Raytown Chamber of Commerce Legislative Forum

This years Raytown Chamber of Commerce Legislative Forum was much more lively than previous forums. The elected officials (or in the case of Claire McCaskill her representative) were ask questions about recent legislation.

The recent tax cuts on business and income and the proposed sales tax and gasoline tax increases were supported by the Republican panel members.  County Legislator Bob Spence) and State Representative Mike Cierpoit took the position that the tax cuts would stimulate growth in the economy and create jobs.  State Representatives Bonnaye Mims and Tom McDonald maintained that the cuts favored business and the wealthy, would cause major budget shortfalls that would hurt education. The two Democratic Representatives also maintained that the increased sales and gasoline taxes would cost the middle class and the poor more than the cuts would save them.

The forum ended on a high note, with Representative Mims thanking Representative Cierpoit for his help in obtaining funding to restore the Jackson County Courthouse.