Four amendments to the Missouri Constitution will be on Tuesday ballot, here’s what to know

Missourians will be asked their opinion on potential amendments to the state constitution on the Aug. 4 ballot. This year, there are four total amendments proposed, one of which could abolish or phase out the state income tax altogether.

Another proposed amendment that made its way onto the ballot could make it more difficult for citizens to pass a measure by way of petition. A description of each amendment and what a “yes” vote could do is listed below.

Amendment 1

The first of these on the ballot is Amendment 1, which will ask citizens to decide whether the one-tenth of one percent sales and use tax will continue. If Missourians vote yes, they will be voting to continue the tax for another 10 years. This tax would not increase or decrease taxes if passed.

This tax generates a total of $140 million annually for the state government and is used for soil and water conservation, state parks, and historic sites.

Amendment 2

Amendment 2 will potentially amend the constitution to require that all charter counties, including Jackson County, elect a county assessor.

According to a report published by St. Louis Public Radio, Jackson County is currently the only county in Missouri that is not required by the constitution to elect its assessor.

In 2010, Missourians voted on a measure that required each county to elect an assessor, not including Jackson County. Jackson County had previously seen their assessor appointed rather than elected.

A “yes” vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to require that "charter counties, including Jackson County, elect a county assessor and that such assessors comply with training requirements established by state law.”

Amendment 4

Proposed Missouri Amendment 4 impacts what it takes to amend the constitution via petition.

Currently, if a citizen gathers a certain amount of signatures on a petition, they can submit that petition to the secretary of state. From there, the issue defined in the petition will go on the ballot if there are enough signatures; it can pass by a majority statewide vote if that happens.

A “yes” vote would require a petition measure that made it to the ballot to pass by majority in each of the states' congressional districts. If even one district fails to reach a majority, the measure would fail altogether. This means that even a measure that is supported by 95% of voters could be struck down by the opposing 5%, according to a report from The Missouri Independent.

This proposed rule would not apply to laws put on the ballot by lawmakers, only those placed there by petition.

Amendment 5

Amendment 5 is the final amendment to the Missouri Constitution on the ballot.   This amendment would require the phase-out or elimination of the Missouri State income tax.

A “yes” vote on the proposed amendment would also authorize state lawmakers to expand sales and use taxes as well as step around constitutional limits on the taxing of goods and services.

It would also require local tax rate cuts without reducing school funding. If local sales taxes increase.

There is currently no knowledge on how this will impact the total tax burden of the average citizen; it is also not known how Missouri’s government, which was already forced to make drastic funding cuts for the sake of the state budget, will make up the money it could miss out on if passed, other than to raise other taxes.