STRICTLY BUSINESS; MISSOURI LAUNCHING PAD FOR TAX REVOLUTION

A petition drive is officially under way: Abolish, or "sunset"' the U.S. Tax Code by the year 2001.

"We're calling for repeal of the U.S. tax code," says Jack Faris, president of the National Federation of Independent Business, which has more than 600,000 businesses as members.

Faris is on a statewide tour this week to kick off the NFIB's Small Business Tax Revolt. The initial kickoff comes today at Independence, home city of former President Harry S. Truman, who said "The Buck Stops Here."

The weeklong campaign wraps up Friday evening at Cape Girardeau, where Faris will appear at a barbecue at the Show Me Center from 6 to 10.

The NFIB and the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce will be co-hosts of the barbecue.

The stop in Cape Girardeau is part of the historic statewide tour to kick off the national tax revolt, said Brad Jones, NFIB state director. It will also be a celebration of our new "Small Business Works for Missouri" image, introducing the small business group's new logo.

Other stops throughout the state include Kansas City, Lamar, Joplin, Mount Vernon, Springfield, Jefferson City and St. Louis.

Simple message

The NFIB's message is simple:

Repeal the tax code and replace it with a simpler, fairer system.

The NFIB wants the president and Congress to end the current tax code on Dec. 31, 2000.

To reach that goal, NFIB will canvass Missouri, and then the nation. The organization's goal is to get 1 million or more signatures on petitions by June 17 -- the opening of the Congressional Small Business Summit in Washington.

At that time, the petitions will be presented to Congress as "one million reasons to stop talking about the code and to actually do something."

NFIB has more than 12,000 small business members in Missouri. The state, said Jim Jennings, media relations for Missouri NFIB, was selected as the starting point for the campaign because of its history of supporting the interests of small business.

Missouri Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond and Rep. Jim Talent chair respective Senate and House Small Business Committees in the Congress.

Missouri is a bellwether state that can determine the course of the nation, said Faris, adding that small businesses in the "Show Me State" are ready to show America what they think about the current tax code.

'The code stops here'

"Harry Truman said, `the buck stops here.' We're in Missouri to say `the code stops here.'"

A number of small business supporters will speak at various functions during the Missouri tour.

Following the today's 10 a.m. launch of the tax revolt campaign at Independence Square, the group will move to the Downtown Marriott in Kansas City, where Talent will be guest speaker.

U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt will be guest speaker during a Joplin meeting later today, Rep. Mel Hancock will speak Wednesday during a roundtable discussion at Springfield, and Rep. Jo Ann Emerson will appear at the Cape Girardeau barbecue.

Sen. John Ashcroft has indicated he might attend the Cape Girardeau meeting, depending on his schedule.

Emerson has said she would like to see a simpler, flatter and fairer tax code, "one that doesn't have to be interpreted by attorneys."

Faris said the group hopes to make the tax issue a key one in the 1998 and 2000 elections.

A scary insurance fact

The Missouri Department of Insurance has released some scary facts:

"A quarter million-plus Missouri cars and light trucks failed to carry basic liability insurance last year."

There is some good news mixed in the bad: The statewide uninsured rate dropped from 7.7 percent in 1995, to 7.2 percent in 1996. Those statistics are much better than a decade ago, when 12.8 percent of the state's private passenger vehicles were uninsured.

The highest figures for uninsured autos were reported in St. Louis, Southeast Missouri and Lake of the Ozarks regions. Rates in those areas ranged as high as 31 percent for St. Louis, 24 percent in Pemiscot County and 17 percent in Mississippi and New Madrid counties.

In Cape Girardeau, more than 98 (98.7) percent of passenger vehicles have liability insurance. Of 43,613 vehicles registered, only 448 are uninsured.

In raw numbers, 269,195 vehicles, out of 2.7 million registered autos and light trucks, did not carry liability insurance last year.

Jay Angoff, MDI director, said that cost likely remains a factor in the uninsured rate. Missouri ranks high among the state with lower liability insurance premiums.

The uninsured percentages could drop in future years. The Missouri General Assembly this year enacted, and Gov. Mel Carnahan signed, major legislation tightening how the state enforces the motor vehicle responsibility law, which required insurance on autos or equivalent security for any damage caused in an accident.

The new legislation -- House Bill 207 -- takes effect Jan. 1, and request proof of insurance upon registration and presentation of such proof upon the request of a law enforcement officer.

Failure to carry insurance becomes a misdemeanor, rather than a citation.

B. Ray Owen is business editor for the Southeast Missourian.