Missouri Catholic Conference statement regarding MO Amendment 5 (Income Tax elimination and sales tax changes)
We, the Catholic Bishops of Missouri, are called to bring the light of Catholic social teaching to the decisions that shape the life of our state, particularly when those decisions affect the dignity and well-being of the poor and vulnerable. As Missouri voters consider Amendment 5, which would phase out the state income tax and permit greater reliance on sales and use taxes, we wish to call attention to the moral principles that should guide us in pondering any tax proposal.
While the Church does not prescribe any particular tax model, she teaches that every system of taxation must serve the common good, be guided by justice and equity, and take into account each person’s ability to contribute (Pope John XXIII, Mater et Magistra, 132). In the pastoral letter Economic Justice for All, the Bishops of the U.S. affirmed that tax systems should be evaluated by their impact on the poor and ensure that those with greater resources bear a proportionately greater
share of the public burden. For this reason, tax systems that rely heavily on regressive forms of taxation, such as sales taxes, should be approached with prudence because they can place a disproportionate burden on those with lower incomes.
We recognize that many who support Amendment 5 do so out of a sincere desire to promote the long-term prosperity of our state. They see this as best achieved by expanding sales and use taxes to include certain areas that are currently untaxed, such as digital goods and services, while lowering property taxes, which also tend to be regressive. These are legitimate considerations, but they should be weighed alongside the potential effects on those who are most vulnerable.
Effective incentives for charitable giving should likewise be preserved, whether through existing tax credits or other approaches, so that support for maternity homes, domestic violence shelters, food pantries, diaper banks, and other organizations that serve those in need are not diminished.
We encourage the faithful to consider Amendment 5 in light of these principles and to discern this decision thoughtfully. We also urge our elected officials, whatever the outcome of this vote, to ensure that the needs of the poor and vulnerable remain at the forefront of public policy. As Dignitas Infinita reminds us, “respect for the dignity of the human person beyond all circumstances [must] be placed at the center of the commitment to the common good and at the center of every legal system.”
May the Lord grant us wisdom to discern what is right, courage to pursue it, and charity to seek the good of all.
CATHOLIC BISHOPS OF MISSOURI
Most Reverend Mitchell T. Rosanski
General Chairman
Archbishop of St. Louis
Most Reverend James V. Johnston, Jr.
Vice Chairman
Bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph
Most Reverend Ralph B. O’Donnell
Executive Chairman
Bishop of Jefferson City
Most Reverend Edward M. Rice
Bishop of Springfield-Cape Girardeau
