Missouri should reward work, not tax it

Across Missouri, we believe in something simple. If you work hard, play by the rules, and take care of your neighbors, you should have a fair shot at building a good life.

That belief is not complicated. It is not partisan. It is rooted in the way we were raised.

That is why I support Governor Mike Kehoe’s plan to eliminate Missouri’s personal income tax.

For generations, families here have built their lives through steady work. Farmers rise before the sun. Small business owners take risks and sign the front of paychecks. Parents put in long hours so their kids can have more opportunity than they did. In each of these cases, success comes from effort and sacrifice.

Yet our current tax system takes a cut of that effort every time someone earns a paycheck. Before families can decide how to invest in their home, save for college, expand a business, or give back to their community, the state takes a share of what they have worked for.

Phasing out the income tax would send a clear message: Missouri respects work. Missouri trusts its citizens and Missouri is ready to compete for families and businesses who want to grow and succeed.

When individuals keep more of what they earn, they make decisions that strengthen their communities. They reinvest in local shops. They hire employees. They support churches and charities. They save and plan for the future. Economic growth does not start in Jefferson City. It starts at kitchen tables and storefront counters across this state.

This conversation is about more than dollars and cents. It is about the kind of state we want to be. Do we want a system that quietly chips away at every raise and every new opportunity? Or do we want a system that encourages initiative and independence?

Missouri has always been strongest when we trust people to chart their own path. Our communities thrive when government sets clear rules, treats people fairly, and then gets out of the way.

Governor Kehoe’s proposal is a step toward a tax structure that aligns with those principles. It moves us away from taxing productivity and toward a system that supports growth. It reflects the belief that opportunity should be expanded, not limited.

Missourians have never been afraid of hard work. Our policies should reflect that confidence.