Our View: MO JwJ's Positions on Initiatives

In two weeks, we will be electing or re-electing many of our local, state and national legislators. Just as importantly, we have several statewide ballot initiatives that impact working families and their communities. Our position on these issues reflects our commitment to supporting public infrastructure, access to affordable health care, transparency, and democracy by and for the people - not the wealthy and corporations.

Here's the issues and our positions. There's more detail on each issue below.

• Missouri Judicial Appointment Amendment, Amendment 3 - Our position: Vote No

• Missouri Municipal Police Amendment (Local Control), Proposition A - Our position: Vote No

• Missouri Tobacco Tax Initiative (Tobacco Tax Increase), Proposition B - Our position: Vote Yes

• Missouri Health Care Exchange Question, Proposition E - Our position: Vote No

  
  

See the Official Ballot Title, Fair Ballot Language, and the full text of all the issues on the Missouri Secretary of State's website.

• Missouri Judicial Appointment Amendment, Amendment 3 - Our Position: Vote No
  

Missouri Judicial Appointment Amendment, Amendment 3 - Currently Missouri is a national model for keeping politics out of the judicial selection process. Amendment 3 would give the Governor a majority control over the body that recommends Missouri’s Supreme Court justices, thereby giving him effective power to appoint individuals to the Supreme Court. 

Jobs with Justice believes politics should stay out of the judiciary and supports the current non-partisan process. We encourage you to vote no on Amendment 3.

Lastly, if this will give the Governor more control, what do they think about it? Both Democratic incumbent Jay Nixon and Republican challenger Dave Spence have come out against Amendment 3. Even the folks who would benefit from this Amendment passing know better. For more information check out: http://mofaircourts.com/.

• Missouri Municipal Police Amendment (Local Control), Proposition A - Our position: Vote No

Jobs with Justice has supported local control of the St. Louis City Police Department, collective bargaining rights for police officers, and a civilian review board for our neighbors for over a decade.

However, the current ballot initiative proposing local control of the police unnecessarily undermines the power of a civilian review board and threatens good police community/police relations.

Therefore we endorse a NO vote on Prop A, but continue to support other efforts to return control of the St. Louis City Police Department in a way that protects the rights of our police force and our neighbors by protecting collective bargaining rights for officers and the establishment of a civilian review board for our city. For more information check out: www.citizensagainstpropa.com.

• Missouri Tobacco Tax Initiative (Tobacco Tax Increase), Proposition B - Our position: Vote Yes

For the last four years Missourians have seen a declining investment in our public infrastructure, especially in cuts to our public education and health services.

Prop B promises to restore over $200 million in new revenue to these vital programs, while simultaneously sending a message to our legislature that we believe in funding, not cutting our public infrastructure. Passing Prop B is critical not only for the revenue it creates, but also for the vision it represents of investment in Missouri. We encourage you to vote yes on Prop B.

Lastly, let's keep in mind that Missouri has the lowest tobacco tax in the country, at just 17-cents per pack. Prop B raises it to 90-cents per pack, still below the national average. For more information check out: www.showmeabrighterfuture.com.

• Missouri Health Care Exchange Question, Proposition E - Our position: Vote No

Missouri Health Care Exchange Question, Proposition E - Jobs with Justice believes all Missourians deserve access to quality, affordable health care and supports the full implementation of the Affordable Care Act as a step in that direction.

Partisan politicians are seeking to divide and confuse Missouri voters by encouraging them to reject the implementation of a health insurance exchange, the vehicle through which individuals and small businesses can effectively shop for affordable insurance.

We encourage you to reject these pointless partisan attacks and vote no on Prop E. For more information check out: www.mffh.org/mm/files/PropESummary.pdf

See the Official Ballot Title, Fair Ballot Language, and the full text of all the issues on the Missouri Secretary of State's website.