Story perspectives

Missouri Primary to Vote on Income Tax Repeal, Shifts Burden

7/31/2026

Center

Kehoe Backs Tax-Cut Amendment

Missouri voters will decide four constitutional amendments on the August 4, 2026 primary election, with early voting July 21 through August 3.
Governor Mike Kehoe endorses Amendment 5’s income-tax repeal and pushes Amendment 4’s stricter citizen-initiative approval rules, a key part of his tax-cut agenda.
Amendment 1 would renew a 0.1% sales/use tax funding parks, soil and water programs, generating $140 million.
Amendment 5 would phase out the income tax, cut local taxes, and modify the sales/use tax.

Left

Missouri Voters Decide

Missouri voters will decide four constitutional amendments on the August 4, 2026 primary, with early voting July 21 to August 3.
Critics say the amendment would shift taxes onto seniors and low- and middle-income Missourians while giving the wealthiest large cuts.
The amendment would swap the individual income tax for sales and use taxes.
Analysts estimate the top 1 % would receive $40,000 cuts, while $50-80k households pay $535 more.

Blindspot

Analysts say the tax swap would lift Missouri’s average sales tax to about 16%, give the top 1 % a $40,000 cut, and raise costs for $50-$80k households by roughly $535.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Left-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Center-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

In June 1978 California voters approved Proposition 13, slashing property tax rates and sparking a nationwide tax-cut movement. The 1996 Proposition 218 amendment, championed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, later required two-thirds voter approval for any new local tax or fee. Missouri’s 2026 Amendment 5, backed by Governor Mike Kehoe, mirrors that model by seeking to replace the state income tax with higher sales taxes.

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Kehoe Backs Tax-Cut Amendment

Missouri voters will decide four constitutional amendments on the August 4, 2026 primary election, with early voting July 21 through August 3.
Governor Mike Kehoe endorses Amendment 5’s income-tax repeal and pushes Amendment 4’s stricter citizen-initiative approval rules, a key part of his tax-cut agenda.
Amendment 1 would renew a 0.1% sales/use tax funding parks, soil and water programs, generating $140 million.
Amendment 5 would phase out the income tax, cut local taxes, and modify the sales/use tax.

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