KC voters rally against Missouri Amendments 4 & 5. ‘Direct attack on democracy’
Two weeks before Missouri’s Aug. 4 Primary Election, Kansas City voters stood in front of Westport Presbyterian Church to voice their oppositions to Amendments 4 and 5.
A crowd held picket signs and chanted, and a band played “When the Saints Go Marching In,” to kick off the rally. Speakers urged onlookers to vote “no,” to the amendments, arguing Amendment 4 strips voters’ voice, and that Amendment 5, the elimination of income tax, will only shift the tax burden and harm public education.
Amendment 4, if approved, would change how citizens pass ballot measures. Instead of counting a statewide majority vote, a measure would need a majority of votes in all eight congressional districts to pass.
Proponents of Amendment 4, the majority being Republican lawmakers, say it would give rural Missouri a voice and ensure broad consensus across the state before changing the constitution. Those against it say it would allow a minority of voters to block measures supported statewide, reduce the power of voters and strengthen the legislature.
“That ain’t right. That means just 5% of voters in the state could ruin it for all of us and control what happens,” said Erika, a leader with Abortion Action Missouri. “That ain’t right, and it makes no sense.”
Why some want to keep current system
Erika, who did not give her last name for privacy reasons, shared a story at the rally about how voter amendments to the constitution has directly affected her life.
After Missouri’s abortion ban took effect in June 2022, she became pregnant. Halfway through the pregnancy, she received a fatal fetal anomaly diagnosis.
Because of Missouri’s laws at the time, she could not get the necessary medical care in-state and was forced to travel to Washington, D.C. for the procedure. Later, after the initiative petition process legalized abortion again in Missouri, a doctor said the same care was just 25 minutes from her Kansas City home.
Erika championed the current petition and constitutional amendment process, saying it gives “ordinary people the power,” and called Amendment 4 a “direct attack on democracy.”
Workers against eliminating income tax
If Amendment 5 is approved, it would phase out personal income tax in the state, and make other tax changes. Proponents of the measure say it would let Missourians keep more of their earnings, boost the economy and provide a path forward for tax reform.
Opponents of the measure argue it will inevitably result in higher costs elsewhere, like sales tax on goods and services. They say it also threatens funding for essential government programs and public schools.
Richard Eiker, a longtime McDonald’s worker and leader with Missouri Workers Power in Kansas City, said he fears Amendment 5 would result in fewer services for people who need them.
“We want to work and live without worrying, to afford the things we need, and maybe even have a little left over to actually enjoy our lives,” Eiker said. “To go out to a nice dinner, to take our children to the movies, to go on a family vacation. I dream of having that freedom and joy. I’m fighting for that for all of us.”
According to organizers, around 200 people attended the rally at Westport Presbyterian Church. The rally was part of a statewide effort to raise awareness about the ballot measures and encourage people to vote.
