Mo. House leader criticizes Nixon on vehicle taxes

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Missouri House leader says Gov. Jay Nixon is "playing politics" with businesses and local governments by highlighting the retroactive taxes that more than 120,000 people would owe if lawmakers override one of his vetoes.

House Majority Leader Tim Jones says lawmakers have not decided whether to try to override Nixon's veto of a bill allowing communities to resume levying taxes on vehicle purchases.

Legislators passed the bill after the Missouri Supreme Court struck down the authority of local governments to tax vehicles bought out of state or from individuals unless the communities had adopted a "use tax."

Nixon warned lawmakers this week that a veto override could retroactively raise taxes on 122,702 vehicles.

Jones says Missouri car dealerships are losing business and local governments are losing revenues.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.