Senator Will Kraus to Chair senate Interim Committee on Tax Administration Practices

JEFFERSON CITY — Senator Will Kraus, R-Lee’s Summit, was named today (5-30) to head up a Missouri Senate interim committee to investigate the Missouri Department of Revenue’s (DOR) process and policies regarding tax statutes. Several pieces of legislation were passed by the Missouri General Assembly this year to clarify exemptions in current law and to make sure that DOR is using fair tactics when interpreting the tax code.

“I am pleased that Sen. Dempsey has created the Senate Interim Committee on Tax Administration Practices, and I am honored to serve as chairman,” said Sen. Kraus. “It has become clear over the last few years that DOR is reinterpreting and misinterpreting laws in an effort to pull more revenue from Missouri’s businesses. This is nothing more than a hidden attempt to collect more taxes. That is something the Legislature needs to look into.”

Senator Kraus expects the committee to meet three times throughout the summer, once each in St. Louis, Kansas City and Jefferson City. A schedule will be announced shortly. The committee’s final meeting will take place in conjunction with the annual veto session, and a final report will be made available by the end of the year.

“We are hoping to hear from businesses or their accountants as to how DOR has changed the rules regarding their taxes,” said Sen. Kraus. “During session we heard from several such businesses, either in committee or via phone and email. If there are more examples out there, the committee would like to hear them.”

This year, the Legislature passed several bills clarifying current sales tax exemptions for businesses. Senate Bills 584, 612, 662, 673, 727, 860 and 892 and House Bills 1296, 1455 and 1865 all contain language designed to make sure DOR correctly interprets current statute as set by previous lawmakers.

“The governor is calling these bills “tax breaks for special interests,’” said Sen. Kraus. “In reality, most of the content of these bills revolve around current tax exemptions that the governor’s administration has been ignoring. This governor proposed a $1.7 billion tax break for one company, but is failing to enact current exemptions for small businesses and individual taxpayers.”