State Rep Ben Baker on Missouri grocery tax and Prop A concerns

Missouri State Representative Ben Baker on the KZRG Morning News Watch, talked about concerns surrounding Missouri’s grocery tax and broader tax reform. 

Baker highlighted the state’s retention of the grocery tax compared to neighboring states and advocated for reducing the overall tax burden, emphasizing the need to eliminate income tax rather than focusing solely on grocery taxes, given the potential impact on small communities reliant on sales tax. 

The conversation also touched on Proposition A, which recently passed to raise the minimum wage and change sick leave requirements, and the Republican response to potentially rescind specific elements. 

Additionally, the discussion addressed the implications of mandatory paid sick leave on small businesses, ongoing legal challenges related to Prop A, and the broader economic consequences of minimum wage increases, with Baker expressing skepticism about their effectiveness.