Nixon Vetoes Drivers License Fee Increase Bill June 26, 2013

(AP) – Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon on Wednesday vetoed legislation that would increase the fees for obtaining driver’s licenses and registering vehicles.

The Democratic governor announced the veto during a news conference in St. Louis.

Senate Bill 51 would raise the cost of registering a motor vehicle by $1.50 a year and increase the fee for obtaining a typical driver’s license by $5. The fee increases were projected to raise almost $22 million annually.

Legislative supporters have said the bill was needed because fees for licenses have remained unchanged for a decade and some license office contractors are struggling to turn a profit.

Nixon Vetoes Bill That Eliminates tax Credit for Seniors Who Rent May 14, 2013

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has vetoed a bill that would eliminate a tax break for seniors who rented.
Nixon’s office announced he had vetoed Senate Bill 350 late Tuesday afternoon.
Nixon said the measure doesn’t go far enough in providing real reform on Missouri’s set of tax credits
“Effective tax credit reform must be broad-based and designed to ensure that all tax credit programs provide a strong return for taxpayers, our communities and our economy,”
The Governor also said the bill redirects the money from the tax credits for seniors who rent to other programs, instead of continuing to help older Missourians.

Nixon May Veto ‘Border War’ Tax Cut Plan May 12, 2013

(AP) – Gov. Jay Nixon indicated Friday that he is likely to veto legislation that would cut Missouri’s income taxes for businesses and individuals, saying he has serious concerns that it could jeopardize funding for essential government services.

The Democratic governor criticized the tax-cut plan just a day after it won final approval from a Republican-led Legislature that touted it as a means of remaining economically competitive in a battle for businesses with Kansas and other bordering states.

The legislation would phase-in a 50 percent deduction over five years for business income reported on individual income tax returns. It also would gradually cut Missouri’s corporate income tax rate nearly in half over and lower the top tax rate for individuals from 6 percent to 5.5 percent over the next decade.

The corporate and individual tax rate reductions would take effect only if annual state revenues continue to grow by at least $100 million over their highest point in the preceding three years.

Legislative researchers have estimated that the measure would reduce Missouri’s potential revenues by about $700 million annually when fully implemented. The nonprofit Missouri Budget Project, which analyzes fiscal issues and has opposed the income tax cut, has estimated the eventual cost at more than $800 million annually. Nixon adopted the higher cost estimate in his remarks Friday.

“Taking more than $800 million literally the equivalent of what you spend on higher education, or literally more than you have for all of corrections or mental health is not the fiscally responsible approach,” Nixon said.

Asked if he would veto the measure, Nixon stopped short of directly saying `yes’ but indicated that was likely.

“At this time, I’m certainly not looking at it with an eye to add it to the structure of Missouri government,” the governor said.

Legislators would need a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate to override a veto. The House vote for the bill Thursday was six votes shy of that threshold, but there were nine members who did not vote.

Nixon Vetoes Sales Tax on Out of State Vehicle Sales April 19, 2013

(AP) – Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has vetoed legislation that sought to re-impose local sales taxes on vehicles bought from out-of-state dealers or through person-to-person sales.

Nixon’s veto Friday marks the second time in two years he has rejected the Legislature’s attempt to reverse the effect of a 2012 Supreme Court ruling.

The court ruled that local sales taxes can only be charged on vehicles bought from Missouri retailers. If cities and counties want to tax vehicles bought elsewhere, the court said they need to adopt local “use taxes.”

The legislation vetoed by Nixon sought to get around that ruling by tying local sales taxes to the titling of vehicles. Local voters would have had a chance to repeal the taxes by 2016.

Nixon said the repeal section was not drafted well.