Amendment 3 a bad idea for Missouri

Having worked for the Missouri Department of Revenue for many years, I can tell you this amendment is a bad idea! It is designed to take money directly away from education, social services and the Department of Revenue. The way the current constitution is set up we Missourians divert a tiny portion of motor vehicle sales tax to pay for the cost of issuing drivers license and vehicle car tags. Also an even smaller portion goes to highway safety education required by the federal government to continue receiving federal road money. If this amendment passes funding for these programs will be cut. Many will likely lose their jobs. Currently the Missouri constitution prohibits the legislature from dicking around with state jobs or positions that are funded by highway dollars. It is my opinion that the Missouri Department of Transportation should look closely at the waste of tax dollars going on in their department before asking voters for a tax increase and a constitutional amendment. The positions I spoke of above will likely be moved to the General Revenue portion of the states budget, already in a shortfall crisis. This will force a state wide tax increase to maintain these positions.


JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Opponents of a question on the November second ballot have begun a campaign for its defeat. Amendment Three on the November ballot will ask voters whether to direct some vehicle-related tax revenues to roads, instead of general state government. Supporters say it would end the diversion of highway user taxes. But the new group, No on Amendment Three, says the amendment actually creates a diversion of funds away from education and social services. The ballot measure proposes no new tax to replace the transferred money. Supporters used an initiative petition to get the measure on the ballot.