Huge differences remain between the House and Senate tax relief plans, and Speaker Phillip Gunn plans to request a special session if lawmakers don’t vote to eliminate the state income tax.
Gunn told SuperTalk Mississippi on Monday morning that he intends to keep pushing for the House plan.
“We will continue to push this income tax elimination until the deadline comes,” he said. “And if the deadline comes and we still haven’t got it, then we would request the governor call a special session.”
Gunn also added that Governor Tate Reeves has been supportive of the elimination of income tax.
“He shares our view that we don’t spend money until such time as we give the taxpayers—who are the ones that gave us that money in the first place—some tax relief,” he continued. “So, I am of the belief that if we can’t get this tax elimination done in the next couple of weeks, then the governor…should call a special session to eliminate the income tax before we spend a dime of any other money.”
Reeves, who has long been vocal on the idea of eliminating income tax, believes it can be done without raising other taxes. The House’s plan would raise the sales tax from 7% to 8.5%.
“I like how the House plan truly lays out a plan to eliminate the income tax in statute,” Reeves said in a news briefing on February 21. “When looking at the Senate plan, I like the fact that the Senate plan does not raise anybody’s (taxes). I believe we can do both. I believe we can eliminate the income tax without raising taxes on anybody.”
The two chambers will have to come up with a single bill before March 15 if a tax reform plan is to be sent to the desk of Reeves.
