Greitens forms committee to fix tax system

(Fron Gov. Eric Greitens)

Today, Governor Eric Greitens directed a team to fix the broken tax system that is hurting Missouri's budget and killing jobs. He first announced the committee via Facebook, with a post that reads:

“I have travelled all over the state of Missouri and held hundreds of town hall meetings with our citizens. From Hannibal to Joplin, Missourians asked me many things. But not a single person—not one—ever came up to me and said, “Could I get a special interest tax credit?”

For decades, special interests and lobbyists have received billions of taxpayer dollars in the form of tax credits. The people taking the money make big promises about jobs—but their performance hasn’t lived up to their pledges. Every year, more money flows out of this shadowy system into the pockets of insiders—and no one asks hard questions about how the system works, or doesn’t work, for the people of Missouri. If special interest tax credits made for a prosperous economy, Missouri would be thriving.

What our people want is a tax system that is simple, fair, and low. What we have instead is a tax system that is complex, corrupt, and high. So today, I signed an executive order to put an end to our broken tax system once and for all.

The Governor’s Committee for Simple, Fair, and Low Taxes is going to devote itself to fixing this system for the benefit of all people, not just the well-connected. Our argument is clear: A simple and fair tax system will help create jobs. That’s what I’m fighting for everyday: more jobs and higher pay.

The lobbyists and insiders will throw a fit, but we’re ready for the fight. They will spread falsehoods and myths, but we weren’t sent here to fight for them. We were sent here to fight for the people—and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”