Missourians for Fair Taxation gather in Jefferson City

This week, several mid-Missouri realtors have teamed up for a statewide effort on taxes.

Missourians for Fair Taxation, a group made up of 20,000 Show-Me State Realtors, announced their support Thursday for a state constitutional amendment to stop sales taxes on services.

Scott Charton, a spokesman for Missourians for Fair Taxation, said, “This is all about consumer protection. We are trying to stop a new sales tax on services.”

Supporters said sales taxes are regressive and target Missourians who would most likely be unable to pay, like senior citizens and low-income households.

Missouri already taxes goods, but the group says they want to protect services, like haircuts, visiting the doctors or taking a car to the mechanic, from being taxed.

“These are services Missourians use every day. It might be a haircut. It might be a manicure. It might be the rent on a home. It might be the services of an attorney or a CPA,” said Charton.

The group is circulating petitions around Missouri for signatures to get the proposal on this November’s general election ballot.