{"id":21,"date":"2026-04-25T22:58:54","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T22:58:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newhouse100.com\/?page_id=21"},"modified":"2026-04-25T22:58:54","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T22:58:54","slug":"ken-newhouse-on-the-issues-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/newhouse100.com\/?page_id=21","title":{"rendered":"Ken Newhouse on the Issues"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Taxes<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I believe it\u2019s time to completely eliminate the state sales tax. Right now, it hits the people who can least afford it the hardest. Every time you buy groceries, clothes, or everyday essentials, you\u2019re paying a higher percentage of your income than someone at the top. That\u2019s not fair\u2014and it doesn\u2019t have to be that way. There are already five states in the country doing just fine without a sales tax, and Missouri can too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So how do we make up the difference? My plan is simple: shift the burden away from working families and onto high-value, unused assets. I\u2019m proposing a targeted tax on undeveloped land in Missouri valued at $1 million or more. If land is sitting there not being used, it should contribute its fair share.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I also want to put more money back in your pocket. That means no state income tax on your first $25,000 if you\u2019re an individual, or $50,000 if you\u2019re filing jointly. And on top of that, I support eliminating personal property tax on the first $10,000 of your property. At the end of the day, this is about fairness. You should be able to keep more of what you earn and not get nickel-and-dimed just for getting by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Republicans say they&#8217;re for tax cuts, and Democrats say they&#8217;re for helping the poor. This accomplishes both of those things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Education<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ve spent the last several years in the classroom as a college communication instructor, working directly with students and seeing firsthand what\u2019s working and what\u2019s not. That experience shapes how I approach education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I believe we need to invest more in education, but that doesn\u2019t mean raising taxes. It means prioritizing better. Too often, the state spends money on things like constant capital renovations while teachers and classrooms get overlooked. That needs to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For K-12 education, which is a major focus of my campaign, I\u2019m proposing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A minimum starting pay of $30\/hour for all new teachers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Local control of schools, with no unnecessary state intervention<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Expansion of charter schools funded only through private donations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>True school choice, so parents can choose the district that best fits their child\u2019s learning style<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When it comes to higher education, I bring a different perspective because I\u2019m living it. I\u2019ve seen where funding works, and where it doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For colleges and universities, I\u2019m proposing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Working directly with educators to ensure funding is used efficiently and where it actually benefits students<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A $1,500 annual grant for low-income students (bottom 30% of income earners) to help cover tuition, books, and essential costs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the end of the day, this is about putting students, parents, and teachers first, not the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Infrastructure<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s be honest, our roads and bridges are in rough shape. You see it every day: potholes, outdated infrastructure, and projects that seem to drag on forever. We can do better, and we should.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This isn\u2019t just about convenience; it\u2019s about safety, economic growth, and making sure people can get where they need to go without frustration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My plan to fix Missouri\u2019s infrastructure starts with accountability and smart investment:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A comprehensive review of all Missouri Department of Transportation (MODOT) projects to ensure taxpayer dollars are being spent efficiently<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Prioritizing road and bridge improvements in major metro areas where traffic and economic impact are highest<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Expanding and improving rural roadways to better connect communities to larger cities, making travel, work, and commerce easier<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Working with Missouri\u2019s representatives in Washington, D.C. to secure every available infrastructure grant\u2014and pushing for additional funding when needed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We don\u2019t need more waste; we need better roads, safer bridges, and a system that actually works for the people using it every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Now, look at Michigan; I want to model their success.<\/strong><br>Since 2019, Michigan has executed a historic turnaround by investing over&nbsp;<strong>$31 billion<\/strong>&nbsp;to repair more than&nbsp;<strong>26,500 lane miles<\/strong>&nbsp;and nearly&nbsp;<strong>2,000 bridges<\/strong>. By leveraging a mix of bond financing and federal grants, they have outpaced the previous eight years of progress combined while supporting&nbsp;<strong>188,000 jobs<\/strong>. (Michigan.gov, 2026)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Taxes I believe it\u2019s time to completely eliminate the state sales tax. Right now, it hits the people who can least afford it the hardest. Every time you buy groceries, clothes, or everyday essentials, you\u2019re paying a higher percentage of your income than someone at the top. That\u2019s not fair\u2014and it doesn\u2019t have to be [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-21","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"campaignId":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newhouse100.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newhouse100.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newhouse100.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newhouse100.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newhouse100.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=21"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/newhouse100.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22,"href":"https:\/\/newhouse100.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21\/revisions\/22"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newhouse100.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=21"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}