LETTER: Plenty of reasons Missouri needs a consumption tax

“Unemployment rate in Callaway, Cole and Boone counties ticked up a tenth of a point in August.”

“Missouri jobless rate … highest levels in the last 26 years.”

“Unemployment rate increased in Callaway County from 8 to 8.2 percent.”

“Cole County increased from 7.0 percent in July to 7.1 percent in August.”

“Boone County increased from 6.6 percent in July to 6.7 percent in August.”

“Even higher in other counties … 9.2 percent Audrain … 10.3 percent in Osage … 11.1 percent in Montgomery County.”

“1,847 Callaway County residents ... unemployed.”

“Missouri lost another 6,700 jobs during August … statewide unemployment rate of 9.5 percent ... from 9.3 percent in July.”

“Missouri manufacturing lost 3,500 jobs during August.”

“Construction jobs in Missouri fell by 1,600 jobs in August.”

“Administrative and support sectors shed another 2,300 jobs.”

“Leisure and hospitality vacation-related employment lost 1,400 jobs in August.”

“Kansas City area lost 3,200 jobs.”

“St. Louis area lost 1,300 jobs.”

(Figures quoted from “Jobless rate rises in Callaway, Central Missouri,” by Don Norfleet, The Fulton Sun, September 25, 2009.)

Need any more reasons for why Missouri needs the FairTax? Our current tax system drives jobs and trillions of dollars offshore, punishes workers, small businesses, investors, corporations and seniors. Research supports eliminating the income tax. The statistics above need to be posted in every government office in this state as a reminder of the economic failure of our current tax system, the same system that is killing American prosperity.

Every citizen of Callaway county needs to ask his or her elected official (city, county and state) to explain their position on the FairTax. Does your elected official know about the FairTax? If your elected official cannot tell you about the FairTax or cannot explain opposition to the FairTax, then ask them to attend the Callaway Citizens for FairTax meetings. Here is what they will learn about the Missouri FairTax Bill sponsored by Ed Emery and passed through the House of Representatives last year:

• It eliminates the state’s 6 percent tax on personal income.
• It eliminates the state’s 6.25 percent tax on corporate income.
• It lowers the economic hurdles for starting a new business.
• It replaces the current Missouri sales tax of 4.225 percent by a 5.11 percent sales tax on new goods and services.
• It does not tax purchases of used items.
• It is revenue-neutral for state and local communities.
• It effectively triples the tax base by collecting taxes from services, illegal aliens and the black market industry.
• It makes Missouri a more attractive business location than competing states.

Missouri must stop bleeding money and compliance man-hours into the broken income tax system. For more information go to MOFairTax.org and FairTax.org, or join Callaway Citizens for FairTax and work for a better future for our children.

Beverly Martin is a member of Callaway Citizens for FairTax. She lives in Fulton.