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Missouri Primary Puts $9 B Tax-Swap Amendment on Ballot

8/5/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Missouri voters cast ballots on Aug. 4, 2026 in a primary that includes four constitutional amendments.
Amendment 5, backed by Gov. Mike Kehoe, would let the legislature replace the $9 billion income tax with expanded sales taxes for five years without voter approval.
Opponents call Amendment 5 a “blank check,” warning it could tax real-estate deals and streaming subscriptions.

History

Historical Context

Kansas began its tax-cut experiment in May 2012 when Governor Sam Brownback slashed the top income rate to 4.9 % and eliminated pass-through taxes, later adding a 0.5-point sales-tax hike that left a $1.1 billion deficit. Missouri’s Republican-led legislature, backed by Governor Mike Kehoe, now proposes Amendment 5 to replace a $9 billion income-tax base with broader sales taxes, echoing Kansas’s controversial shift.

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Story summary

Missouri voters cast ballots on Aug. 4, 2026 in a primary that includes four constitutional amendments.
Amendment 5, backed by Gov. Mike Kehoe, would let the legislature replace the $9 billion income tax with expanded sales taxes for five years without voter approval.
Opponents call Amendment 5 a “blank check,” warning it could tax real-estate deals and streaming subscriptions.

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