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Parson to announce special session details next week

Missouri Governor Mike Parson says a tax break for farmers will be the focus of the special session announced earlier this summer.

“There’s one thing that happened last year that we just cannot let happen and that is when farmers get the short end of the stick,” Parson said. “When you look at the economy for farmers with diesel prices tripling, fertilizer prices tripling, and just the cost of doing business going up, we need to make sure we give agriculture all the tools they need to be successful.”

The governor says some other business got a tax break this year. “This year in the session we did at eight different times – the legislative branch and I did – sign into law for other businesses and other companies across the state. We need to do the same for agriculture,” he said. “That’s going to be a key issue in the special session.”

The governor met with Senate Republicans and Democrats ahead of trying to pass special tax breaks for agriculture, and for all Missourians, with a plan to lower the state income tax rate to 4.8 percent from 5.4 percent.

Parson says he wants a full six-year extension of tax credits under the Missouri Agriculture and Small Business Development Authority. He says he may announce his special session plans as early as Monday.

Audio was courtesy of Missourinet.