The Gadfly is a series of letters offering commentary on local issues and published in the Warrensburg Gazette.

Did you know that there’s a bill in the legislature to allow school districts to levy income taxes? That’s right, HB1392, co-sponsored by D.J. Davis (who will soon represent the northern part of Johnson County) has already passed the Missouri House of Representatives. While there are a few restrictions, this is the gist of the bill:

“Any school district, by a majority vote of its school board, may impose for the benefit of the school district a surcharge on the income tax of residents of the school district at a rate not to exceed fifteen percent; provided that, no resolution or order enacted pursuant to this section shall be effective unless the school board of the district submits to the voters of the district, at a general or primary election, a proposal to authorize the school board of the school district to impose an income tax surcharge.”

I have two big questions: why didn’t our local representatives tell us about this plan, and did our local school boards use our tax money, however indirectly, to advocate some more anti-productive income taxes. I’ll be asking these questions in the upcoming campaign for the 50 cent R-VI levy increase and in the state representative race. Meanwhile, I support the consumption-based ”Fair Tax” concept – those who spend money are taxed more those who save money and invest money.

You can keep up on the status of this bill at State Legislature website.

For information on the "Fair Tax" concept, see Americans for Fair Tax.