Missouri Budget Project Report

The Missouri Budget Project released an analysis today showing that bills being considered by the Missouri Senate Ways & Means Committee will do little for most Missouri families, pass on costs to middle and lower income Missourians, and leave our communities reeling.

A few highlights of the report:

Both bills would provide giveaways to Missouri’s wealthiest at the expense of low and middle income taxpayers:

  • In 2019, Missourians with average incomes of $1.387 million would get around $11,000 under SB 617, while most working Missourians would see little impact or even tax increases.
  • In fact, an analysis by the Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy found that 91% of the tax cut would flow to the wealthiest 20% of Missourians.
  • Like in Kansas, Missouri would have little alternative but to move toward regressive sales taxes, making our tax system even more unfair for lower income earners.

The consequences of the bills would leave our communities reeling:

  • The tax provisions included in the bills that would increase revenue are not enough to make up for the size of the new giveaways for top wealth holders. In fact, the net effect of SB 617 would cut $464 million from state general revenue in 2019, while SB 611 would reduce state revenue by more than $1 billion. These cuts would come at a time when Missouri is struggling to meet its budget needs due to numerous loopholes and corporate giveaways, and would require additional and steep cuts to community agencies.
  • In addition, SB 617 would eliminate the individual income tax over time, increasing its cost each year and eventually resulting in an annual cut of $6.6 billion. Individual income tax currently provides $6.6 billion to support the FY 2018 budget, or 36% of all state-source funding (not including federal funds). There would simply be no way for Missouri to compensate for the loss of revenue.
  • Both bills would place Missouri on a fiscal path that would make Kansas’ recent experience with tax cuts look like a cake walk.

Read the full report here.


JC/DC Join the Movement!

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Join the Movement…

  • We cannot vote.
  • We cannot join the military.
  • We have not graduated from high school.
  • We have just begun to think about our future.
  • We are not adults!

BUT… we can be tried as adults and held in adult prisons.

Join the student led movement NOW to change the way we look at youth offenders. You can begin the conversation by posting the following to social media. #18in18 because 17 is to young. It is time to Raise the Age MO @molegislature @missouripta @raisetheageMO

Did you know Missouri is only one of five states that has not raised the age to 18?  Society has labeled 18 as an adult. Why have we not done the same with the justice system. Currently children as young as 12 can be held in adult facilities. We know children do not do well in adult prisons. Not only are they not able to continue with their education but are subject to horrific abuses at the hands of adult offenders. Missouri PTA asks all our Units but especially our student members to join the movement. Often youth do not feel their voice matters, this is an issue that may affect any of our youth.  Missouri legislators do listen to what constituents are saying via social media. Students, you can help us work for change by sharing and posting to social media the red post above. Not a student? Your help is just as important. This January join with us as we urge our legislators to Raise the Age and protect the children of Missouri.

For more information contact Will Wiese, Advocacy Chair at willw@mopta.org or Carla Wiese, Vice President of Legislation and Advocacy at carlaw@mopta.org.

 

Thank you,

Will Wiese

MO PTA Advocacy Chair


JC/DC ACTION ALERT: STOP THE POLITICIZATION OF DESE

Missouri’s State Board of Education is framed by the Missouri Constitution to be both bipartisan and independent of state politics.  This purposeful intent makes Missouri unique and our Department of Education has been afforded stability and flourished under this design.  Board members are appointed by the Governor and then approved by the Senate.

Over the last few months Governor Greitens has made five interim appointments and revoked the appointments of two appointees.  Currently the Senate is out of session and therefor has yet to review and approve or disapprove the appointments.  It has been widely reported the Governor wishes to have the current Commissioner removed in order to bring in an out-of-state individual. This individual is being brought in to appease political donors and forces from outside MO. This is in direct opposition to MO PTA’s stance that schools operate best under local control. A special meeting was called and a vote was taken. The motion was defeated however, this will not stop these individuals. December 1st the State Board of Education will convene in a regular meeting. It is our fear that the Governor will again seek to impose his will for DESE.

Missouri PTA is deeply concerned with the politicization that is currently occurring with regard to the State Board.  Our children, all our children, do best when non-political independent individuals focus on what is best for kids instead of their own political aspirations. Our state operates best when it is under local control both at the state, county, city and community level. Outside forces and big money does not have MO children’s best interest at heart. Local control is best for education and our students. Please join us in advocating for local control!

If you are concerned as advocates of education for all children please contact the following:

Senate Committee on Gubernatorial Appointments

MO State Board of Education, sbe@dese.mo.gov , request email be sent to all members

and your State Senator

Let them know your thoughts on this matter. Below is a letter you can copy and edit with your information to easily contact all those mentioned above.

 

Thank you,

Carla Wiese

VP and Director of Legislation and Advocacy

There have been several articles posted lately regarding this development:

 

Dear (insert title),

 

I do not believe that the current actions Governor Greitens has taken with DESE is in the best interest of the children of Missouri. The Governor is trying to bring in a Commissioner with no ties to MO other than appeasing forces and political donors outside of MO. He has made five appointments that have yet to be confirmed by the Senate. I believe that these members need to be properly vetted and voted upon prior to making any decisions that could be detrimental to all the gains in education MO has experienced.

 

Our children, all our children, do best when non-political independent individuals focus on what is best for kids instead of their own political aspirations. Our state operates best when it is under local control both at the state, county, city and community level. Outside forces and big money does not have MO children’s best interest at heart. Please do not allow the politicization of DESE.

 

Thank you,

(your name)

(PTA Unit)


JC/DC ACTION ALERT: Missouri State Board Call to Action

Missouri’s State Board of Education is framed by the Missouri Constitution to be both bipartisan and independent of state politics.  This purposeful intent makes Missouri unique and our Department of Education has been afforded stability and flourished under this design.  Board members are appointed by the Governor and then approved by the Senate.

 

Over the last few months Governor Greitens has made five interim appointments.  Currently the Senate is out of session and therefor has yet to review and approve or disapprove the appointments.  It has been widely reported the Governor wishes to have the current Commissioner removed in order to bring in an out-of-state individual.

 

Three newly appointed interim members to the State Board of Education (Claudia Greim, Dough Russell, & Eddie Justice) are calling for a special meeting to discuss the firing of the current Commissioner of Education, Dr. Margie Vandeven.  This comes after developments this past September when Melissa Gelner’s appointment was revoked after she refused to agree with a request from the Governor’s to fire the Commissioner.

 

Missouri PTA is deeply concerned with the politicization that is currently occurring with regard to the State Board.  Our children, all our children, do best when non-political independent individuals focus on what is best for kids instead of their own political aspirations.

 

If you are concerned as advocates of education for all children let both the State Board of Education and your State Senator know your thoughts on this matter.

 

Emails can be send to the State Board of Educations at sbe@dese.mo.gov, request your email be distributed to all board members.

 

State Board of Education members:

Charlie Shields – President

Vic Lenz – Vice President

Michael Jones

*Claudia Greim

*Eddy Justice

*Dough Russell

*Tim Sumners

*Marvin “Sonny” Jungmeyer

 

*Newly appointed State Board members

 

The have been several articles posted lately regarding this development

• STL Today – Greitens Attempt to Oust Top School Official Appears Back On

• STL Today – In Five Months Gov Greitens Has Turned Over More Than Half the State School Board

• STL Today – Ex-School Board Member Accuses Governor of Strong-Arm Tactics