Fix Missouri's property tax structure

To whom it may concern,

As a concerned citizen, I am speaking out in favor of Property Tax Reform that would eliminate aspects of the property tax that punish societal productivity, that are unethical and that are unnecessarily burdensome upon Missouri’s populace. The most basic aspects of this reform are the elimination of structures as a factor in real estate property taxes, and the elimination of personal property taxes (meaning that only land and zoning shall be considered in Missouri’s property tax collection efforts).

By incorporating this reform, the state will no longer be punishing citizens for improving their property (by putting an add-on upon their house, erecting a garage, or growing crops). Furthermore, this reform effort would assure Missourians that their right to property is inviolable and that the State does not have a right to establish everlasting dominion upon all capital within its borders. Lastly, the reform would be of immense relief to citizens across the state within every social stratum.

Specifically, the poor will benefit greatly as they typically own little or no property, and unless they own land, this form of tax shall no longer be levied against them at all (allowing them to keep more of their much-needed funds). The middle-class will benefit as they may make improvements to property they own without fear of increased annual levies, and will have more funds to spare as a result of their personal property no longer being annually taxed.

The upper-class will benefit as they tend to own more property (especially commercial) than Missouri’s other citizens, and they will now enjoy the same free-financial-reign of improvement as the middle-class. The agricultural community, whose high amounts of land might cause them to fear this proposed reform, will benefit as they will no longer incur the high costs of personal property taxes associated with their crops, their livestock, or their farming equipment.

As a final point of consideration, please recognize that this initiative intentionally leaves room for implementation-options. If implemented some lost revenue could be made up via other taxes (including the still-viable land-tax) and/or this could result in a forced reduction of state governmental spending.

Regardless of how this implementation takes place, it is time to be rid of these property taxes.