JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A judge on Tuesday ordered a real estate tax initiative to appear on Missouri’s November ballot, concluding the measure’s supporters submitted enough valid signatures from voters.
Earlier this month the Missouri secretary of state’s office concluded that too few signatures were submitted for the initiative to appear. Cole County Circuit Judge Paul Wilson effectively overruled that and ordered election officials to place the measure on the ballot.
The initiative would amend the Missouri Constitution to bar real estate transfer taxes, which the state does not levy. Transfer taxes can be collected when homes, land and other real estate is sold. Critics of the tax contend people already pay property tax on their homes and land.
For proposed constitutional amendments to qualify for the ballot, supporters must submit signatures from at least 8 percent of the voters in 2008 governor election from six of the state’s nine congressional districts.
Officials initially concluded that the real estate measure was about 4,300 signatures short from the 3rd Congressional District near St. Louis and about 1,300 short from the 9th Congressional District in northeastern and central Missouri.
Wilson determined there were enough signatures from those congressional districts. He ruled that the secretary of state’s office and the courts have different standards to follow while determining if initiatives have sufficient signatures to qualify for the ballot.
Look out RE investors in Missouri. This will likely affect you too. "Transfer taxes can be collected when homes, land and other real estate is sold."
This article can be found at: http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x752936075/Missouri-judge-orders-real-e...
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A judge on Tuesday ordered a real estate tax initiative to appear on Missouri’s November ballot, concluding the measure’s supporters submitted enough valid signatures from voters.
Earlier this month the Missouri secretary of state’s office concluded that too few signatures were submitted for the initiative to appear. Cole County Circuit Judge Paul Wilson effectively overruled that and ordered election officials to place the measure on the ballot.
The initiative would amend the Missouri Constitution to bar real estate transfer taxes, which the state does not levy. Transfer taxes can be collected when homes, land and other real estate is sold. Critics of the tax contend people already pay property tax on their homes and land.
For proposed constitutional amendments to qualify for the ballot, supporters must submit signatures from at least 8 percent of the voters in 2008 governor election from six of the state’s nine congressional districts.
Officials initially concluded that the real estate measure was about 4,300 signatures short from the 3rd Congressional District near St. Louis and about 1,300 short from the 9th Congressional District in northeastern and central Missouri.
Wilson determined there were enough signatures from those congressional districts. He ruled that the secretary of state’s office and the courts have different standards to follow while determining if initiatives have sufficient signatures to qualify for the ballot.