Income Taxes

While Republicans are considering how they want to approach tax cuts as well as making it harder to amend the constitution, Democrats plan to use the Republican lawmakers' support of 4 and 5 against them.

While voters in Missouri and Kansas overwhelmingly shot down ballot measures championed by Republicans, they also largely chose conservative, Trump-backed candidates to run against Democrats in November’s general election.

With Amendment 5’s failure, state lawmakers are now unable to expand sales and use taxes in order to eliminate the state income tax.

63% of Missouri's general revenue comes from individual income taxes. Critics of Amendment 5 wonder how the legislature will fill the gap. States without income tax have raised revenue by adding taxes on everything from tourism to tobacco.

Amendment 5 has garnered attention and advertising dollars aimed at swaying undecided Missouri voters. KC Media Collective partner The Beacon analyzed ads about the proposal to examine the claims and iron out what the constitutional amendment would actually do.

Gov. Mike Kehoe has been pushing to phase-out the state's income tax, and now voters will get to decide in Tuesday's election. But Amendment 5 leaves many unknowns: How will the legislature will expand sales and use taxes? Will the change actually spur more business?

If approved by Missouri voters on Aug. 4, 2026, Amendment 5 would require the Missouri General Assembly to phase out the income tax based on revenue growth. The amendment also authorizes lawmakers to expand sales and use taxes to replace the lost income tax revenue.

Amendment 5’s sponsor says it won’t affect schools in the short term and could help in the long term. But critics say it leaves too many unanswered questions.

A statement signed by four Missouri diocese leaders doesn't specifically tell voters to reject the August ballot issue, which would allow expanded sales taxes and end the state income tax. But the bishops say it will disproportionately harm people with lower incomes.

Broadcast ad spending on Amendments 4 and 5 is approaching $9 million as the days run down before the Aug. 4 vote.

Amendment 5, to be considered by Missouri voters in August, would give the legislature the power to replace the state income tax with expanded sales taxes. Critics say it would be difficult to make up the lost revenue without imposing taxes on healthcare.

A group of Kansas City parents has launched a campaign ahead of the Aug. 4 vote on a constitutional amendment to phase out Missouri’s income tax out of concerns that it will cut state funding for schools.