Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
Blunt, Gibbons & Jetton Work Together To Oppose Judicial Tax Hikes
JEFFERSON CITY– Gov. Matt Blunt today applauded the Senate Judiciary Committee for supporting an important resolution to bar state courts from ordering tax increases on Missourians. The committee passed House Joint Resolution 1 yesterday by a 5-3 vote.
"I applaud the Senate Judiciary Committee members who supported this important Resolution to prevent judicial taxation without representation," Gov. Blunt said. "Without this action, Missourians could face higher taxes without their approval or the approval of the officials they elect to represent them. It is time to clarify that we will not allow unelected judges to tax and spend from the bench as judges in other states have done."
"I am pleased to see the committee vote to pass HJR1," Senate President Pro Tem Michael Gibbons said. "The simple purpose is to protect Missouri taxpayers from taxation by the courts. We all believe this to be the case, and this simply puts this protection in our constitution."
"Our founding fathers gave the power to raise taxes to the legislative branch, not the judiciary, said House Speaker Jetton. "Judges who are appointed do not and should not have the ability to raise our taxes - that responsibility belongs to the people and their elected officials."
Judges on the Kansas Supreme Court recently ordered legislators to spend more than $800 million without any input from the people of Kansas. In Nevada, judges ordered the legislature to pass a budget that increased state spending by $1.6 billion and taxes by nearly $1 billion - the largest tax increase in that state's history. HJR1 is designed to prevent that from happening in Missouri.
Under the Missouri Constitution, only the General Assembly has the power to tax, but Blunt, Gibbons, Jetton and other officials are concerned that Missouri state judges are willing to disregard the Constitution and order a tax increase on Missourians nonetheless.
HJR1 has already passed the House and must now be approved by the Senate.