• Publications
    • Essay
    • Case Study
    • Policy Study
    • Report
    • Testimony
    • Other
    • Newsletter
  • Blog
    • Daily Blog
    • Podcasts and Radio
    • Video
    • Infographics
    • Commentary / Op-Eds
    • Events
  • Events
  • Donate
  • About
    • Our Team
    • Show-Me Institute Board of Directors
    • Fellows and Scholars
    • Our Authors
    • Jobs
  • Contact
  • Explore Topics
    • Education
      • Accountability
      • Education Finance
      • Performance
      • School Choice
    • Health Care
      • Free-Market Reform
      • Medicaid
    • Corporate Welfare
      • Special Taxing Districts
      • Subsidies
      • Tax Credits
    • Labor
      • Government Unions
      • Public Pensions
    • State and Local Government
      • Budget and Spending
      • Courts
      • Criminal Justice
      • Municipal Policy
      • Property Rights
      • Transparency
      • Transportation
    • Economy
      • Business Climate
      • Energy
      • Minimum Wage
      • Privatization
      • Regulation
      • Taxes
      • Welfare
      • Workforce
Show Me InstituteShow Me Institute
Show Me InstituteShow Me Institute
Support the Show-Me Institute
  • Publications
    • Essay
    • Case Study
    • Policy Study
    • Report
    • Testimony
    • Other
    • Newsletter
  • Blog
    • Daily Blog
    • Podcasts and Radio
    • Video
    • Infographics
    • Commentary / Op-Eds
    • Events
  • Events
  • Donate
  • About
    • Our Team
    • Show-Me Institute Board of Directors
    • Fellows and Scholars
    • Our Authors
    • Jobs
  • Contact
  • Explore Topics
    • Education
      • Accountability
      • Education Finance
      • Performance
      • School Choice
    • Health Care
      • Free-Market Reform
      • Medicaid
    • Corporate Welfare
      • Special Taxing Districts
      • Subsidies
      • Tax Credits
    • Labor
      • Government Unions
      • Public Pensions
    • State and Local Government
      • Budget and Spending
      • Courts
      • Criminal Justice
      • Municipal Policy
      • Property Rights
      • Transparency
      • Transportation
    • Economy
      • Business Climate
      • Energy
      • Minimum Wage
      • Privatization
      • Regulation
      • Taxes
      • Welfare
      • Workforce
State and Local Government / Transparency

It’s the Good Advice … That the Governor Just Didn’t Take

By Christine Harbin on Dec 13, 2010

Bad news for taxpayers in Missouri: Gov. Jay Nixon is beginning to communicate opposition to recommendations from the commission that he created.

Way back in September, in his opening address to the committee, the governor requested “fact-based recommendations” for reducing the state’s expenditure in targeted tax credits (emphasis mine):

Specifically, I’m calling on you to do three things: Determine which of our 61 tax credit programs are generating a good return on investment for taxpayers, determine which tax credit programs are not generating a good return on investment and provide me with fact-based recommendations for change. […]

I need you to complete your review, present me with a clear fact-based recommendation, and I will work with the legislature to implement it.

Pursuant to Nixon’s charge, the Tax Credit Review Commission determined that the Senior Citizens Property Tax Credit does not generate a good return on investment, among other recommendations. For this reason, the commission recommended that the program be modified to exclude renters, which would save $57 million annually. This is a considerable sum — it represents 10.98 percent of total tax credit expenditures in 2010.

Nixon says that he wants to reduce the cost of tax credit programs, but this goal can’t be accomplished unless he is willing to make decisions that may be politically unpopular, such as eliminating underperforming programs.

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Email
  • Print
About the author

Christine Harbin

More about this author >
    Footer Logo
    Support the Show-Me-Institute
    Showmeinstitute.org is brought to you by Show-Me Institute and Show-Me Opportunity.
    • Publications
    • Blog
    • Events
    • Donate
    • About
    • Contact

    Reprint permission for Show-Me Institute publications and commentaries is hereby granted, provided that proper credit is given to the author. We request, but do not require, that those who reprint our material notify us of publication for our records: [email protected]

    Mission Statement
    Advancing liberty with responsibility by promoting market solutions for Missouri public policy.

    © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved