For Immediate Release
Both Politician-Proposed Amendments Are Power Grab From The People
JEFFERSON CITY, MO — Consumers Council of Missouri is opposed to legislatively-referred Amendments 4 and 5 on the August 4 ballot, which together are the most audacious power grab from the people by politicians in memory.
“Amendment 4 devalues your vote while destroying majority rule. Amendment 5 lets politicians disregard constitutional taxpayer protections approved by the citizens, which will lead to the biggest tax increase in Missouri history – and we will not get a vote on the details,” said Ed Bryant, Executive Director of the Consumers Council of Missouri (CCM).
AMENDMENT 4
As a member-driven organization working for the shared interests of all Missouri consumers, CCM is concerned about Amendment 4’s basic unfairness. Amendment 4 would have citizens surrender both majority rule and the value of their vote in proposing and enacting constitutional amendments.
Citizen-led amendments would be required to receive majorities in eight-out-of-eight congressional districts, meaning one district could veto the other seven with just 5 percent of the statewide vote. The surrender of citizen power in Amendment 4 empowers politicians, whose amendments could be passed by a simple majority vote.
“Amendment 4 tramples on the sacred principle of one person, one vote, by valuing your vote based on your address. That is hypocritical and blatantly unfair,” said CCM’s Bryant. “We are concerned Amendment 4 makes it much more difficult for consumers to propose legal solutions to the current affordability crisis, especially the extra utility rate increases allowed by Senate Bill 4.”
AMENDMENT 5
CCM opposes Amendment 5 because it requires elimination forever of the personal income tax, creating an $8.5 billion general revenue hole. Amendment 5 lets politicians ignore current voter-approved, citizen-led constitutional taxpayer protections, giving them an open checkbook.
Amendment 5 empowers lawmakers to shift the burden by raising the sales tax on everyday goods such as groceries, gas and clothing, and imposing new sales taxes on everyday services, such as health care, child care, car repairs and haircuts.
“Amendment 5’s tax shift benefits the wealthiest at the expense of lower-income Missourians, senior citizens, disabled persons and military veterans, whose Social Security, pensions and paychecks are not subject to state income tax, but who will immediately feel the pain of higher and expanded sales taxes,” Bryant said.
“The politicians are saying “Trust Us,” but Consumers Council of Missouri believes that is asking too much of working Missourians, given the lack of details in Amendment 5 beyond the fact Missourians would not get to vote on the higher sales taxes,” he added. “The Consumers Council of Missouri urges a NO on 4 and 5, because Missourians must protect their power and not surrender it to politicians.”
For more information, contact:
Ed Bryant, Executive Director
ebryant@moconsumers.org
636-219-5914
