Noreen Hyslop photo Norman and Billie Harty welcomed Republican gubernatorial candidate for Missouri Governor, Sarah Steelman, to Dexter yesterday with an impromptu news conference held in the Harty offices near downtown Dexter. Steelman currently serves as Missouri's State Treasurer.

Sarah Steelman, candidate for the office of Missouri governor, was in Dexter Tuesday and met with supporters, the media, and interested parties for a news conference in the offices of Norman Harty Companies early in the afternoon.

Steelman is on tour across the state to unveil her proposal that, should she be elected to the governor's seat, would provide nearly $200 million in tax relief to Missourians.

"There are several components to my plan," Steelman told those gathered. "Among them is a call to increase the personal exemption from $2,100 to $2,625 for single tax filers and from $4,200 to $5,250 for married filers."

Steelman also proposes to increase the dependent child exemption from $1,200 to $2,100 to help offset increasing costs to families.

"I also propose raising the exemption on family dependent seniors 65 and older from the current $1,000 to $2,100," she explained.

"There have been no changes in these exemptions since 1999," she noted.

Asked how she would make up for the $171 million deficit that the proposed increase in exemptions would cost the state, Steelman explained, "The money will go back into the taxpayer's pockets, creating an economic stimulus. I see this as tax relief for Missouri families and we will have general revenue growth and so I don't see it as a budget problem."

Steelman's tax relief proposals would be offset, she says, by a two percent reduction in state general revenue or a .08 percent reduction in the state's total $23 billion budget. Missouri families, she noted, have had to adjust their budgets much more to cope with rising costs of gasoline alone.

Another proposal that comes more in the way of a promise to Missouri voters on Steelman's part, is the intention to form what Steelman refers to as a Missouri Tax Code Review Commission within her first 100 days in office.

"I envision having one member from each Congressional District on the committee," Steelman outlined, "a business person or a financial expert, plus two economists, one from each federal reserve bank in the state and in keeping it small and by not comprising the panel of politicians, and letting them review the tax code in a comprehensive manner, the board would serve to determine fairness and would look at look at every tax on the table, measuring incentives and determining if they are hurting or helping the public. They would serve as a one time review board to make improvement suggestions."

Steelman opposes the allowance for Missouri judges to impose tax increases on Missourians and supports Senator Mike Gibbons' property tax relief bill in that respect, she explained.

She also supports the repeal of the current earnings tax in St. Louis and in Kansas City to further reduce the tax burdens on Missourians and she says, to help create new jobs and economic development opportunities.

With regard to the ever-rising fuel and food costs across the nation, Steelman noted that the quality of life for Missourians is adversely affected, stating, "Washington D.C. has failed to address the problems facing Missourians who are struggling week to week to get by. Bold action and leadership is required to provide relief and my plans to reduce the tax burden of working families will stimulate our economy, put more money in the pockets of taxpayers and help business grow and expand."