$4 million paid to pro signature gatherers

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Professional petition circulators were paid around $4 million to solicit signatures from Missourians in an effort to get five initiatives on the November ballot.

The total, calculated Wednesday by The Associated Press from campaign finance reports and interviews, went toward proposed constitutional amendments that would protect stem-cell research, raise the tobacco tax, restrict eminent domain and cap state spending. Some also went toward a proposed change in state law that would raise the minimum wage.

Supporters of a sixth potential ballot measure -- to reverse last year's cuts to the Medicaid health-care program for the poor -- relied solely on volunteers.

State law requires campaign committees to file financial reports with the Missouri Ethics Commission 15 days after the deadline to turn in petition signatures for proposed ballot measures. That Ethics Commission deadline passed Monday, yet only the stem-cell and tobacco tax groups had complied before being contacted Wednesday by the AP.

The Ethics Commission said there are no specific sanctions for tardy ballot-measure groups. But complaints still could be brought against them, leaving it to the commission to decide whether and how to reprimand them.

The finance reports show the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures paid almost $1.3 million from November to May to Brighton, Mich.-based National Petition Management, which hires people to gather petition signatures.

The coalition supports a proposed constitutional amendment that would guarantee all federally allowed stem cell research and treatments could occur in Missouri, including a type of embryonic stem cell research that opponents contend destroys human life at its earliest stages.

The Committee for a Healthy Future Inc. supports a constitutional amendment that would raise Missouri's cigarette tax from 17 cents to 97 cents a pack and increase taxes on other tobacco products by 20 percent. The revenues -- projected at a minimum of $351 million annually -- would go toward health care for low- to middle-income Missourians, higher Medicaid payments to medical providers and anti-tobacco programs.

The tobacco tax group paid almost $1 million from last September through early May to Ludington, Mich.-based National Voter Outreach, which also gathers petition signatures.

Payments by the tobacco tax and stem cell groups averaged about $4 for each signature that was submitted to the secretary of state's office. Election officials are still verifying those signatures, but supporters assume the expense will be well worth it, said Connie Farrow, a spokeswoman for the Coalition for Lifesaving Cures.

"The fact is the lives of hundreds of thousands of Missouri children and adults who suffer from diseases ... are at stake," Farrow said. "We want to make sure that those who have the most at stake have their voices heard on this initiative."

Although the stem cell coalition boasts a membership of more than 46,000 individuals and 60 patient and medical groups, almost all of the roughly $10 million it had raised through May 17 came from two people -- James and Virginia Stowers.

The Stowers gave $9.5 million, and the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in Kansas City -- which conducts stem cell research -- has contributed services worth more than $43,000.

Opponents of the stem cell measure contend the source and use of the money reflect poorly on the ballot initiative.

"People say it has widespread support, but it's one very wealthy couple that own a medical research company and stand to win a lot if they can get something patented down the line," said Jaci Winship, executive director of Missourians Against Human Cloning. "It really just shows you can buy signatures -- and that's what they did."

The Stowers founded the nonprofit institute with $1.7 billion of their money and sit on its board of directors but do not own it nor stand to personally profit from the ballot measure, said Marie Jennings, a spokeswoman for Stowers Institute. Yet without passage of the ballot measure, they fear legislators could impair the institute's ability to conduct certain research, she said.

Besides the petition gathering, the stem cell coalition already has spent millions of dollars on TV, radio and newspaper advertising. It also has hired several political consultants, including ones intended to reach out to Republicans and social conservatives, Democrats and labor unions, and active and retired military members.

Funding for the tobacco tax initiative has come predominantly from the medical community. The group reported raising more than $1.8 million for its campaign through May 17, $975,000 of which came from a Missouri Hospital Association committee. The association also contributed more than $51,000 in services.

The group Missourians in Charge paid more than $1.5 million -- mostly to National Voter Outreach -- to gather petition signatures for the eminent domain and spending cap measures, according to figures supplied to the AP. Nearly all that money came from the Fund for Democracy, which is financed by New York Developer Howard Rich.

Opponents of the spending cap measure argued Wednesday that a judge should order its ballot language rewritten. Cole County Circuit Judge Richard Callahan said he would rule Friday.

The group Give Missourians a Raise spent about $250,000 on petition circulators for its effort to increase Missouri's minimum wage from $5.15 to $6.50 an hour, said group consultant Jim Kottmeyer. Some of that went to National Petition Management, but the group also paid some signature gatherers directly, he said.