Your Letters for Feb. 6, 2026
No new taxes
We all want our children, friends and co-workers to succeed, but when Governor Mike Kehoe announces with glee that he wants to give away 71% percent of MO’s income, I worry. That’s what he means when he says “no more income tax” for Missourians.
Does this mean we let our roads, bridges and schools crumble? Does it mean a tax swap, replacing one tax with another? That’s actually Gov. Mike Kehoe’s proposal, rather than billionaires paying their fair share of income tax, he wants to raise our sales tax to a whopping 17% on everything, including haircuts, car repairs, rent and more. Yes, he wants to increase the taxes paid on those making less money, so he can decrease taxes paid by his billionaire buddies. He’s shifting the tax burden from the uber rich to the kid stocking our grocery shelves.
Spread the word, we don’t want to rob Peter, the guy flipping our burger, to pay Paul, the billionaire. Tell Tax Hike Mike Kehoe, no new taxes!
Ellen Wentz
Kirkwood, Missouri
A cost-control strategy
If Missouri is serious about making our state healthy again, we must focus on preventing chronic disease— not just treating it after it develops. Universal free school meals are a practical, prevention-first policy that addresses a root driver of poor health: inconsistent access to food during childhood.
Food insecurity and irregular meal access are linked to obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Missouri is already seeing these conditions appear at younger ages, creating decades of medical dependence and rising healthcare costs tied to medications, bariatric care, hospitalizations, and disability.
Universal free school meals reduce these risks by guaranteeing consistent access to food at school. That consistency matters. Reliable access lowers physiological stress and supports healthier metabolic regulation — factors that shape long-term health outcomes. Early stability improves weight trajectories and reduces lifetime risk of chronic disease, easing future strain on Missouri’s healthcare system, particularly Medicaid.
Universal access also removes stigma. Income-based meal systems discourage participation and lead some children to skip meals altogether. When meals are free for all, participation increases and children most at risk are no longer excluded. Reduced stress and consistent access are themselves protective against long-term metabolic and cardiovascular disease.
From a fiscal standpoint, universal free school meals are a cost-control strategy. Preventing chronic disease costs far less than managing it over a lifetime. Universal access to food at school is not a social experiment — it is a smart investment in Missouri’s long-term health.
Brooke Herrington
St. Louis, Missouri
