Ballot measures will be focus of First Friday Coffee event

Missouri constitutional amendments 3 and 4 will be the focus of this week’s First Friday Coffee event held by the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce.

Two speakers will be on hand, and each will discuss one of the measures.

Amendment 3 would raise the state’s lowest-in-the-nation cigarette tax by 60 cents over four years and impose an additional 67-cents-a-pack tax on discount brands of cigarettes. The retail cigarette tax would increase from 17 cents to 77 cents per pack by 2020, and the measure would raise the tax on discount brands of cigarettes by $1.27.

Mike Wood, spokesman for “Vote Yes on 3 For Kids,” will discuss the measure.

Amendment 4 seeks to prohibit new state or local sales and use taxes for services. Currently, the state does not apply sales taxes to services such as real-estate services, haircuts and many other services. If approved by voters, state and local governments would be barred from imposing sales or use tax on any service or activity that was not subject to such a tax as of Jan. 1, 2015.

Political consultant David Barklage will speak on the measure.

The presentation is meant to be informational, Dana DeBrock, member and event specialist for the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce, said, and the chamber is not taking a position on any of the ballot issues.

First Friday Coffee events are held on the first Friday of every month at Isle Casino Cape Girardeau’s Event Center. They feature presentations from sponsors followed by programs covering community, civic and business issues.

Sponsors this month are C.P.U. and the Southeast Missourian.

Doors open and a continental breakfast is served starting at 7 a.m. The program begins at 7:40 a.m.

The event is open to chamber members, and there is no cost to attend.

bbrown@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

777 Main St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.