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Real estate groups urge Missouri voters to reject tax ballot measures

The American Real Estate Association says Amendment 5 could expand sales taxes to real estate services without a public vote, while Amendment 4 would make it harder for citizens to challenge new taxes via ballot initiatives.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Residential

The American Real Estate Association and Missouri Realtors are opposing Missouri ballot Amendments 4 and 5 on the Aug. 4 statewide ballot, arguing the measures could raise housing costs and reduce voters ability to respond to future tax changes, HousingWire reports.

ARA said Amendment 5 would authorize the state legislature to expand sales taxes to a wide range of goods and services without a public vote, which it warned could include transfer taxes on home sales and new taxes on real estate related services. The group also cautioned that combining tax rates could push total sales tax rates above 20%.

On Amendment 4, ARA argued the measure compounds the impact by making it substantially harder for citizens to place initiatives on the ballot, the same process Missouri voters used in 2010 and 2016 to enact taxpayer protections.

ARA urged Missourians to vote no on both amendments, saying the two measures would effectively let lawmakers raise taxes while limiting the public’s ability to overturn or challenge them. ARA cofounder Jason Haber said it would make owning a home more expensive and provide lawmakers with room to keep raising taxes without a vote, while also limiting agents ability to rely on the ballot box for protections.

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