Missouri voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly struck down two amendments that would’ve phased out state income taxes and supplemented revenue with expanded state and use taxes, including the possible instatement of transfer taxes on the sale of a home.
The Missouri Association of Realtors (MAR) spent the better part of 2026 advocating against the amendments and, in the past month, brought in the American Real Estate Association (ARA) to support its grassroots efforts.
MAR President Brian Jared
“To every Missourian who showed up to vote, thank you for participating in the process and making your voice heard,” MAR’s post-election Facebook post read. “Voters said NO on Amendment 4 and NO on Amendment 5, reaffirming the principle that Missourians deserve a direct voice in their constitution and political process.”
“For Missouri Realtors across the state, this is a reminder of what grassroots advocacy can accomplish. Realtors showed up as neighbors, business owners, volunteers and community leaders because they believe in protecting homeownership opportunities,” the Association added. “Now, we move forward together. We remain committed to working with elected leaders and community partners to strengthen Missouri, protect property rights and defend the American Dream of homeownership.”
The amendments were at the center of a partisan tug-of-war in the state, with Republican lawmakers largely supporting the elimination of state income taxes, saying it would attract more businesses and allow families to keep more of their income.
However, Democratic lawmakers, alongside a small group of Republicans, said the proposed amendments would create a knock-on effect, especially given a provision that would allow lawmakers to increase sales taxes without voter approval for five years.
To offset the loss of income tax revenue, detractors said lawmakers would need to do two things: raise the sales tax by up to 8.5 percent and expand the services that could be taxed. The latter part is what concerned the real estate industry — the prospect of estate transfer taxes becoming a reality, despite Missourians banning them with a whopping 83.73 percent vote in 2010.
Jason Haber
“If you look at this through a few lenses, first for homebuyers and homeowners, [this law] could make it harder to purchase a home, if [real estate] transfer taxes get implemented alongside taxes on other things, like home inspections, decorating, painting, plumbing, construction and other real estate services. Those things could be taxed in a way that they’re not now,” ARA co-founder Jason Haber told Inman in July. “And if we dial out from [housing] affordability, everything becomes more expensive for other groups, like seniors and folks on fixed incomes.”
ARA released a statement on Wednesday celebrating MAR’s work educating Missourians about the amendments and their voting rights.
“Make no mistake about what these voters just protected,” Haber said. “They kept a home within reach for the next young family trying to buy their first one. They refused to let politicians slap new taxes on the sale of a home or on the everyday services people depend on, with no vote and no limit.”
“And by rejecting Amendment 4, they defended something even bigger than any single tax: their own right, as citizens, to decide these questions themselves at the ballot box,” he added. “This was a win for affordability. A win for keeping homeownership attainable at a moment when too many families feel it slipping away. And a win for the 25,000 Realtors across Missouri who show up every day to help people buy, sell and hold onto the place they call home.”
