Vote ‘No’ on GOP’s Constitutional Amendment

That Would Redistrict State Legislative Districts                

By Tom Schneider

During the 2020 Missouri legislative session the Republicans put a constitutional amendment on this November’s ballot disrespecting two-thirds of Missouri voters who passed “Clean Missouri” in every Senate district only two years ago. Missouri voters approved that wise plan to redistrict Legislative State districts by a professional non-partisan demographer to draw up the required new Census district maps.

(The headline that appeared in the Oct. 15 print edition of the Independent News edition with this editorial submitted by retired Florissant mayor Tom Schneider was incorrect and misleading. Schneider was recommending a “No” vote not a ”Yes” vote)

Missouri Republicans fear that professionally drawn districts will weaken their armlock on our state’s neck and want November election voters to give them back their old system to ensure their Republican choke hold.

The consequence of the Republican Party dominating with such a super majority is that their ultra-conservative dogma is strangling our ability to keep up with the other 49 states. Missouri has been moving to the back of the line compared with other states for over a decade.

Two Republican failures in the past legislative session illustrate my point. They failed to address two essential issues that are keeping Missouri at the bottom of the barrel: internet sales tax and infrastructure funding.

Republicans failed to pass the Wayfair Internet Tax legislation for Missouri to join 48 other states in collecting sales tax from internet sales. By not taxing internet sales in Missouri the Republicans turned their back on retailers and all levels of government who were hurting even prior to COVID-19 as internet sales were climbing and retail sales were in decline and the Pandemic has magnified these problems exponentially.

There are cataclysmic consequences to not taxing internet sales. When local retail establishments cannot compete and reopen then we will live in ghost towns of shuttered stores and shops making our existence monotonous, austere and impersonal just like in quarantine. Worse yet, our cities, counties and state will not be able to afford even our basic needs of police protection and infrastructure maintenance.

Our Republican Legislators also failed to address the highway infrastructure of our state. Although Missouri has the 7th most Highways in the Nation to maintain we continue to collect less fuel tax than 46 other states. As the former Florissant mayor and councilman, I took the responsibility for Florissant infrastructure very seriously so I am amazed at the indifference of Republican legislators to funding Missouri’s highways.

A decade ago, Missouri benefited from a balanced mix of representation from both the Republican and Democrat parties in our State Legislature resulting in a bi-partisan approach to good governance putting people above party. The end result was common sense middle of the road balanced government by the people and for the people.

We now have a very unbalanced mix dominated by an ultra-conservative dogma driven Republican super majority who want to tighten their grip. Missourians should be insulted by having to vote again to keep the “Clean Missouri” professionally drawn district plan.

(Thomas P Schneider was a nonpartisan office holder for 40 years in Florissant.

Florissant Mayor 2011-2019 and Florissant City Council 1979-2011 member Missouri 21st Century Transportation Task Force email: tompschneider@gmail.com)

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