The Labor-Management Council of Greater Kansas City Board of Directors has unanimously adopted positions on the following issues to be voted on Tuesday, Aug. 4. Please feel free to share them with your members, employees and others:
Kansas
•Constitutional Amendment—Change state Supreme Court to elected positions rather than gubernatorial appointments
The LMC recommends a NO vote
Missouri
•Constitutional Amendment 1—Renews the conservation sales tax
The LMC recommends a Yes vote
•Constitutional Amendment 2—Requires all counties elect their assessor
The LMC makes no recommendation
•Constitutional Amendment 4—Requires voter initiative petitions to be passed in most congressional districts regardless of the statewide vote; does not apply to amendments proposed by the Legislature
The LMC recommends a No vote
•Constitutional Amendment 5—Allows the legislature to broaden and increase sales taxes to allow for elimination of the state income tax
The LMC recommends a No vote
City of Kansas City, Mo.
•Question 1—Housing trust fund bond issue of $100 million
The LMC recommends a Yes vote
•Question 2—Convention centers bond issue of $100 million
The LMC recommends a Yes vote
•Question 3—Renewal for 10 years of the central city economic development sales tax
The LMC recommends a Yes vote
•Question 4—Water bond issue of $750 million
The LMC recommends a Yes vote
•Question 5—Sewer bond issue of $750 million
The LMC recommends a Yes vote
During its 47 years, the LMC has taken positions on hundreds of ballot and legislative issues affecting our mission of enhancing labor-management collaboration and community collaboration. The LMC does not make candidate or party endorsements. Each position must be supported by at least 75% of Board members from both management and from labor. The Board took input from LMC members and discussed each issue at its July 15 meeting. Key reasons for the positions:
•Kansas Constitutional Amendment. The LMC has historically supported the current judicial selection systems for both Missouri and Kansas. The experience of both states decades ago and in other states now is that elections, especially partisan elections, for judges at the appeals and supreme court levels pressures judges to make political, rather than legal, decisions making it difficult to maintain a positive, predictable economic environment. The Board thus opposes the proposed Kansas amendment to make Supreme Court judges elected rather than appointed through a careful process that engages the public and the legal community outside of partisan politics. Voters have the opportunity under the existing system to reject justices who have not performed to their standards and to influence the direction of appointments in their votes for Governor.
•Missouri Constitutional Amendment 1. The LMC endorses this renewal of the highly successful conservation sales tax which helps Missouri parks maintain high quality and broad public access.
•Missouri Constitutional Amendment 4. The LMC opposes this attempt to essentially eliminate the public’s ability to initiate changes to the Missouri Constitution by allowing just one congressional district’s voters to reject issues that are otherwise popular statewide. This rule would not apply to constitutional amendments put on the ballot by the legislature, creating an imbalance of power between voters and the legislature.
•Missouri Constitutional Amendment 5. The LMC opposes this shift of taxation from the income tax to sales taxes. In order to eliminate the income tax, the state would either have to cut billions from the budget for education, health care and other services or substantially increase sales taxes in both rate and the scope of activities that could be taxed—or both. Such a shift would disadvantage the Missouri side of Kansas City for retail sales and services as well as increase the relative tax burden on low and middle income citizens. The amendment would also remove Hancock protections requiring voters approval of significant tax increases, which has been in place since the 1980s.
•Kansas City Question 1. The LMC supports issuing $100 million in bonds to help generate more affordable housing in the city, which is vitally important for workforce retention and development.
•Kansas City Question 2. The LMC supports issuing $100 million in bonds for convention and related infrastructure improvements. These facilities generate revenues for city businesses and jobs for residents and need to be competitive to attract events to the city.
•Kansas City Question 3. The LMC supports the renewal of the central city economic development sales tax. This revenue has been vital for spurring commercial and residential development in the city’s core though much more support is needed, so the tax should be renewed.
•Kansas City Question 4. The LMC supports issuing $750 million in bonds to continue its repair, replacement and enhancement of the city’s vital water services. Financing via bonds is more cost effective than other ways of paying for these necessary projects,a nd does not require large rate hikes.
•Kansas City Question 5. The LMC supports issuing $750 million in bonds to fulfill its requirements for a more effective and sanitary sewer system, as required by the federal government, and does not require large rate hikes.
Please let me or any Board member know if you have questions or comments. Remember to vote Tuesday, Aug. 4. Thanks for your attention!
Bob Jacobi
Executive Director
