Key services would be gutted with the elimination of major revenue sources in each city
Residents in Missouri’s two largest cities would be prevented from deciding their own future
This initiative would likely impose tax increases on lower- and middle-income families
Key services would be gutted with the elimination of major revenue sources in each cityThis initiative would likely impose tax increases on lower- and middle-income families
A billionaire has already spent over $1 million out of his pocket to fund a statewide ballot initiative that will force devastating cuts to public services in Missouri’s two largest cities.
This ballot initiative will eliminate the earnings tax Kansas City and St. Louis rely on to provide basic services including police officers, fire fighters, snow removal, garbage pickup, street repair, services for lower-income kids & adults, and medical and emergency care.
By eliminating the earnings tax, this billionaire’s initiative will force massive budget cuts to St. Louis and Kansas City and will lead to increased sales and property taxes.
That’s why police officers, fire fighters, teachers, city leaders, chambers of commerce, and concerned citizens all over the state have joined together in calling on Missouri voters to Decline To Sign any petition for the ballot initiative to eliminate the earnings tax and hurt public safety in our state.
The ice beneath Kansas City’s decades-old earnings tax continues to crack.
Let Voters Decide — a committee working to repeal the levy here and in St. Louis — submitted 210,000 petition signatures to election officials Tuesday, five days ahead of the deadline and twice the number needed to force a statewide vote that could eventually end the tax in Missouri.
“Everywhere we went for signatures we were getting great support,” said Marc Ellinger, a committee spokesman. “People really wanted to sign this.”
Wealthy financier Rex Sinquefield's effort to revamp and restrict local earnings taxesgot a boost today when his allied group turned in twice as many signatures needed to get the proposal on this November's ballot.
Today's submission of 210,000 signatures by the campaign group, Let Voters Decide, also is the first of what could be a flurry of signature submissions by various groups up until the deadline of 5 p.m. Sunday.
Imagine how you'd feel if Donald Trump spent a bunch of his money to get everyone in America to vote to get rid of half the police officers, libraries and firefighters in Missouri. That'd never happen, right? Totally ridiculous, right? Not exactly. While he may not star in "The Apprentice," a billionaire from St. Louis named Rex Sinquefeld is spending a bunch of his money "at least $1.75 million so far" to buy a measure on our statewide ballot that will push all Missourians to cast a vote forcing major cuts in public safety -- police officers and firefighters -- and other crucial services on which we all rely.
The Partnership for Downtown St. Louis said Tuesday it is against efforts to eliminate the city of St. Louis’ 1 percent earnings tax.
Measures are under way in the Missouri legislature and through petitions to get rid of the earnings tax, which supports one-third of the city’s general revenue fund....
“The Board of Directors of the Partnership for Downtown does hereby recommend opposition to efforts to eliminate the city earnings tax until there is a viable alternative to replacing this important revenue source for the city,” the organization said in a statement. “It furthermore discourages its members from signing any petitions that would put this issue on a state ballot.”
http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2010/04/12/daily27.html
Members of an activist group that represents Missouri’s family farmers are warning voters about a petition circulating in Columbia.
Members of the Missouri Rural Crisis Center said St. Louis billionaire Rex Sinquefield has started a petition campaign to repeal local earnings taxes.
Opponents of the petition said putting the measure on the statewide November Ballot could eliminate hundreds of millions of dollars that Missourians need for basic services like firefighters and police officers.
