• Home
  • About me: Jim Fitzpatrick
  • Contact

JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC

Feeds:
Posts
Comments
« “Temporary” three-quarter-cent sales tax for transportation? Not if the framers of Amendment 7 have their way
UMKC: This time it’s not the students who were caught cheating »

Even with all their money, proponents of Amendment 7 face a steep hill as the Aug. 5 election approaches

July 25, 2014 by jimmycsays

We’re rolling.

The “No on 7” campaign is now in full swing, with yard signs flying out of my car trunk; fliers being distributed; 60,000 pieces of campaign literature about to go out to St. Louis area voters; and the proposed constitutional amendment getting hammered in the letters to the editor section of The Star.

I’ve distributed about 75 yard signs the last two days, and they relay a strong message. Take a look:

P1030993

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To me, the point about the trucks is perhaps the biggest vulnerability in the proponents’ argument in favor of a new 3/4 cent sales tax to finance transportation projects statewide. It’s almost incomprehensible that the proponents would try to sneak past the voters a huge sales-tax increase that would give the trucks — which do the most damage to our highways — a total pass.

It’s definitely an insult to the intelligence of the Missouri voters. The “insulters” are the General Assembly majority that got this on the ballot and the special interests that would benefit from spending, oh, about $6 billion of new sales-tax revenue generated in the first 10 years of the tax.

The special interests are, primarily, the “heavy construction” companies, the engineering firms and the suppliers of materials such as concrete and asphalt. Collectively, they’re better known as “the concrete cartel.”

The heavy construction associations in Kansas City and St. Louis and the state association in Jefferson City are pouring hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars into the campaign. The “Industry Advancement Fund” on our side of the state has put in more than $600,000 alone.

I think this would be a difficult proposal to pass, even if there was no organized opposition. Unfortunately for the proponents, a St. Louis couple — Tom and Debra Shrout, who have deep backgrounds in transportation planning — are running a very effective, highly visible opposing campaign through their Missourians for Better Transportation Solutions campaign committee. I am working closely with them.

Their committee is not deeply funded — spending might hit $25,000 — but it doesn’t have to be. On an issue like this, the goal is to simply reinforce people’s instincts that a new statewide sales tax is a terrible way to pay for billions of dollars of transportation projects. The fair way to go is to put before the voters a proposed increase in the state fuel tax, which, at 17 cents a gallon, was sixth lowest in the nation as of last year. In addition, the gas tax hasn’t changed since 1996 — almost 20 years. It is a direct user tax, and that is where those who want more money for the Missouri Department of Transportation should be looking.

Jefferson City resident Dennis Morrissey is one of many people who agree with that line of thinking. In a letter to the editor in today’s KC Star, Morrissey said, “If more funds are needed to maintain our roads, we should consider increasing the user-based fuel tax.”

So, what the hell was the General Assembly thinking about when it proposed a wholesale shifting of the funding burden from highway users to the general population? 

Well, some people theorize that the proponents were guided by voter surveys showing, purportedly, that a general sales tax was more palatable than a higher gas tax.

I don’t believe it for a minute. The sales tax is the most regressive of all taxes, and people are sick of it. I think the special interests pushed hard to put the onus on the general public, and a General Assembly majority caved.

But I think that on Aug. 5 the voters are going to send the General Assembly and the special interests a strong message:

Get back to where you once belonged. 

**

You’ve seen our yard signs. Now here’s a look one of the proponents’ yard signs.

P1040008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think that sign is emblematic of the proponents’ entire campaign…listing badly.

**

In addition to the yard signs, we have a really good billboard — 48 feet by 14 feet — on southbound Noland Road at 35th Street in Independence.

Here’s what that looks like:

P1040003

**

If you would like a yard sign, let me know. Send e-mail to jim.fitzpatrick06@gmail.com

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments

5 Responses

  1. on July 26, 2014 at 9:08 am Mike Rice

    What are the five states with the lower gas tax rate? I’m going to take a guess _ Mississippi, South Carolina, West Virginia, Arkansas and Alabama.


    • on July 26, 2014 at 9:18 am jimmycsays

      You got one out of five, Mike. South Carolina is fourth lowest (tied with Oklahoma) at 16 cents a gallon — one cent below Missouri.

      But Mississippi, West Virginia, Arkansas and Alabama are downright “enlightened” when compared to Alaska (8 cents a gallon); New Jersey (10.5 cents) and Wyoming (13 cents).

      I’m surprised you didn’t think about the Okies.


  2. on July 26, 2014 at 9:23 am Dan Coffey

    Another insightful post, Jim. Keep up the good fight!


    • on July 26, 2014 at 10:10 am jimmycsays

      Thanks, Dan…

      (Readers, Dan is one of the leaders in the campaign against “Question A,” the proposed expansion of Kansas City’s streetcar district.)


  3. on July 26, 2014 at 10:08 am jimmycsays

    Fred Reiss, a first-time commenter, left this comment on an earlier post today, but I wanted it to be on the current post, too, so here it is:

    “The fact is, MoDOT doesn’t need any additional funding. What they claim to be a “funding crisis” is due to their loss of federal stimulus money and the monies they’ve raised from bonds. Amendment 7 money would replace those 2 sources and allow MoDOT to continue the massive spending programs they’ve had for the past 10 years. We shouldn’t be arguing where MoDOT should get more funds, but why they think they need it now. MoDOT is acting like someone who has maxed out their credit card and wants a new one to shop with.”



Comments are closed.

  • Pages

    • About me: Jim Fitzpatrick
    • Contact
  • Archives

    • May 2022
    • April 2022
    • March 2022
    • February 2022
    • January 2022
    • December 2021
    • November 2021
    • October 2021
    • September 2021
    • August 2021
    • July 2021
    • June 2021
    • May 2021
    • April 2021
    • March 2021
    • February 2021
    • January 2021
    • December 2020
    • November 2020
    • October 2020
    • September 2020
    • August 2020
    • July 2020
    • June 2020
    • May 2020
    • April 2020
    • March 2020
    • February 2020
    • January 2020
    • December 2019
    • November 2019
    • October 2019
    • September 2019
    • August 2019
    • July 2019
    • June 2019
    • May 2019
    • April 2019
    • March 2019
    • February 2019
    • January 2019
    • December 2018
    • November 2018
    • October 2018
    • September 2018
    • August 2018
    • July 2018
    • June 2018
    • May 2018
    • April 2018
    • March 2018
    • February 2018
    • January 2018
    • December 2017
    • November 2017
    • October 2017
    • September 2017
    • August 2017
    • July 2017
    • June 2017
    • May 2017
    • April 2017
    • March 2017
    • February 2017
    • January 2017
    • December 2016
    • November 2016
    • October 2016
    • September 2016
    • August 2016
    • July 2016
    • June 2016
    • May 2016
    • April 2016
    • March 2016
    • February 2016
    • January 2016
    • December 2015
    • November 2015
    • October 2015
    • September 2015
    • August 2015
    • July 2015
    • June 2015
    • May 2015
    • April 2015
    • March 2015
    • February 2015
    • January 2015
    • December 2014
    • November 2014
    • October 2014
    • September 2014
    • August 2014
    • July 2014
    • June 2014
    • May 2014
    • April 2014
    • March 2014
    • February 2014
    • January 2014
    • December 2013
    • November 2013
    • October 2013
    • September 2013
    • August 2013
    • July 2013
    • June 2013
    • May 2013
    • April 2013
    • March 2013
    • February 2013
    • January 2013
    • December 2012
    • November 2012
    • May 2012
    • April 2012
    • March 2012
    • February 2012
    • January 2012
    • December 2011
    • November 2011
    • October 2011
    • September 2011
    • August 2011
    • July 2011
    • June 2011
    • May 2011
    • April 2011
    • March 2011
    • February 2011
    • January 2011
    • December 2010
    • November 2010
    • October 2010
    • September 2010
    • August 2010
    • July 2010
    • June 2010
    • May 2010
    • April 2010
    • March 2010
  • Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Join 544 other followers

Blog at WordPress.com.

WPThemes.


  • Follow Following
    • JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC
    • Join 544 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Copy shortlink
    • Report this content
    • View post in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: