Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Urges General Assembly to Pass Resolution to Prevent Judicial Taxation
Governor Condemns Idaho Judge's Decision to Triple Property Taxes
JEFFERSON CITY– Gov. Matt Blunt today reiterated his support for House Joint Resolution 1, a proposed constitutional amendment prohibiting judges from raising taxes. He also pointed to a very recent court decision in Idaho to bolster his argument that judges are increasingly taking taxing and spending power that under the Missouri Constitution should be left to the people.
"This case provides even more evidence of the need to prevent activist judges from imposing taxation without representation," Blunt said. "In Idaho, the decision of one judge could force residents in that state to face triple property taxes. In Kansas, the legislature was ordered by a court to spend more than $800 million without the approval of the people. In Nevada, judges ordered the legislature to enact the largest tax increase in the state's history. I want the people of Missouri to be protected from higher taxes without their approval or the approval of their elected representatives."
Last week Judge B. Lynn Winmill ordered the city of McCall, Idaho, to pay nearly $5 million dollars and stated that courts have the authority to order local governments to borrow money and triple property tax rates to satisfy judgments.
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.
"I am very pleased that the House acted quickly to approve House Joint Resolution 1 and urge the Senate to pass the measure during the ongoing legislative session," Blunt said.
The Idaho case is Employers Insurance of Wausau v. St. Clair Contractors, Inc., No. CV-01-629-S-BLW (D. Idaho, 4/23/07).