we will do the same for them. It's a fairness issue."

Chamber President Pete Levy says a chief worry was that the old system made it less attractive to work in Missouri if you lived west of state line.

The law applies to every state that adjoins Missouri with the exception of Illinois with which there is no reciprocity.

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