Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon vetoed ten bills on Wednesday that he said would harm the state’s coffers and funding for state programs.

Nixon’s administration claimed that in all, the various tax breaks – from computer data centers to grapes for the wine industry to graphic calculators for students – could cut more than $700 million from the state’s income.

“From storm water management in West Plains to fire protection in Webster Groves, voters in communities across Missouri have come together to pass local sales taxes to support local public services and capital improvements,” Nixon said. “These special breaks passed by the General Assembly would siphon these voter-approved resources away from their intended purpose, and into the pockets of the well-connected.”

According to Nixon’s office, the vetoed bills include:

Senate Bill 693, which would exempt from state and local sales tax certain used vehicles and rights of first refusal for tickets sold at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, and would expand the Wine and Grape Production Tax Credit

Senate Bill 584, which would, among other provisions, exempt from state and local sales tax items used in the storage or processing of data in any form, items used in the generation, transmission, distribution, sale or furnishing of electricity by power companies, and certain fees paid to places of recreation.

House Bill 1865, which would create new exemptions from state sales taxes for the cost of utilities used by restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, fast food restaurants and other facilities engaged in food preparation;

Senate Bill 612, which would exempt commercial laundries and dry cleaners from state and local sales taxes on various purchases, and would waive tax liability for certain business.

Senate Bill 860, which would enable a purchaser to obtain a sales or use tax refund, even when they have current tax delinquencies;

House Bill 1296, which would authorize certain corporations to utilize an alternative method of determining the amount of their income that is derived in Missouri and would add graphing calculators to the back to school sales tax holiday.

Senate Bill 727, which would exempt certain items purchased from some, but not all, farmers’ market vendors from state and local sales and use taxes;
Senate Bill 662, which would waive tax liability for certain businesses and would exempt from sales tax rights of first refusal for tickets sold at the Sprint Center in Kansas City;

House Bill 1455, which would allow a business to claim a sales tax exemption without requiring it to prove eligibility for the exemption;

Senate Bill 829, which would enact duplicate legislation to House Bill 1455.