Whether you think it has been a blessing or a curse, the battle against taxes (one which has been extremely successful in recent years) can be traced back to a few pioneers, and one of those was former Seventh Disrict Congressman Mel Hancock, who died at the age of 82.
Hancock served four two-year terms in the U. S. House of Representatives, serving from 1989 to 1997, but it was in the state of Missouri that he had his biggest impact.
The amendment that carries his name has limited the taxation powers of Missouri government officials since it went into effect three decades ago limits the amount of money Missourians can be taxed and requires all tax increases to be approved by the voters.
Since his retirement from Congress, Hancock, for the most part, had stayed out of the public eye, notably resurfacing in 2010 when he endorsed Springfield auctioneer Billy Long in his successful bid for Hancock's former Congressional seat.
That endorsement was cited over and over again by Long during the campaign.
On a personal note, after dealing with one politician after another who took my questions, ignored them, and said whatever talking points they came to say, I appreciated Congrssman Hancock's willingness to answer the question he was asked.
Hancock was always quick to respond to my phone calls during the time I was at the Carthage Press.
In this day, when much of the political disocurse is centered around Hancock's Republican Party's refusal to consider any type of revenue increase whatsoever, it should be remembered that Hancock was one of the first, with his Taxpayer Survival Association, the Hancock Amendment, and later with his consistent votes in Congress, to bring that mindset to Washington.
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