House Up Next, Mo. Senate Overrides Nixon Tax Cut Veto

AP) – Missouri’s Republican-led Senate voted Monday to override the veto of an income tax cut by Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon, setting the stage for a final showdown in House to determine whether the tax cut will become law.

The Senate’s 23-8 party-line vote was just enough to meet the constitutional requirement of a two-thirds majority. But for the override to succeed in the House, majority Republicans will need to vote as a block and get the support of at least one Democrat.

Democratic Rep. Keith English, of the St. Louis suburb of Florissant, said Monday that he plans to support the bill on the veto override vote.

The legislation would gradually reduce Missouri’s top individual income tax rate from 6 percent to 5.5 percent and phase in a new 25 percent deduction for business income reported on personal tax returns. The incremental tax cuts would begin in 2017, but only if state revenues continue to grow.

While vetoing the bill last week, Nixon denounced it as an “ill-conceived, fiscally irresponsible experiment” that could jeopardize funding for public education and state services. Senate Democrats echoed those concerns Monday