Initiative petition would open door for educational vouchers

Here they go again. An initiative petition that would open the door to educational vouchers in Missouri has been approved for circulation. This is the press release from Secretary of State Jason Kander:

 Secretary of State Jason Kander today announced that an initiative petition relating to an education tax credit met state standards for circulation.

The official ballot title for the initiative petition reads:                 

Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:

• create a tax credit for donations made to nonprofit corporations that provide funds to improve programs in public school districts, provide scholarships for students to attend qualified private or parochial elementary or secondary schools, or support special education services for children;
• limit the tax credit to $50,000 annually per individual or business entity, and cap the entire credit at $90 million annually; and
• repeal any constitutional provisions that prohibit taxpayer funds from being used to aid private or parochial elementary or secondary schools that qualify for the funding in this measure?

Any decrease in state revenue will depend on the redemption of tax credits issued related to this proposal, initially limited to $90 million per year. Increased annual state operating expenses are expected to be initially about $120,000. Each individual school district will experience an unknown annual change in revenue. 

The petition, which would amend Article IX of the Missouri Constitution, was submitted by Barbara Swanson, 201 Dover St., Jefferson City, MO 65109.

Before any constitutional changes can be brought before Missouri voters in the November 2014 election, signatures must be obtained from registered voters equal to eight (8) percent of the total votes cast in the 2012 governor's election from six of the state's eight congressional districts.

Signatures on behalf of all initiative petitions for the 2014 ballot are due to the secretary of state’s office by no later than 5 p.m. on May 4, 2014.

Before circulating petitions, state l