More than two dozen area residents came to Wright City City Hall Wednesday, June 3 to get the opportunity to ask questions of Missouri state Sen. Ben Brown and Rep. Jeff Myers following the end of the recent legislative session.

The event was moderated by Wright City Mayor Michelle Heiliger who presented the legislators with a series of questions culled from the audience members in attendance. The topics of discussion focused heavily on tax bills and education funding, though other topics were also discussed.

The first question related to the passage of Senate Bill 3 last year during the special session and its effect on Warren County. Specifically the question from the audience asked how local governmental entities were supposed to fund necessary costs when assessed values are frozen at 2024 levels.

Brown said SB3 wasn’t a bill he supported, though several of his counties were placed into those counties that could vote on a credit. He said that the limitation on future revenue would create a headache. He said on the other side something needs to be done for homeowners who are suffering. He then went into a discussion about property taxes and that some people would like to see those be abolished. Ultimately he said that the “only solution is a complete restructuring of the tax system,” but noted that few legislators have the expertise to handle something so complex.

Myers said he didn’t vote for the credit for Warren County or for the stadium project tied to SB3. He said one of the specific problems in Warren County is that the former county assessor did not do her job in assessing taxes properly, which then put the county into a hole. He, like Brown though, said the balance was how to keep seniors in their homes when the taxes increase.

Heiliger chimed in on the SB3 question, something that she has discussed previously in Wright City Board of Aldermen meetings and said that what got people frustrated is that no one reached out to local leaders to get their input before the bill was passed.

Both legislators also spent some time discussing the proposed income tax elimination Amendment 5 in response to a question about the upcoming measure on the ballot.

Brown said that if Amendment 5 passes all that is required of the legislature is to continue gradual decreases of the income tax rate that is revenue based.

“You would have to have growth for those (tax) triggers to occur,” Brown said. A process, he said, would take a couple of decades.

The amendment also has an option that would allow an option of the sales tax base to increase revenue.

Brown said he felt expansion of the sales tax base would create a broader, more even playing field.

“The trigger system provides a safeguard where we aren’t going to see that decrease (in tax revenues) until we see the growth,” Brown said. “By increasing the sales tax base, it would be somewhat dependent on what exemptions would be in there. Something that would have to be done with a lot of discipline.”

Brown said income tax is discouraging productivity by removing money before it enters the economy. Brown suggested sales tax would be money going into companies that could then flow through the entire economy. Brown said he felt that this was a “good solid plan.”

Myers said the reason he supported putting Amendment 5 on the ballot is because he felt the residents should have the opportunity to vote on the matter as opposed to the legislature making the decision themselves. Myers said what his concern would be if it passes is what exemptions are given to businesses. He said he didn’t want to see large corporations receive exemptions for sales tax collection that would then place the burden on small businesses.

Both legislators also spoke in response to several questions about school funding. Both legislators made it clear that they are not looking to privatize schools. Both, however, noted that they are in favor of school choice including vouchers for private schools.

Myers said that he believes parents should have a choice on where to send their children for schools, especially those parents who do not feel their children’s educational needs are being met.

Brown said that while locally there are many well run school districts, this is not the case statewide. In some cases parents are trapped in underperforming schools, which he said isn’t right. He also touted his belief that parents should have options on where to send their children to school.

Both legislators also discussed school funding and noted that often the state’s annual budget is in the hands of a small group of legislators and that budgeting decisions are often made by that small group and not by the respective bodies – Senate and House – as a whole. Brown even noted that he didn’t feel it was the right way to handle things.

Both legislators also discussed potential nuclear power for data centers. Myers specifically said that small nuclear reactors are “all the rage,” but that expansion of nuclear power could be a decade into the future.

One of the questions asked later in the meeting was why did it feel like legislation coming out of Jefferson City is pushing small towns out.

Both Brown and Myers took this issue to task in that Brown noted that legislation has been passed to help with broadband expansion in rural areas. He noted that there has also been legislation to help bring down the cost of healthcare as the loss of medical services in rural areas is a growing concern.

Myers said that the majority of the members in both the house and senate, like him, come from smaller rural areas. He said a lot of time is spent discussing rural development bills to give more rural communities a leg up.

Both legislators also spoke about how to shore up the Medicaid system in Missouri. Myers said that Medicaid was never meant to be an insurance program and is meant only for those in the lowest income brackets who have to use it. He said when the program was expanded a lot of people were thrown into the pool who probably did not need to be included.