From Missouri Net:
by | Apr 16, 2026
The Missouri Senate approved a sweeping tax overhaul early Thursday, advancing a plan that would eliminate the state’s personal income tax and replace it with a broader sales tax.
The proposal would also end automatic triggers used to reduce income tax rates.
State Sen. Mike Henderson, R-Desloge, voted in favor of the measure, despite calling the proposal a major change for the state. Henderson said he ultimately supports letting voters decide whether Missouri should move away from an income tax system.
“Anytime you do something like this, you got some major concerns — this is a major change for the state,” Henderson said. “I wouldn’t have voted yes if I didn’t think it was doable, but I still have some major concerns. And however the people decide, then that’s where we’ll go from there.”
Democrats strongly opposed the proposal, saying expanding the sales tax while eliminating income taxes would disproportionately impact lower income Missourians. State Sen. Stephen Webber, D-Columbia, called the proposal regressive and said it could hurt seniors living on fixed incomes.
“I think it hurts middle class working people, low-income people the most,” Webber said. “I also have a lot of concerns at what it does to senior citizens. Folks who’ve been paying taxes their whole life don’t have income now because they’re retired, and suddenly they’re paying a higher sales tax rate. I think it’s a bad idea.”
The Senate passed the plan by a vote of 18–11 vote – the bare minimum Senate votes required to pass in that chamber. Opposition not only came from Democrats, but also from several Republicans. Among them was State Sen. Joe Nicola, R-Grain Valley, who said eliminating the income tax is not a priority for his district.
“I wonder why we’re even debating this to begin with,” Nicola said. “The beginning of session, our priority was property tax reform. Four weeks left, I’m still waiting. And that’s what my district wants, and that’s what my district needs.”
Missouri Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, D Affton, criticized the timing of the vote, saying the overhaul moved forward while many Missourians were asleep.
“Republicans in the state Senate paved the way for the largest tax increase in Missouri history,” Beck said. “And the people hit the hardest are retirees, senior citizens and disabled veterans.”
Republican leaders defended the measure, saying ending the income tax would benefit working families and attract long term economic growth. State Senate Majority Floor Leader Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville, said the overhaul positions Missouri for the future.
“Eliminating the individual income tax represents the largest middle class tax cut in the state’s history,” Luetkemeyer said. “This approach to tax reform positions Missouri to compete for generations to come.”
The proposal now returns to the Missouri House with changes. If approved there, the measure would go before voters later this year as a proposed amendment to the Missouri Constitution.
