Looking Down Ballot - Missouri Constitutional Amendment #4 - Stormwater Changes

Constitutional Amendment #4 is a classic "down ballot" item. It's confusing, with no practical impact apparent to the average voter, and nobody is going to talk about it before the election. Nobody is spending money to oppose it, and the people who stand to profit from it are smart enough to lay low and not draw any attention. No billboards on I-70 will be exhorting citizens to oppose or support Constitutional Amendment #4. So it provides me with a rare opportunity to be the sole voice in opposition to a statewide issue, and I'm cantankerous enough to take it.

VOTE "NO" ON CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT #4.

Here's the language that will appear on your ballot:

Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to change provisions relating to the
financing of stormwater control projects by:

limiting availability of grants and loans to public water and
sewer districts only;

removing the cap on available funding and existing restrictions on
disbursements;

requiring loan repayments to be used only for stormwater control projects?

It is estimated the cost to state governmental entities is $0 to $236,000 annually.
It is estimated state governmental entities will save approximately $7,500 for each bond
issuance. It is estimated local governmental entities participating in this program may
experience savings, however the amount is unknown.

Here's a more informative piece about the enabling legislation. 99 out of 100 voters will read this language and vote "yes" or "no" without understanding what in the heck it is really about. Because we're polite, docile voters who assume that measures like these are about helping to build necessary storm sewers, 56 of those voters will vote "yes", and the wealthy real estate interests and heavy construction companies will toast our ignorance with fine champagne.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT #4 WILL TRANSFER MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF YOUR TAX DOLLARS TO SUPER-WEALTHY SPECIAL INTERESTS.

A few weeks ago, I did a post that included a mention of how Kansas City is controlled by "dirt and concrete" - the twin interests of heavy construction and holders of prime real estate. It should come as no surprise that the same interests of dirt and concrete control much of what happens in Jefferson City, too. Constitutional Amendment #4 will enable millions of tax dollars - money that will not go to support education or children who need healthcare - to be spent on storm water projects designed to enhance property values of favored interests and generate millions of dollars in revenue for the heavy construction companies that will install those storm sewers.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT #4 MISLEADS THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AT STAKE.

Alert readers will note that my claim that millions of dollars will be transferred is controverted by the very language that will appear on the ballot. Gone Mild claims that millions are at stake, while the ballot language pegs it at a measly few hundred thousands of dollars.

Who is right? Gone Mild, of course.

The figure included on the ballot is only the amount of money that will go to hire a few people to shovel the real money to the interests of dirt and concrete. The millions of dollars that will get transferred will come from other appropriations, so they don't get counted. It's kind of like if someone gives you the keys to a vault full of gold, and you claim that they only gave you a $3 key.

In this case, that key opens the door to about $150 million in tax dollars that got approved a decade ago, but hasn't yet found its way to the people that lust for it. Tax law changes are part of the reason, but this Amendment goes beyond making a few technical changes in tax laws. In fact, it abolishes the requirement approved by the voters that half the give-away be in the form of loans. It also eliminates a $20 million cap on the size of the projects we taxpayers will be paying for.

PASSAGE OF CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT #4 WILL SUPPORT VOTER DISENGAGEMENT.

The reason you don't know more about Amendment #4 is not because you're stupid. It's because the powers that be expect you to docilely support a multi-million dollar giveaway without bothering to provide you with justification or even explanation. In fact, they are probably right. I expect that this Amendment will pass, because Missourians have lost touch with their "Show me" attitude, and will assume that something like this wouldn't have made it to the ballot if it weren't a good idea. In a climate where the interests of dirt and concrete can fleece the public for $150 million dollars without even undertaking a massive PR campaign to explain why, ignorant voters are a useful tool. As long as we go along with misleading down ballot measures and can be relied on to pass them without demanding to know what they are, we will continue to be surprised by finding provisions like this one coiled and hissing in the middle pages of our ballots.