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Missouri news, views, and issues - Show Me Progress

No on Proposition A in November: campaign finance reports

by: Michael Bersin

Wed Aug 25, 2010 at 06:26:49 AM CDT

The opposition to a solitary big bucks conservative's drive to gut the finances of Missouri's two largest cities, via Proposition A on the November ballot - United for Missouri's Priorities:

...A billionaire has already spent over $1 million out of his pocket to fund a statewide ballot initiative that will force devastating cuts to public services in Missouri's two largest cities.
This ballot initiative will eliminate the earnings tax Kansas City and St. Louis rely on to provide basic services including police officers, fire fighters, snow removal, garbage pickup, street repair, services for lower-income kids & adults, and medical and emergency care.
By eliminating the earnings tax, this billionaire's initiative will force massive budget cuts to St. Louis and Kansas City and will lead to increased sales and property taxes...

Their contributors, not as cash flush as the anti-tax billionaire, are gearing up to oppose Proposition A. Via the Missouri Ethics Commission:

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR - TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION
C101069 UNITED FOR MISSOURI'S PRIORITIES [pdf] 8/20/2010
SEIU Missouri Kansas State Council
St. Louis, MO
8/20/2010
$10,000.00

[emphasis added]

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR - TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION
C101069 UNITED FOR MISSOURI'S PRIORITIES [pdf] 8/19/2010
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
8/19/2010
$5,000.00

[emphasis added]

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR - TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION
C101069 UNITED FOR MISSOURI'S PRIORITIES [pdf] 8/18/2010
Missouri National Education Association
Legislative Crisis Fund
Jefferson City MO
8/17/2010
$10,000.00
AFSCME International
Washington DC
8/17/2010
$15,000.00

[emphasis added]

Working people, teachers, and higher education. Hmmm.

These amounts are paltry in comparison to the proponent's committee - second quarter campaign finance report filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission on July 15th:

Michael Bersin :: No on Proposition A in November: campaign finance reports

Detailed Summary of Committee Disclosure Report
Committe: LET VOTERS DECIDE
ReportDate:
1. TOTAL RECEIPTS FOR THIS ELECTION PREVIOUSLY REPORTED $1,000,545.00
2. ALL MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED THIS PERIOD $5,818,000.00
9. TOTAL ALL RECEIPTS THIS ELECTION(SUM 1B + 7A - 8A) $6,902,692.67
15. TOTAL EXPENDITURES THIS ELECTION (SUM 10B + 14A) $5,317,303.25
28. MONEY ON HAND AT THE CLOSE OF THIS REPORTING PERIOD (SUM 25 + 26 - 27) $1,585,238.06

[emphasis added]

That's a lot of cash on hand.

Ah, it's the golden rule. He who has the gold, makes the rules.

Working people, teachers, and higher education on one side - a billionaire on the other. Class warfare anyone? With that kind of money, wouldn't it have been easier to run for Governor or U.S. Senate? Just asking. It'd be less obvious.