Missouri House speaker creates government oversight committee

Missouri’s Department of Revenue has not been forthcoming with information, said state Rep. Robert Ross, R-Yukon, particularly surrounding errors it discovered in its withholding tables in August that may cost taxpayers money this tax season.

Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, created and on Tuesday named Ross chairman of a Special Committee on Government Oversight. The new committee is charged with reviewing and monitoring policy implementation by the state’s executive branch and its departments, according to a news release from the House.

“Frankly, the tight-lipped Department of Revenue has refused to explain to Missouri taxpayers what’s coming,” Ross said. “I’ve spoken to lawmakers, and we want to know what’s coming.”

Ross, who’s served on the House Budget Committee, said the Budget Committee has had exchanges with the department but has not received any confidence about what taxpayers may expect.

“You’ve got an April surprise coming to Missouri taxpayers,” he said. “This year, it’s either going to be a reduced refund, or they’re going to have to get the checkbook out and write a check.”

The error — which has been in calculations for the past 15 years — wasn’t exposed until August 2018. Doubling the federal withholding exposed the error, which was discovered in August, Ross said.

“I’ve been around enough sessions to know that things come up from time to time,” he said. “(Revenue) has thus far remained silent.”

Ross said he’s had similar experiences with the “tight-lipped” department. In 2013, he said, DOR was involved in the release of personal information for Missourians who have concealed weapons permits.

At the time, lawmakers complained getting information about the department’s release of personal information to the feds — in an apparent violation of state law — was like “pulling teeth.” They accused then-Gov. Jay Nixon’s administration of covering up details about information releases.

“I was heavily involved in finding out what happened with the Department of Revenue and the (concealed carry weapons) list,” Ross said. “So, yes, I do have some frustration with the Department of Revenue and their lack of being forthright with Missouri citizens.”

The seven-member committee, which includes state Rep. Rudy Veit, R-Wardsville, has not scheduled any meetings yet.

Veit said Haahr approached him with an opportunity to be on the committee.

“He advised me that he had an interest in (the committee) and thought it was one we needed,” Veit said. “You don’t realize how important any committee is until you serve on them.

“As a Legislature, we do have an obligation to make sure the government itself is running efficiently.”