Missouri Senator Mike Kehoe continues to show his support for the Transportation Sales Tax initiative, that goes before voters in August.
Kehoe, a Republican from Jefferson City, spoke on the effort at The Columbia Chamber of Commerce meeting Monday afternoon.
Voters will decide whether to increase the state sales tax rate by three quarters of a cent for a 10-year period to help fund MoDOT projects. The tax is expected to produce $480 million annually to the Transportation Safety and Job Creation Fund.
Senator Mike Kehoe spoke in favor of amendment 7 and said the tax increase would create jobs across the state.
“Those Missourians that want a job, that need to work, that want to work, will have the ability to work on this,” said Kehoe.
He said that underemployed citizens would have the ability to move up into higher positions because of the projects, which will cause a ripple effect of lower level job openings across the state.
Terry Ganey, a representative of Missourians for Better Transportation Solutions, voiced the group’s concerns regarding the sales tax.
“This decision to go to a general sales tax effects everybody, but it doesn’t effect the people who do the most damage to the roads,” said Ganey.
The group wants solutions that have less of an impact on people who do little damage to the roads and bridges.
Chamber members will vote in July to decide whether or not to support the tax.
