Columbia Chamber of Commerce opposes HB 253 override

Columbia’s Chamber of Commerce is the latest organization to announce its stance on the looming possibility lawmakers will try and override Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto of HB 253.

The chamber’s board voted to oppose any legislative attempts to override the veto in the upcoming session. Chairman Bob Wagner says the Columbia Chamber of Commerce strongly supports anything to help businesses, but HB 253 is flawed. Wagner cites the threat to education funding as an example.

HB 253 is designed to reduce personal income tax and corporate tax rates and raise the sales tax over the next 10 years.

The governor has been touring the state over the summer pushing for businesses and schools to tell their lawmakers not to vote to override his veto. Nixon claims the bill would jeopardize the state’s general revenue funding which would in turn effect state funding for education.

The chamber’s board says it used research from Grow Missouri, a group in favor of HB 253 and the Coalition for Missouri’s Future which represents groups opposing the bill to make its decision.

The chamber joins Springfield’s Chamber of Commerce, the Civic Council of Greater Kansas city, the University of Missouri and the Columbia Public schools in its opposition of an override.