Pro-Amendment 5 group spends $12.9 million heading into election

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A group supporting the elimination of income tax within the state of Missouri has spent $12.9 million this election cycle.

Amendment 5, which would phase out Missouri’s income tax and and expand sales and use taxes, will be decided by voters on Aug. 4. Filings for political campaigns and committees were required to turn in a report on contributions and spending on Monday, eight days before the election.

Missouri Promise PAC – which supports the passage of Amendment 5 – has spent $12.9 million, according to its eight-day report.

Secure Missouri -- whose mission statement says it supports Gov. Mike Kehoe -- contributed $2.95 million on July 21, while Missouri Action contributed $6.5 million over three dates. America Advancement Inc., gave $1.2 million through a pair of donations, while the American Policy Coalition gave $1 million and the Revitalization Project contributed $900,000.

The committee has about $23,000 on hand. The bulk of spending for the group has been political media buys and purchases for digital advertising.

Missourians for Fair Taxation, the Missouri Realtors-backed group that opposes the amendment – has spent $2.795 million of its $2.84 million it received this election cycle. It has about $166,000 on hand.

The Missouri Association of Realtors contributed $900,000 to the committee on July 17. The PAC’s top purchases are media buys.

Another anti-Amendment 5 group called Missourians for has spent about $27,700 of the $37,500 it grossed.