The Missouri House failed to override Governor Jay Nixon’s veto of a bill that proposed a variety of changes to the state tax codes. Those changes included income tax cuts for both businesses and individuals.
Proponents said the bill would have improved the business climate of Missouri, while critics believed it would significantly lower the state’s general revenue fund, resulting in cuts to state agencies and education.
University of Missouri spokesperson John Fougere said the campus is supporting the veto.
“We are pleased that our campuses will now receive the important resources to help us address the critical needs in our state,” Fougere said. “Including, for example, educating more doctors, nurses, and pharmacists to fill the shortage of medical professionals in rural Missouri. “
While the Columbia Chamber of Commerce had expressed support of a veto override in August, President Matt McCormick said it was a tough decision, so the failure of the override is a mixed result.
“Of course to help businesses, we want that, but not at the cost of hurting education, our education systems here,” McCormick said.
President Christine King of the Columbia Board of Education said Missouri already has one of the lowest tax bases. She said the state education funding is still an issue and Governor Nixon also withheld 66 million dollars in state K through 12 just in case his veto was overridden.
“I mean am I happy? I guess, I don’t know. I like to think that we better get the withholdings, that have been withheld in preparation that if the veto was overturned,” King said. “We have not really have received state funding the way we are supposed to in the five years I have been on the board.”
The Board of Education voted in August to officially support Nixon’s veto, like many other school boards across Missouri.
