SOUTHWEST MISSOURI — Southwest Missouri lawmakers spent Friday morning meeting with voters, updating Jefferson City issues like paying taxes and avoiding rolling blackouts.
What could be changing? That starts with the sales tax, and specifically taxing items bought online. That’s just one of the issues in what lawmakers say has been a very busy session.
MO Sen. Bill White, R, said, “We estimate between $80 and 120 million.”
That’s the estimated state revenue if Missouri takes advantage of the Wayfair Changes to online taxes. Right now the state collects a limited online tax. Current legislation would extend that – but cities and counties would still have to go to vote for the tax.
“Cities do still have to do their own use tax to take advantage of this. we have this structured.”
Southwest Missouri lawmakers spoke on a number of issues at the monthly legislative update. State Rep. Bob Bromley focused on making sure Missouri is prepared for energy emergencies. He hopes to avoid damage and costs similar to the $150 billion impact of winter storms and power outages in Texas.
MO Rep. Bob Bromley, R, said, “This will happen again, its just a matter of time until you know we get 20 below zero in Missouri. It might be 10 years, it might be 15 years but we have to make sure that we have a good balance between baseload capacity and renewables.”
And State Rep. Ben Baker is hoping to ease the burden on local entrepreneurs baking from home. Right now state law limits how much they can earn, and bans them from online sales.
“They have little overhead little cost becuase it’s something they’re already using in their kitchen and they can make some money with that. All the law still apply as far as paying your taxes.”
State lawmakers will take some time off for Spring break next week. They’ll return to the capitol on March 22nd, with less than two months to go until the session wraps up. That ends on Friday, May 14th.