Double Taxation at Its Most Obvious

Economy |
By David Stokes | Read Time 1 minute

I am right now experiencing a confluence of two things that puts the improper double-taxation that Missouri’s personal property tax entails right before my eyes. Last month, we bought a new car, and today I am going to run to the Clayton DMV to pay the sales tax and register the car. Just Saturday, we, like millions of people in Missouri, received the annual personal property tax declaration form from the state. So, as I leave to pay a hefty sales tax on the car, I am also going to file the declaration that will allow me to pay an ongoing annual fee for the right to own the car.

I think Missouri’s personal property tax should be repealed and replaced with either (in order of my hopes): 1) nothing; B) toll roads; thirdly) online fantasy currency earned in computer games; 4) a return to the ability to pay your taxes in chickens; or, Finally) (and only as a last necessity) an annual surcharge on kegs purchased by college students — exempting those purchased for in-home kegorators owned by people older than 30.

About the Author

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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