Several Issues Confront Voters Next Tuesday

Four constitutional amendments and one proposition will be decided statewide November 5th. In addition, Missourians will decide if the state should hold a constitutional convention, an issue required to be on the ballot every 20 years. Secretary of State Matt Blunt has released plain language explanations of the issues. Constitutional Amendment Number One will decide whether St. Louis has home rule or whether the state legislature retains authority on certain aspects of St. Louis government. Constitutional Amendment Number Two would grant collective bargaining rights to certain emergency personnel. Constitutional Amendment Number Three would modify legislative term limits by not counting short, partial terms. And Constitutional Amendment Number Four would exempt city-owned utilities from Public Service Commission scrutiny. The state legislature placed all the constitutional amendment proposals on the ballot, except for Constitutional Amendment Number Two that was placed on the ballot by initiative petition. Proposition A will also be on the ballot next Tuesday. It proposes raising the tax on a pack of cigarettes by 55-cents. It was also placed on the ballot by initiative petition. Blunt says his plain language explanations of the ballot issues should only be the beginning for voters who want to be informed when they go to the polls November 5th.