Gov. Nixon's Budget Does Not Align with GOP's Wishes on Taxes
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Gov. Nixon's Budget Does Not Align with GOP's Wishes on Taxes

Date: January 28, 2013
By: Nick Thompson
State Capitol Bureau
Links: SB 26, SB 5, SB 11

Intro: 
Before Christmas, newly elected Missouri Senators began filing bills to cut taxes, but tax cuts are not on Governor Jay Nixon's wish list for the next fiscal year.
RunTime:  0:41
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Prior to the state of the state, Governor Jay Nixon shot down the idea of cutting Missouri's income taxes as has been proposed in the legislature.

Nixon says Missouri's tax rates are already predictable and low enough and sees no need to match cuts passed last year in Kansas.  

Nixon says he would rather invest more in education as an economic development tool.

However, House Speaker Tim Jones says Western Missouri lawmakers are feeling more and more pressure to compete.

Actuality:  JONESTX1.WAV
Run Time:  00:07
Description: "I can tell you that the representatives and senators from those communities are extremely concerned about the ongoing border war."

Kansas taxpayers saw a nearly 25 percent decrease in the top rate this year.

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Nick Thompson.

Intro: 
The border war between Missouri and Kansas has involved bloody battles and college sports brawls but Governor Jay Nixon does not want it to continue with a race to the bottom on tax policy.
RunTime:  0:46
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Nixon says Missouri's income tax rates are already low and predictable enough and they don't need to be cut the same way they were in Kansas.

But Republican House Speaker Tim Jones says Kansas taxpayers and businesses have an edge and was disappointed Nixon didn't offer a new vision for tax policy in the "State of the State" address.

Actuality:  JONESTX2.WAV
Run Time:  00:11
Description: "Over a decade ago Kansas started pursuing some of these economic incentive tools and have employed them greatly to our detriment. Governor Brownback has followed up on that leadership recently with some tax cut proposals."

But Kansas' tax cuts spurred a recent Supreme Court decision where the state's education funding was ruled inadequate.

And Nixon says he would rather invest in education as an economic development tool, not cut taxes.

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Nick Thompson.