Missouri Gov. Kehoe defends Amendments 4 and 5 ahead of August vote

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe is advocating for ballot measures to eliminate the state’s income tax and change how its constitution is amended, making good on a campaign promise.

Speaking to local media, the Republican voiced support for Amendments 4 and 5, which will appear on the Aug. 4 primary ballot.

Amendment 4 would require citizen initiative petitions to win a majority in all eight of the state’s congressional districts, instead of a simple statewide majority, to amend the constitution.

“If there’s a process to change the constitution, the bar should just be a little bit higher than it is right now, and that’s what Amendment 4 does,” Kehoe told KY3.

Amendment 4 opponents say it would undermine Missouri’s initiative petition process and make it harder to amend the constitution, but Kehoe said it would help protect the document’s integrity.

“No, I think there’s still a path to get there,” he said in response. “Again, it does make it harder to get to the ballot with a constitutional question, but I think that’s what it should be; our constitution should not be for sale.”

Amendment 5 would allow the state to phase out the income tax. Lawmakers would instead have the option to raise or implement new sales taxes to replace the revenue. Kehoe campaigned on the issue before being elected in 2024.

“We know that other states who do not have an income tax, their economies are much greater, their populations are growing and things in those states are just providing more opportunities for their citizens,” Kehoe said on The Chris & Amy Show. “I’d love to be able to offer those same opportunities to Missourians.”

Some are concerned that eliminating the income tax would reduce K-12 school funding. The Missouri Budget Project predicts eliminating the tax would reduce spending by $1,800 per student, but Kehoe has a different view.

“We have funded K-12 education a record amount in the last two years,” he told KY3, adding that the amendment would not affect schools, agriculture, real estate or health care.

Missouri’s 103rd General Assembly placed Amendments 4 and 5 on the ballot in May.