All sides of Proposition A
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All sides of Proposition A

Date: October 12, 2010
By: Jamal Andress
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: 
Earnings tax opponents charge the St. Louis mayor's office is exaggerating how much of the cities budget the tax really makes up
RunTime:  0:46
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: The earnings Tax in St. Louis and Kansas City collects one percent of the income of persons working in the city.

The St. Louis mayor's chief assistant Jeff Rainford says this tax makes up a quarter of the city budget and all of the St. Louis police budget.

But, Scott Charton, the spokesman for the group opposed to the earnings tax says these figures are biased and wrong.

Actuality:  CHARTON1.WAV
Run Time:  00:14
Description: "Check the website under our releases, we have a study linked on there that shows this is only about 15 percent of the budget of Kansas City and St. louis. They're playing fast and loose with some figures here."

The opposed group is called Let Voters Decide.

It commissioned a study that also found only 25 of the 150 biggest cities in America have an earnings tax.

From Jefferson City, I'm Jamal Andress.         

Intro: 
Unlike Kansas City, the mayor of St. Louis has taken a lower profile on Proposition A that could eliminate the city's earnings tax.
RunTime:  0:45
OutCue:  SOC

Actuality:  RAINFRD1.WAV
Run Time:  00:13
Description: "We trust our voters to do the right thing and we feel like as long as they are informed that they will do the right thing and the mayor does plan to spend the time between November and April informing them."

Wrap: That was the St. Louis mayor's chief assistant, Jeff Rainford on the prospects of a city vote to retain its earnings tax if Proposition A is approved.

Rainford says the mayors office will start fighting for the earnings tax if Proposition A passes and not before.

Kansas City city leaders have been doing more now. They've held rallies and made speeches to fight against proposition A

If it passes it'll require St. Louis and Kansas City residents to vote on their earnings tax once every 5 years starting next spring

From Jefferson City I'm Jamal Andress

      

Intro: 
Proposition A will affect more than just St. Louis and Kansas City, it has implications for every city in Missouri. Jamal Andress has more from the state capitol.
RunTime:  0:44
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Prop A will make St. Louis and Kansas City residents vote on their earnings tax once every five years. And it would ban every other city in the state from having an earnings tax.

The Missouri Municipal League Executive Director Dan Ross says all cities should be able to make their own decisions.

Actuality:  ROSS1.WAV
Run Time:  00:15
Description: "Our position on Proposition A and many other topics is basically to maintain local authority to conduct their own business and make their own decisions. And so we're against proposition A because it doesn't do that."

Ross says no cities in Missouri are considering an earnings tax.

The spokesman for the group opposed to the tax says Missourians pay enough to the government already.  

From Jefferson City, I'm Jamal Andress.