The Missouri House passed several bills Thursday, including one that will broadly loosen car inspection requirements and another that would reduce the values used to calculate personal property taxes.
Both bills now proceed to the Senate.
Personal property taxes
Currently, personal property taxes in Missouri are determined based on one-third of market value. would reduce that to 18% of market value over a three-year period.
鈥淭he tax on personal property is not only an inefficient tax, but a tax that most would consider to be double taxation on property,鈥� the bill sponsor, Rep. Richard West, R-Wentzville, said while introducing the bill for debate earlier this week.
West said before the vote on the bill that it was not a tax reduction, but Democrats disputed his characterization.
鈥淭his is indeed a reduction in the amount of money going back to school districts, the amount of money going to fire and ambulance districts,鈥� said Rep. Kemp Strickler, D-Lee鈥檚 Summit. 鈥淲hen we go back to our districts, is that something that we want to tell our schools?鈥�
The bill is one among many tax measures that have been introduced in both chambers this year, including some that would limit or cap property tax assessments.
Opponents to the proposed tax cuts have expressed concern about effects on local and state services. The fiscal note on HB 903 estimates an impact of over $900 million on local government funds.
Vehicle inspections
Currently, in order to renew a car鈥檚 registration, the car doesn鈥檛 need to be inspected if it has less than 150,000 miles and is less than 10 years old.
would change that so that any car with a model year of 2012 or newer is exempt from inspection requirements, so long as it has less than 150,000 miles.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a good freedom bill,鈥� said bill sponsor Ben Baker, R-Neosho, while introducing the bill, 鈥渆liminating unnecessary fees and red tape for the great people of our state.鈥�
Rep. Mark Boyko, D-Kirkwood, voted against the bill, saying that removing inspection requirements will cause more accidents.
鈥淭he recent research is that states with safety inspections have fewer fatal accidents,鈥� Boyko said before the vote on the bill. 鈥淚 think that the savings in terms of having a few fewer safety inspections don鈥檛 justify the cost in terms of Missourians鈥� lives.鈥�
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