Your obstinate, no-talent hack offers the correct way to vote this November 2nd:
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
NO on Constitutional Amendment 1:
Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to require the office of county assessor to be an elected position in all counties with a charter form of government, except counties with a population between 600,001-699,999?In other words, one county in Missouri will be exempt from an amended state constitution: Jackson County, which includes the Kansas City metro area. Jackson County's property assessor is appointed by the County Executive.
The residents of St. Louis County already voted on a similar matter regarding their county assessor during the local August elections, amid a hotly contested county executive race (with Jeff City probably fed up with the b*tching and moaning from St. Louis).
Many other Missouri counties already choose to elect their county assessors. They can do that, if they so desire. Local government should be controlled locally.
So why do we need this 'ballot clutter' and state meddling in county government? We don't.
Vote NO on Constitutional Amendment 1.
YES on Constitutional Amendment 2:
Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to require that all real property used as a homestead by Missouri citizens who are former prisoners of war and have a total service-connected disability be exempt from property taxes?As it stands now, everyone in Missouri who owns real estate pays property taxes. Of all the things that should apply equally and evenly to all citizens it is taxes. This includes the poor. Everyone needs to put something in the pot to pay the bills.
Yet, when we consider the one group who sacrificed nearly all they have in this world for the defense and survival of this nation - former prisoners of war who have a total service-connected disability - exemption from property taxes is the least we can do to say "Thank you."
Vote YES on Constitutional Amendment 2
YES on Constitutional Amendment 3:
Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to prevent the state, counties, and other political subdivisions from imposing any new tax, including a sales tax, on the sale or transfer of homes or any other real estate?As I stated above, everyone in Missouri who owns real estate pays property taxes. Currently, there is no real estate transfer tax (sales tax) in Missouri, but politicians are addicted to spending other people's money. They love to weasel ways to get their hand into your wallet. A real estate transfer tax (sales tax) would be a tax in addition to the property taxes already paid for real estate. In essence, double taxation for the same property.
This amendment will preclude any future attempt to legislate a real estate sales tax in Missouri.
Vote YES on Constitutional Amendment 3
STATUTORY MEASURES
YES on Proposition A:
Shall Missouri law be amended to:Earnings taxes are relatively rare in this country. Only 25 of the nation's 150 largest cities impose earnings taxes. In simplest terms, it is a third layer of income tax, after the federal and state income tax.
• repeal the authority of certain cities to use earnings taxes to fund their budgets;
• require voters in cities that currently have an earnings tax to approve continuation of such tax
at the next general municipal election and at an election held every 5 years thereafter;
• require any current earnings tax that is not approved by the voters to be phased out over a
period of 10 years; and
• prohibit any city from adding a new earnings tax to fund their budget?
For all intents and purposes, the only two cities effected by Proposition A are Kansas City & St. Louis, as they are the only cities in Missouri that currently use an earnings tax on individual income and business profits to raise municipal revenue.
Normally, I would stick with the basic philosophy of The Conservative Code: "local government should be controlled locally", and deem this mere 'ballot clutter' and state meddling in local government. Except the requirement for the earnings tax was imposed upon Kansas City & St. Louis by the state legislature over 50 years ago. It's Missouri law. And the boys in Jeff City haven't been too responsive to those wishing to repeal that state imposed requirement for an earnings tax.
Ergo, Proposition A.
Proposition A simply allows for the possibility to eliminate the earnings tax in Kansas City & St. Louis on a local ballot, sometime in the near future. Local voters could then say 'yes' or 'no' to continuation or repeal of the tax. If approved, the phase-out would be over ten years, not all at once.
Opponents say that elimination of the earnings tax will severely cut city revenue and necessitate gutting essential services, like fire and police - as if fire & police are the only first choice for trimming a budget (when all such claims really are is the first choice in fear mongering and demagoguery).
Proponents say that cities should have local control over local taxes, and that eliminating the earnings tax will stop the slow hemorrhage of businesses voting with their feet to relocate to other municipalities without such a tax. Their employees relocate elsewhere, too, along with the dollars they spend in the local economy.
But wait. Aren't there critics to the wording of Prop A? Specifically, "• prohibit any city from adding a new earnings tax to fund their budget?" Isn't that meddling in local govt. and a violation of "The Conservative Code?"
Actually, the code is more like.... guidelines. Besides, the possibility to eliminate an old tax always trumps the prohibition against a possible new tax. Always. The Conservative Code.
Vote YES on Proposition A:
NO on Proposition B:
Shall Missouri law be amended to:Sounds real good, doesn't it? Everybody hates animal cruelty and wants to end it. Especially, the 'puppy mill cruelty' for profit. Yet, agriculturalists, legitimate Missouri dog breeders, and the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association are opposed to Prop B.
• require large-scale dog breeding operations to provide each dog under their care with sufficient
food, clean water, housing and space; necessary veterinary care; regular exercise and adequate
rest between breeding cycles;
• prohibit any breeder from having more than 50 breeding dogs for the purpose of selling their
puppies as pets; and
• create a misdemeanor crime of “puppy mill cruelty” for any violations?
It is estimated state governmental entities will incur costs of $654,768 (on-going costs of $521,356 and one-time costs of $133,412). Some local governmental entities may experience costs related to enforcement activities and savings related to reduced animal care activities.
Animal rights groups, like the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), which helped draft Proposition B, and the Humane Society of the U.S., are for Prop B.
A lot of shed tears, tugged heart strings, and outside money have gone into Missouri TV and radio spots trying to convince voters that Prop B will end this cruelty.
But will Proposition B end this cruelty?
NOPE.
Why not?
Missouri already has numerous laws on the books regulating commercial breeders, and many more laws prohibiting cruelty to animals (see State Criminal Statues 578.009 RSMo. Animal Neglect and Abandonment, & 578.012 RSMo. Animal Abuse; and the Code of State Regulations, Rules of the Department of Agriculture, Division 30 Animal Health, Chapter 9 Animal Care Facilities) .
The Missouri Department of Agriculture is responsible for enforcement of these laws, but has an increasingly limited state budget, and only 12 inspectors to comb the entire state. The passage of Prop B would allow for more inspectors - at an annual cost of a half a million dollars - but that's not a realistic goal amid shrinking state revenue & severe budgets cuts during the current, protracted economic malaise and deliberate malfeasance embraced in Washington D.C.
More regulations could put the honest breeders out of business, while those who have been acting illegally will continue to act illegally. It's what criminals do.
Better enforcement of existing laws is the answer, not more regulations.
Tell Animal rights groups, like the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), and the Humane Society of the U.S., to quit trying to spend Missouri's money so they can duplicate laws already on the books.
Vote NO on Proposition B
