LETTERS: ATTEMPT TO UNDERMINE HANCOCK

To the editor:

Almost 20 years ago, amidst colonial costumes and horse-drawn buggies, Missourians celebrated the Fourth of July by delivering a petition to this state to limit taxes. That petition led Missourians to vote an amendment to our state Constitution which limits increases in state revenue to the growth of personal income for Missourians. And that tax limit works. Missouri taxpayers now have almost $700 million-plus in refunds due to them, but they are tied up in court and are being held by the state pending a ruling. However, the shiny glare of these coins in the state coffers seems to be blinding some lawmakers to the message citizens have sent us on tax limitation. Namely, that tax limitation works, and the citizens of our state want it.

We want tax limitation in place, and we want it to be operational and prompt.

Some legislators and our governor have floated an idea to ask voters to let the state keep the refunds that taxpayers are due under the Hancock tax-limitation amendment. The average taxpayer has about $177 waiting, being held in state coffers collecting interest pending a court ruling on the tax limit. State budget analysts predict taxpayers will get back another $100 million a year through 2002. And that's great news. The tax limit works. Taxpayers should and will continue to get refunds until such time that taxes are reduced to get under the tax lid. The governor and Democrats stated that this year's elimination of the state general sales tax on food should get us under the tax lid. It won't.

I can tell you that House Republicans fought until the final day to get real tax relief, possibly even a true tax cut, for Missourians. While we wanted and finally got the full three-cent food-tax elimination, we believed the state could afford greater tax relief, and we fought for it. We remain committed to real tax relief. For instance, an increase in the family income-tax deduction for those caring for kids or elderly dependents. This governor is the first to exceed the state tax limit. He now wants voters to consider giving up their refunds to give the state more money to fund roads. That goes against every principle of the tax-limitation amendment asked for and approved by voters and our taxpayers.

The Supreme Court case pending against the Hancock Amendment, as I understand it, could overturn our limit on the state's taxing power. If that were to happen, I wonder who would be stepping forward to get it back on the ballot and back in place protecting our taxpayers. I feel confident that House Republicans would be ready to lead the charge to keep a strong tax-limitation amendment in place. Can we be equally confident that those who currently want to betray the Hancock Amendment would truly help any future effort to guarantee a limit on your taxes?

House Republicans remain committed to real tax relief -- tax reductions that at least get us below the state's tax limit, and we are committed to true tax cuts. We also want tax limitation in place, and we want it operational and prompt.

State Rep. DELBERT L. SCOTT, Minority Floor Leader

Missouri House of Representatives

Jefferson City