Proposed Missouri Constitutional Amendment 3 may dramatically change Missouri road funding

Amendment 3, if passed by Missouri voters in the November 2004 election, will dramatically change the funding mechanisms for Missouri roads and highways and all other state funds.

Missourians for Tax Justice has prepared a summary of the proposed amendment. Just one point from that summary:

Amendment 3 ("A-3"), an initiative amendment to the Missouri state constitution, will be on the November 2, 2004 election ballot.

"A-3" would take money that now goes to fund education, mental health, services for children, families and seniors, and other vital state programs and shift this money to construction of new roads. At present, one-half of the state sales tax paid on motor vehicles goes to state General Revenue and the other half is dedicated for transportation purposes. The shift of state general sales tax from General Revenue to "transportation" occurred with a constitutional amendment in 1979. Until then, all the state sales tax on motor vehicles (as with all other consumer goods) went to the General Revenue Fund where it could be used for Missouri's most critical needs.

Supporters of the proposal argue that all sales tax on automobiles should be used only for roadbuilding and call any other use of this sales tax money a "diversion". Their case for the proposed amendment can be found at EndTheDiversion.org