We worked hard to elect those who will fully support public education. Many will say that we fell short of our goal. Others will say that the results are exactly what Missouri needs now. If you believe the statements or not, this is the result of what we ALL hold dear, the election process. It is the most valued process that we have in our democratic system. I personally will always fight for the right for every citizen of legal age to vote. It is how we share our views and have our voice be heard. I will also vow to always encourage every citizen to exercise his/her right to vote in every election. Without that, then we are misrepresented.
I must also confess a bit here. It has taken me awhile to post what the Missouri election results look like because of my concern for public education. Many elected have vowed to support public funding going towards private education. Our public educational system relies on property taxes, and many elected have the view that all taxes are bad for Missouri.
This means that as members of Columbia Missouri National Education Association, we must not stop our dialogue with our elected officials. We must continue to meet with our Representatives, Senators and school board members. We must share our stories because they are the voices of our students- who need proper funding for excellent public schools. Without our voices, our students will not be heard. Missouri families will not be heard. Our communities will not be heard. I hope you join me in continuing to speak up and advocate.
To all my family, friends, and supporters I say a heartfelt thank you for all of the encouragement, sacrifice, and small acts of kindness along the trail. Sometimes fighting for the right and offering some new ideas and getting them some consideration is worth the journey. I stand by my message that we have serious problems to solve in Missouri in order to offer all of our citizens opportunity. I pledge to you that I will continue to work towards a better future for all and we will have lost a battle but not the war. Onward!
The outcome on November 8th was not the one we fought for. But Debra and I are deeply appreciative for all of the support you have shown us throughout our campaign.
I am grateful that I had the chance to travel and meet so many wonderful people from across this state.
The voters of Missouri have had their say. I wish Lieutenant Governor-Elect, Mike Parson, the best of luck.
You and so many others have inspired and reminded me what public service is all about: working hard to make Missouri a better place for our families.
I'd like to thank everyone who supported this campaign one last time! We ran a good one, an ethical one and it was a real joy to meet so many wonderful people on the trail and to work with so many passionate folks across the district and state! God bless!
Friends - we did not win tonight, but we do have an amazing group of supporters and campaign team. I am truly honored. Please accept my deep gratitude for your support and for believing in me!
It's been an incredible honor to represent my hometown for the last eight years. We had a phenomenal campaign team who worked every day until they had nothing left to give. Last night we came up short. I'm so grateful to everyone who helped us, supported us and stood with us. Except for the result, there isn't a single thing about our campaign that I would change. I know I have a lot of friends. Thank you all.
Last night, I congratulated Donald Trump and offered to work with him on behalf of our country. I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans.
This is not the outcome we wanted or we worked so hard for, and I'm sorry we did not win this election for the values we share and the vision we hold for our country.
But I feel pride and gratitude for this wonderful campaign that we built together -- this vast, diverse, creative, unruly, energized campaign. You represent the best of America, and being your candidate has been one of the greatest honors of my life.
I know how disappointed you feel, because I feel it too. And so do tens of millions of Americans who invested their hopes and dreams in this effort. This is painful, and it will be for a long time. But I want you to remember this: Our campaign was never about one person or even one election. It was about the country we love -- and about building an America that's hopeful, inclusive, and big-hearted.
We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought. But I still believe in America -- and I always will. And if you do, too, then we must accept this result -- and then look to the future.
Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead.
Our constitutional democracy enshrines the peaceful transfer of power, and we don't just respect that, we cherish it. It also enshrines other things -- the rule of law, the principle that we're all equal in rights and dignity, and the freedom of worship and expression. We respect and cherish these things too -- and we must defend them.
And let me add: Our constitutional democracy demands our participation, not just every four years, but all the time. So let's do all we can to keep advancing the causes and values we all hold dear: making our economy work for everyone, not just those at the top; protecting our country and protecting our planet; and breaking down all the barriers that hold anyone back from achieving their dreams.
We've spent a year and a half bringing together millions of people from every corner of our country to say with one voice that we believe that the American Dream is big enough for everyone -- for people of all races and religions, for men and women, for immigrants, for LGBT people, and people with disabilities.
Our responsibility as citizens is to keep doing our part to build that better, stronger, fairer America we seek. And I know you will.
I am so grateful to stand with all of you.
I want to thank Tim Kaine and Anne Holton for being our partners on this journey. It gives me great hope and comfort to know that Tim will remain on the front-lines of our democracy, representing Virginia in the Senate.
To Barack and Michelle Obama: Our country owes you an enormous debt of gratitude for your graceful, determined leadership, and so do I.
To Bill, Chelsea, Marc, Charlotte, Aidan, our brothers, and our entire family, my love for you means more than I can ever express.
You crisscrossed this country on my behalf and lifted me up when I needed it most -- even four-month old Aidan traveling with his mom.
I will always be grateful to the creative, talented, dedicated men and women at our headquarters in Brooklyn and across our country who poured their hearts into this campaign. For you veterans, this was a campaign after a campaign -- for some of you, this was your first campaign ever. I want each of you to know that you were the best campaign anyone has had.
To all the volunteers, community leaders, activists, and union organizers who knocked on doors, talked to neighbors, posted on Facebook - even in secret or in private: Thank you.
To everyone who sent in contributions as small as $5 and kept us going, thank you.
And to all the young people in particular, I want you to hear this. I've spent my entire adult life fighting for what I believe in. I've had successes and I've had setbacks -- sometimes really painful ones. Many of you are at the beginning of your careers. You will have successes and setbacks, too.
This loss hurts. But please, please never stop believing that fighting for what's right is worth it. It's always worth it. And we need you keep up these fights now and for the rest of your lives.
To all the women, and especially the young women, who put their faith in this campaign and in me, I want you to know that nothing has made me prouder than to be your champion.
I know that we still have not shattered that highest glass ceiling. But some day someone will -- hopefully sooner than we might think right now.
And to all the little girls watching right now, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world.
Finally, I am grateful to our country for all it has given me.
I count my blessings every day that I am an American. And I still believe, as deeply as I ever have, that if we stand together and work together, with respect for our differences, strength in our convictions, and love for this nation -- our best days are still ahead of us.
You know I believe we are stronger together and will go forward together. And you should never be sorry that you fought for that.
Scripture tells us: "Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season, we shall reap, if we do not lose heart."
My friends, let us have faith in each other. Let us not grow weary. Let us not lose heart. For there are more seasons to come and there is more work to do.
I am incredibly honored and grateful to have had this chance to represent all of you in this consequential election. May God bless you and God bless the United States of America.
This is the message where I’m supposed to thank you for all you’ve done for me, tell you how much it meant to me, and then say my goodbyes and wish you luck on your journey. I’m supposed to say something like, “Perhaps our paths will cross again.”
But that’s not how I roll. Of course, I am thankful to you and I’m forever grateful for this experience. But why wouldn’t I be? Let’s talk about something important.
We’re all disappointed about Tuesday night’s results. We lost an election. In fact, we – the Democrats – lost a whole mess of elections on Tuesday.
But please know that I’m going to be fine. My wife is gorgeous and brilliant and my son True is my best little buddy in the world. We are not the people who will be hurt by these election results. So please don’t spend any time being sad for me. If you’re going to be sad for someone, make it the single mom who has cancer and is scared to death about being unable to keep her insurance to continue treatments without Obamacare. Worry about the undocumented student who has only ever known this country and is worried about what happens to her now. Worry about the minimum wage worker trying to stretch $30 into a full grocery trip. Let your heart go out to the college student saddled with enormous debt and unable to get help from a parent whose own graduate degree has forced him into bankruptcy.
I met each of those people, in real life, during this campaign. And it fueled me the whole way. But here’s the thing, that fuel is still in my tank. Why? I love this country and I won’t let losing an election force me away from the process.
Pick yourself up. Dust yourself off. Yes, Donald Trump is going to be President and the Republicans control the House and the Senate, but I need that to double your resolve, not cause you to give up on our politics.
Be proud of the campaign we ran. In a “red” state that Donald Trump won by 19%, we came within 3% of turning the Senate seat blue. And we didn’t do it by hugging the middle and pretending to be moderate Republicans.
I wouldn’t change a single day on this campaign. I’m proud that we took on some of the biggest names in Republican politics and darn near shocked the world. We fought for smart environmental policies, for unions, for LGBT equality, for commonsense gun safety, and a host of other important causes. I’m proud that we didn’t back down and that we demonstrated that the most important thing Democrats can do is make their argument.
If you were a part of this campaign in even the smallest way, you might feel like stepping away from it all to lick your wounds. Maybe you think you’re done with volunteering or donating or even believing in anything changing. Well, you won’t get a pass from me. Staying engaged has become more important than ever.
And this is the time to maintain that engagement. A new generation is stepping forward in America. Don’t let anyone tell you that this generation is selfish. This is a generation that cares more about ideas than ideology and measures patriotism not by a politician’s eagerness to go to war but by their willingness to do what’s right no matter the political cost. And this generation knows better than to let any politician – even a President – tell them that a changing country is a declining country.
I don’t know what I’m going to do next or even whether I’ll ever place my name on a ballot again, but I know I’m not leaving this cause behind. To truly care about this country is to demonstrate that you care about her politics the same when you’re winning as when you’re losing.
America needs you now more than ever. So don’t quit! This generation is patriotic, creative, selfless, and – most importantly – numerous. My campaign might no longer be the vehicle for your activism, but that doesn’t mean you’re excused from standing up and making your voice heard.
The presidential race between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton has dominated headlines this election season, but voters on Tuesday also will cast ballots in a bevy of important state and local races.
In Boone County, voters will choose their representatives to the Missouri House and Senate and two of the three members of the Boone County Commission. Hallsville voters also will decide whether to authorize two new sales taxes to pay for capital improvements, stormwater control projects and parks.
Voters across Missouri will choose new members of statewide offices, including a new governor after two terms under Jay Nixon, and decide on such issues as tobacco tax increases, limits to political contributions and an amendment to require voters to show a photo ID at the polls. Look for coverage of the races and issues Tuesday at www.columbiatribune.com and Wednesday in the Tribune.
BOONE COUNTY COMMISSION
Southern District
Republican Fred Parry, publisher of Inside Columbia magazine, and Democrat Brianna Lennon, an attorney who has worked in the attorney general’s and secretary of state’s offices, are vying to replace outgoing Southern District Commissioner Karen Miller, who has been in the position since 1993.
Parry has campaigned on his business experience and community involvement. He has been on the Boone Hospital Center Board of Trustees for 13 years, serving the past five years as chairman. If elected on Tuesday, Parry said, he immediately will step down from the board upon being sworn in as commissioner on Jan. 1.
He has touted his plan for the Central Missouri Events Center, his networking and communication abilities and won endorsements from well-known Democrats, including many who ran for Southern District commissioner in the primary. Parry has questioned his opponent’s experience throughout the campaign.
Lennon was an assistant attorney general in the Consumer Protection Division. She later became the first coordinator of the Elections Integrity Unit in the Secretary of State’s Office.
Lennon has said she as commissioner would implement an online accountability portal to make county documents more accessible. She also wants to dedicate more resources to the Boone County Sheriff’s Department Cyber Crimes Unit to combat fraud and identity theft.
The Southern District encompasses the southern and central-western portions of the county, including west Columbia. Southern and Northern District commissioners are paid $95,259 per year.
Northern District
In Boone County’s Northern District, incumbent Democrat Janet Thompson hopes to withstand a challenge from Republican Brenndan Riddles, an electrician.
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Brenndan Riddles, Republican candidate for the Northern District seat on the Boone County Commission, speaks Oct. 7 during a forum at the Columbia Country Club. Also pictured are, from left, Democratic Southern District candidate Brianna Lennon, Republican Southern District candidate Fred Parry and incumbent Northern District Commissioner Janet Thompson, a Democrat.
Sarah Bell
Riddles, 54, has said a lack of leadership over two controversial issues prompted him to run for county commission: the removal of the Desert Storm war memorial from the county courthouse grounds because of its religious symbol and the closure of the Central Missouri Events Center.
Riddles is appealing to outsider sentiment, saying throughout the campaign that he’s an electrician, not a politician. He was a volunteer and officer with Motocross Parents, an organization promoting motocross in Mid-Missouri, and is a road captain for the Central Missouri Honor Flight escort.
Thompson was first elected to the commission in 2012 and is seeking her second term.
A former public defender for nearly 25 years, Thompson has an interest in mental health issues, particularly diverting people with mental illness from jail and to services and treatment. Thompson is a leader of the county’s Stepping Up Initiative and the county representative for the White House Data Driven Initiative, each of which aims to decrease the number of inmates with mental illness.
As a commissioner, Thompson has worked on plans for the Central Missouri Events Center. She has said a mix of a hotel or sales tax, private dollars and revenue generated with events is needed to pay for events center operations.
The Northern District includes northern and central-eastern Boone County, including east Columbia.
LOCAL LEGISLATIVE RACES
Four of the five Missouri House districts with Boone County voters have contested races this year. Two of the districts, the 44th and 47th, are represented by Republicans and include voters in Columbia, small towns and unincorporated portions in the northern half of the county.
The other two, the 45th and 46th, are represented by Democrats and lie almost entirely within Columbia city limits.
State Rep. Caleb Jones, R-Columbia, is unopposed for re-election to his fourth and final term in the 50th District, which covers portions of southern Columbia in the Fifth and Sixth Wards, southern Boone County including Ashland, and portions of Moniteau County.
44th District
Includes portions of the Third and Sixth wards in Columbia, Boone County north of Richland Road and Route WW including Hallsville, Centralia and Sturgeon and the area surrounding Clark in Randolph County.
Democrat Tom Pauley is making his second run for the seat, currently held by state Rep. Caleb Rowden. Cheri Toalson Reisch, who narrowly lost a bid for Boone County Collector in 2014, is running on the Republican side.
Pauley is a former sheet metal worker who developed his interest in politics as a union leader and working on behalf of Freedom of Road Riders, a group that advocates the repeal of motorcycle helmet laws. He earned a political science degree from the University of Missouri in his 50s and operates an insurance agency. Pauley was a Hallsville alderman for three years.
Pauley supports expanding Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act and enacting stronger ethics laws and opposes right to work legislation. Democrats need to win enough seats to force Republicans to negotiate on Medicaid and kill right to work, he said.
“Breaking the supermajority will force both sides to come together,” Pauley said.
Reisch worked for Hallsville for 30 years as town clerk, earning certification as a municipal clerk and municipal court clerk. When she was fired during a dispute with the city administrator, she ran for mayor, was elected, and the administrator soon was gone. Reisch works as a legal assistant and manages rental properties in Hallsville. She received 48.5 percent of the vote for collector in 2014.
Reisch supports right to work, calling it a tool that will attract industry to sites ready for development. She opposes expanding Medicaid eligibility, saying the state cannot afford it. Missouri would pay up to 10 percent of the $2 billion cost of coverage for about 300,000 people if eligibility was expanded to the limits allowed in federal law.
“The bottom line is money,” she said.
45th District
Includes portions of the First, Second, Third and Sixth wards in Columbia.
Democratic state Rep. Kip Kendrick is seeking his second term in office. Independent candidate William Lee, in his first bid for public office, filed petitions to get on the ballot.
Kendrick, won the seat in 2014 without opposition in the primary or general election after receiving the endorsement of state Rep. Chris Kelly. He holds a psychology degree from Columbia College and is pursuing a graduate degree in higher education from the University of Missouri.
Lee is a medical laboratory scientist at Boone Hospital Center. Much of the territory included in the district has been represented continuously by Democrats since 1982 and Lee has said he entered the race to offer a conservative alternative to voters.
In his first term, Kendrick has made student debt relief a major issue. If re-elected, he said, he will file several bills, including a proposal to refinance loans at lower interest rates. Kendrick has supported efforts to expand Medicaid eligibility, opposed right to work and opposed the House budget bill that cut funding to the University of Missouri.
Lee said he disagrees with each of the major parties enough that he decided to run as an independent. He said he opposes abortion rights and opposes Medicaid expansion, calling it too expensive and subject to change by the next Congress.
They also disagree on whether concealed weapons should be allowed on college campuses. Kendrick said at a forum that he does not want to change the law that allows the UM Board of Curators to decide who can carry a concealed weapon. Lee said the decision should be with individuals.
“We need to allow people to take care of themselves and carry a gun if they need to,” he said.
46th District
Includes portions of the First, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth wards in Columbia.
Martha Stevens defeated Boone County Public Administrator Cathy Richards in a hard-fought Democratic primary for the seat currently held by state Rep. Stephen Webber. Don Waterman, a first-time candidate, was unopposed in the primary as he seeks to become the first Republican to represent the area since 1982.
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Local House of Representatives candidates attend a forum Oct. 5 at the University of Missouri’s Rhynsburger Theatre. From left are state Rep. Chuck Basye, R-Rocheport, and his opponent, Democrat Susan McClintic; Republican Don Waterman and Democrat Martha Stevens, who are trying to win the 46th House District; independent William Lee and his opponent, state Rep. Kip Kendrick, D-Columbia; and Republican Cheri Toalson Reisch and Democrat Tom Pauley, candidates for the 44th House District.
Timothy Tai
Stevens called on relationships built as an advocate for Planned Parenthood and for Medicaid expansion with the Missouri Rural Crisis Center to secure the nomination. She was endorsed in early 2015 by Webber, who is seeking the 19th District state Senate seat.
Her campaign is built around her advocacy for Medicaid expansion, which she said would provide hundreds of health care jobs in Boone County, save the state money and increase revenue through greater economic activity. Medicaid expansion will help Missouri pay for other priorities, Stevens has said.
She also opposes right to work and allowing concealed weapons on college campuses. Stevens opposes legislation allowing businesses to refuse service for same-sex weddings and supports adding sexual identity and sexual orientation to the state’s anti-discrimination law.
Waterman, who works for Bass Pro Shops, has not received the major infusion of money from the House Republican Campaign Committee that is helping other Republicans. He has raised about $10,000.
Waterman supports right to work and allowing concealed weapons on campus. He opposes Medicaid expansion and while he said he opposed a constitutional amendment allowing business to refuse to serve same-sex weddings, it is because the bill was flawed, not because the concept is wrong.
“To compel them to say you’re going to have to abandon your faith because they want you to do something, I don’t think that’s right,” Waterman said.
47th District
Includes portions of the Second, Fourth and Fifth wards, western Boone County north of Huntsdale including Rocheport and Harrisburg and adjacent portions of Cooper, Howard and Randolph counties.
Retired teacher Susan McClintic wants to become the second Democrat and the third person elected to represent the 47th District since the current boundaries were drawn in advance of the 2012 election. State Rep. Chuck Basye, R-Rocheport, is seeking to keep the seat he won by 361 votes in 2014.
McClintic’s campaign relies heavily on her education experience, including leadership of the Columbia teachers’ union and as an elected teacher representative on the Public School and Education Employees Retirement System Board of Trustees. She argues Basye voted to shortchange schools by supporting a bill altering how state aid is determined and failed the district by opposing Medicaid expansion.
“He supported moving the goalposts, and so the funding is less,” McClintic said.
Since taking office in January 2015, Basye has been a reliable Republican vote, supporting his party on every override of Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon’s vetoes, supporting right to work legislation and voting for the bill repealing permit requirements to carry a concealed weapon. He has opposed Medicaid expansion and says the state is providing record funding for public schools.
The bill changing the formula did not take any money from schools, he said. Basye is a graduate of public schools, sent his children to public schools and his wife works for Columbia Public Schools.
“Why would I try to do anything to hurt our public school system?” Basye said.
19th Senate District
Includes Boone and Cooper counties.
The most expensive legislative race before Boone County voters features television attack ads telling voters that state Rep. Stephen Webber, the Democratic candidate, can’t be trusted to show up for work and that state Rep. Caleb Rowden, the Republican nominee, runs away from controversial votes.
Through Wednesday, the two candidates had raised $3.7 million between them with more money on the way. In 2012, state Sen. Kurt Schaefer and state Rep. Mary Still raised a combined $1.7 million for the race.
Webber, a former Marine and veteran of the war in Iraq, uses his military record to emphasize his commitment to community service. He is finishing his fourth term in the Missouri House. Webber attacks Schaefer for putting political ambitions ahead of constituents.
“I think this community has paid a price for thinking that we could elect someone who didn’t share our community’s values just because they are in the majority,” Webber said.
Webber supports Medicaid expansion and voted against repealing the permit requirement for concealed weapons. For the past several years, he has sponsored a bill to add gender identity and sexual orientation to state anti-discrimination laws.
“I am determined to get that done before I leave the Missouri legislature,” Webber said.
Rowden has been a rising star among Republicans since winning a closely fought election in 2012. A former Christian musician, Rowden owns a public relations firm and decided to run against Webber after dropping out of a race for House majority leader.
Rowden argues that as a member of the Republican majority in the Senate, he will be able to protect the University of Missouri more effectively than Webber. He opposes Medicaid expansion but said he could support a proposal that expands rolls if it overhauls the program to make it more like private insurance and saves the state money.
Rowden won passage of an ethics bill imposing a six-month waiting period after leaving office before taking jobs as lobbyists. He filed other ethics bills and said he will try again if elected. Webber’s accusation he is only concerned about his political future is wrong, Rowden said.
“If I was looking for political expedience, I would never have brought it up,” he said.
FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Twenty-four counties including Audrain, Boone, Cooper, Howard, Moniteau, Randolph in Central Missouri.
U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Harrisonville, faces Democratic nominee Gordon Christensen, a Columbia physician, and Libertarian Mark Bliss of Warrensburg as she seeks her fourth term representing the Fourth Congressional District.
Hartzler gained political prominence in 2004 as the spokeswoman for a statewide campaign to ban same-sex marriage in Missouri. She defeated longtime incumbent U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton, a Lexington Democrat, in 2010 and handily won re-election in 2012 and 2014.
Christensen first came to public notice in the 1990s, when he exposed attempts by the Department of Veterans Affairs to cover up charges of murder by a nurse at Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital. Christensen, an epidemiologist, was assistant chief of staff at the time and his analysis, suppressed by the VA, showed that the 50 deaths under the nurse’s care in a three-month period could not have happened by chance.
While in office, Hartzler has been a determined opponent of the Affordable Care Act, voting to repeal it several dozen times. Christensen is a strong backer of the law requiring people to buy health insurance and offering coverage paid by taxpayers to low-income individuals.
Christensen has raised $202,000 for his campaign but it has not been enough to engage in a visible television campaign to make himself better known. Hartzler has raised $856,000 for her campaign and has paid little heed to Christensen. Bliss has not actively campaigned.
HALLSVILLE BALLOT ISSUES
Hallsville residents will vote on increasing sales taxes for capital improvements, stormwater control and the city’s park system.
The city would like to impose a half-cent sales tax for capital improvements. Hallsville Mayor Mickey Nichols said the tax likely will be dedicated to the city’s sewer system, which is more than 60 years old.
Hallsville officials approved spending about $1.6 million in bond proceeds on sewer system upgrades in recent years, but more work needs to be done, Nichols said. The tax also could be used to pay back the bonds, he said.
Voters also will decide on an eighth-cent sales tax for stormwater control and park improvements. During heavy rains, Nichols said, stormwater infiltrates the city’s sewer system and overloads the treatment facility. Hallsville’s only park, Tribble Park, needs new equipment and repairs to the shelter.
Nichols has said the increases are projected to bring in $60,000 for capital improvements and $15,000 for stormwater control and parks annually. Neither proposal includes an expiration date.
AMENDMENT 1
Amendment 1 might be the least publicized, least controversial issue on the November ballot. The measure would extend a tenth-cent sales tax on soil and water conservation that was first approved by voters in 1984, then reauthorized in 1988, 1996 and 2006. The tax generates about $90 million annually for soil and water conservation and operation of the state park system.
AMENDMENT 2
Missouri has gained a reputation for loose ethics laws, including its lack of limits on campaign contributions. Amendment 2 would change that by imposing a $2,600 limit on contributions to candidates and $25,000 on donations to political parties. Money transfers between committees would be prohibited, as would direct donations by corporations and unions to candidates. Political action committees would be allowed but could not transfer large sums, and committees with headquarters out of the state would be required to file reports with the Missouri Ethics Commission.
Opponents have said the amendment restricts political activity. At a recent forum, a spokesman for the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives said Amendment 2 would limit the organization’s ability, and thus its members’ ability, to participate in the political process.
AMENDMENT 3 and PROPOSITION A
Among the November ballot measures, these might be the most contentious. Voters will be asked to decide on two increases to Missouri’s lowest-in-the-nation tobacco tax. Amendment 3, financed largely by the parent firm of R.J. Reynolds tobacco company, would increase taxes on major brands by 60 cents by 2020. However, the measure would increase taxes on smaller brands that were not part of a major tobacco legal settlement by an extra 67 cents on top of the 60-cent-per-pack tax increase. Convenience store owners and smaller tobacco companies have criticized the tax as unfair to the non-major tobacco brands; others have panned Amendment 3 for barring the use of the tax proceeds for stem cell research and tobacco research. The estimated $263 million to $374 million the tax brings in would pay for early childhood health and education programs.
Proposition A would impose a 23-cents-per-pack tax on cigarettes phased in through 2021 and increase taxes paid by sellers of other tobacco products by 5 percent. The taxes would raise about $95 million to $103 million each year when fully implemented, and the money would be used for transportation infrastructure projects. The ballot language says decreased tobacco sales might lower revenue for local governments.
Proposition A is backed by small cigarette companies. Two — Cheyenne International and XCaliber International — have spent about $3 million to support Proposition A and oppose Amendment 3. The Missouri Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association backs Proposition A.
AMENDMENT 4
Amendment 4 aims to stop new sales taxes from being established, making Missouri the first state in the nation to put such a questions before voters. National and local organizations that represent real estate agents have put millions into the campaign to pass Amendment 4, fearful that states might try to tax services related to home sales.
The Missouri Municipal League is among the measure’s opponents and has warned that barring local governments from expanding their sales tax base could hurt essential services like police and fire protection. Local and state governments rely heavily on sales tax revenue to fund operations. In Columbia, city leaders took measures to keep spending down in the current fiscal year because of flat sales tax revenue.
AMENDMENT 6
Amendment 6 would change the constitution to require voters to show a government-issued photo ID when they go to the polls. The debate over the measure has been heated, with proponents warning of the potential for massive voter fraud and opponents warning that a photo ID requirement could disenfranchise many voters, primarily the poor and elderly.
Under current law, Missouri voters can prove their identity at polling places with items like utility bills that verify name and address but do not include photos. Photo ID proponents say such a system creates the opportunity for someone to pretend to be someone else at the polls, but opponents point out that such cases of ballot fraud are extremely rare.
The proposal would allow a voter without a valid photo ID to vote by signing and affidavit.
Joshua A Douglas, a law professor from the University of Kentucky shares why Missourian MUST vote no on Amendment 6. Please click onto the link below to read the full article:
Missouri National Education Association political director Mark Jones says early childhood education is being used as a shield and special interests are trying to hijack their own agenda into the constitution. The state’s largest group of educators oppose Amendment 3, which aims to help pregnant moms and youth quit smoking and pay for early childhood programs and health screenings for children.
ACLU Executive Director Jeffrey Mittman
Jones says there’s a provision in the amendment that removes protections to not fund religious schools.
“That would allow Amendment 3’s money to go towards elite private schools and it certainly in no way be considered a lock box of any sort. It starts becoming a slush fund for pet projects and for politicians,” says Jones. “This unaccountable, unelected committee that has the ability to fund pet projects or give away political favors with the funds, and there’s no recourse for you and I as citizens to adjust that.”
ACLU Executive Director Jeffrey Mittman voiced a similar sentiment.
“Amendment 3 has one line in the amendment, that without notice, without discussion, without review, without clarification, overrules a long-standing rule in the state of Missouri. That rule is that in Missouri, we protect and respect religious freedom,” says Mittman. “With a one line snuck into a tiny phrase of a large amendment, that’s really bad practice. It’s bad drafting. It’s bad public policy. It’s bad politics,” says Mittman.
The 2016 election will be the most intense election in a generation. Missouri NEA members have been working hard to elect candidates who will invest in all students, regardless of zip code, so that all Missouri children have a chance to succeed.
We’re counting on MNEA members to support candidates who will put students at the center of education so that every child can attend a fully funded school with one-on-one attention and qualified, caring teachers.
In your district, Missouri's 19th Senate District, we’re recommending Stephen Webber for Missouri Senate. Share the image below on Facebook to help inform other educators and persuade your friends and family to elect a senator who will advocate for Missouri schools and students.
This election is an opportunity to ensure our lawmakers support public schools. You can help create a better future for Missouri students by supporting Stephen Webber and showing your community that you stand with leaders who will advocate for public schools.
Thank you for supporting leaders who will make a positive difference in the lives of students.
