This ballot is huge and I will attempt to shed light on what the elements are.
Constitutional Amendments 2, 3 and Proposition C all legalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes. What is not obvious is that amendment 3 sets up a monopoly for those that got it on the ballot. If you are in favor of legalizing medical marijuana, I strongly suggest a YES on 2 and a no on 3. There is nothing wrong with Proposition C, but I feel that Amendment 2 is better.
Constitutional Amendment 4, is simple and self explanatory.
Proposition B raises the minimum wage a small amount each year until it eventually gets to $12 an hour. Nothing tricky and I personally support it.
Proposition D would raise the motor fuel tax to pay for roads and bridges. It would also help fund the Highway Patrol. I strongly support this proposition. Missouri has had the same fixed amount of fuel tax since 1992. Gasoline may have tripled, paving cost may have tripled, but funding has stayed constant for over 25 years. We need to fix our roads and bridges.
The last 7 items on the ballot are all about changing the Jackson County Charter. They all are extensive and the ballot fails to reflect all the changes they entail. I will try to post the complete text of the 7 changes in my next post. These changes have united an unusual mixture of partisan, not partisan, business, and community groups in OPPOSITION to the changes. It is very seldom that I have seen the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and the Jackson County Democratic Committee unite on political questions. These 7 items will decrease the power of the County Executive and increase the power of the County Legislators. It will give the Legislators about a 100% pay and pensions increase. The increase is hidden by basing it on a judges salary instead of a named amount. Question 7 bars any federal. state. or municipal elected official from running for county office. So the legislature wants to ensure that any State Legislator that is term limited out of office cannot run for the county legislature.
This is an attempt to increase power and pay by hiding it in with elements on the front of each proposal that may be more popular. A more honest approach would be to not group elements together, let each stand on its own merit and state openly how much of a pay and pension increase the legislators want.
Please vote NO on Jackson County Questions 1 through 7.
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