An article in the Lake Sun Leader (via Combest) discussed a new law requiring owners of storage facilities, such as marinas, to list the names and addresses of everyone who stores taxable personal property at their location, or face a fine. I have no problem with this law. If we are going to tax personal property, we have to do it as accurately as possible so that the taxes can be spread as widely, and low, as possible. Now, if you want to talk about removing the tax on personal property, I am all ears — but as it is now, this law is about enforcing the current system more accurately. And besides, with apologies to my boss, the last people in the world I want to see getting by without paying taxes are the powerboat owners in the Lake of the Ozarks.
About the Author
David Stokes
David Stokes is a St. Louis native and a graduate of Saint Louis University High School and Fairfield (Conn.) University. He spent six years as a political aide at the St. Louis County Council before joining the Show-Me Institute in 2007. Stokes was a policy analyst at the Show-Me Institute from 2007 to 2016. From 2016 through 2020 he was Executive Director of Great Rivers Habitat Alliance, where he led efforts to oppose harmful floodplain developments done with abusive tax subsidies. Stokes rejoined the Institute in early 2021 as the Director of Municipal Policy. He is a past president of the University City Library Board. He served on the St. Louis County 2010 Council Redistricting Commission and was the 2012 representative to the Electoral College from Missouri’s First Congressional District. He lives in University City with his wife and their three children.
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