"Changing Times," host Lynn Morris sits down with Missouri State Senator Curtis Trent

"Changing Times," host Lynn Morris sits down with Missouri State Senator Curtis Trent to discuss the push to eliminate the Missouri state individual income tax. The conversation centers heavily on the upcoming ballot measure (Amendment 5) that would constitutionally mandate the phase-out of the tax.Here is a breakdown of the key topics discussed, without the timestamps:The Problem with the Income TaxTaxing Productivity: Senator Trent argues that the income tax is a fundamentally flawed way to collect revenue because it discourages human labor and productivity. It taxes individuals based on their earnings before they even decide whether to spend, save, or invest that money.Hidden Costs: Trent pushes back against the narrative that eliminating the income tax only helps the wealthy. He explains that income taxes are "baked into" the price of every good and service. From the logger to the trucker, sawmill operator, and retailer, everyone pays an income tax and passes that cost to the final consumer. Removing the income tax would lower the cost of production and, theoretically, retail prices.The Path to Zero (Amendment 5)A Gradual Phase-Out: Trent explains that if voters pass Amendment 5 in August, the legislature will have five years to implement a phase-out plan. The actual elimination would use a system of "revenue triggers" ensuring the tax only drops when state revenues allow for it, preventing a hole in the state budget. He estimates the full phase-out to zero will take about 5 to 7 years.Revenue Neutrality: To make up for the lost revenue (currently around $8.5 billion net), the plan will likely expand the sales tax base to include more services while keeping exemptions for essentials like healthcare and food. The amendment mandates that this transition remain strictly revenue-neutral.Local Tax Relief: Because state and local tax bases mirror each other, a broadened sales tax base would create a windfall for local governments. However, the amendment requires local revenue neutrality as well, meaning local entities would be forced to use those extra funds to lower local property or earnings taxes.The Economic Argument for MissouriProven Success with Triggers: Missouri has already used trigger laws to gradually reduce the income tax from a historic 6% down to 4.7% over the last decade. Trent notes that for almost every $1 cut during this time, $2.50 of new revenue came into state coffers due to accelerated economic growth.Staying Competitive: Currently, nine other states do not have an income tax (including Tennessee, which has a similar population and economic makeup but consistently outperforms Missouri in growth). Trent argues that Missouri must become an early adopter in the Midwest to attract major national investments and prevent population stagnation.National Implications: Expanding outward, Trent notes that pro-growth state policies are vital for reshoring critical American infrastructure—like pharmaceutical manufacturing and rare-earth mineral production—back from places like China.