When state Treasurer Sarah Steelman, a Republican candidate for governor, announced last week that she signed a pledge that she would not raise taxes if elected governor, the other two candidates quickly followed with similar verbal pledges. Both Republican Kenny Hulshof, a Ninth District congressman, and Democrat Attorney General Jay Nixon, told the Associated Press that they would not raise taxes either.

But speaking before the Missouri Association of Counties meeting in Jefferson City, Nixon left the door open. Responding to a question from Greene County Presiding Commissioner Dave Coonrod, a Democrat, Nixon said, “What I said was very precise … I do not have any plans” to raise taxes.

Nixon went on to say he believed he could run government more efficiently than the current administration and he didn’t believe any tax increases would be necessary. Pressed after his speech by reporters, Nixon repeated: “I have absolutely no plans for any tax increase.”

All three candidates pledged in front of the county officials to stop unfunded mandates coming from state government.

UPDATE: Nixon spokesman Oren Shur called to say he doesn’t believe there is
any difference between what was previously reported about Nixon’s no-tax
pledge and what Nixon said today. Shur had told the Columbia Daily Tribune
on April 11 that “Jay won’t raise taxes.” After seeing the blog post above,
Shur said again that Nixon “will not” raise taxes.