All of this is at risk! Representative John Cauthorn just introduced HJR 22 to sunset the Design for Conservation Sales Tax. The Conservation Sales Tax is 1/8 of 1% of every taxable sale. For every $8 spent on taxable items, one penny goes to conservation efforts managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation.
I am asking everyone who lives in Missouri to contact your senators and representatives immediately and show them your support for conservation and your opposition for HJR 22. You can find out who your legislators are by entering your zip code here http://www.house.mo.gov/.
Please leave a comment letting our readers know if your Representative and Senator are supportive of conservation in Missouri.
I cut and pasted the bill below. It seems to be saying that the voters will have to re-approve the tax every 10 years. If the voters don't approve it, it phases out in two years. Am I reading this correctly???
ReplyDeleteUpon voter approval, this proposed constitutional amendment
reauthorizes the Department of Conservation sales and use tax
until a general election in 2022 or at a special election called
by the Governor for the purpose of reauthorization of the tax.
Every 10 years thereafter, the sales and use tax must be
resubmitted to the voters for approval. If a majority of the
voters fail to approve the continuation of the tax, it will
terminate at the end of the second fiscal year following the last
election.
Yes, that is correct. It is an assault on the best state conservation program in the nation.
ReplyDeleteI found this in a September 2010 issue of Missouri Wildlife....
ReplyDelete"CFM formed and hosted the Citizen’s Committee to solicit public support via initiative petitions and then lead the successful campaign through the election in November 1976. This decisive and historic action by Missouri citizens now yields $90 million each year for conservation in Missouri. What do we have to show for it? Hunting, fishing, wildlife watching and forestry generated more than $11.4 BILLION in Missouri last year...a 10,000% return on investment in the year invested! Wise use has given us an economic engine bigger than all pro sports combined, which supports thousands and thousands of jobs in the private sector. This unique Missouri expression of the North American model for conservation greatly benefits our forests, fish, wildlife and every Missouri citizen.
The three murals reproduced here depict programs funded by the Design for Conservation sales tax. These incredible works of art were created by Mark Raithel, MDC Wildlife Artist, and can be viewed at the central office of the Missouri Department of Conservation, 2901 W. Truman Blvd., Jefferson City, MO."
For the whole issue see http://www.confedmo.org/
ReplyDeleteScary stuff in here http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h112-1
ReplyDeleteWhere are our values?