HANCOCK KICKS OFF NEW PETITION DRIVE

Congressman Mel Hancock, R-Springfield, was in Cape Girardeau Saturday to kick off a series of statewide petition drives to gather signatures for his Hancock II tax amendment.

During the next month, Hancock will visit 55 cities around the state, in an effort to put Hancock II on the Nov. 8 general election ballot. Hancock plans to visit the cities during his weekends off from the U.S. House of Representatives.

Hancock's first stop was at the Cape Girardeau K-Mart store, where he and other volunteers obtained signatures for the petitions from area residents. He was scheduled to stop at Sikeston, Kennett and Poplar Bluff later in the day.

The Hancock II amendment would allow Missourians to vote on all significant new state and local taxes and will prevent the state from mandating local programs unless it also pays the costs. It will also prohibit the state from requiring local taxes as a condition of state funding.

He said Hancock II is designed to close a loophole that was contained in the original Hancock Amendment.

"Hancock II reinforces the original Hancock Amendment that put a lid on taxes," said the Springfield congressman. "Because of what Gov. Carnahan pushed through the legislature last session, he did not let the citizens of Missouri vote on the largest tax increase in the history of the state.

"If we get this petition completed and get the issue on the ballot and it passes, as of November of this year, neither the governor or the legislature can raise taxes in the state without letting us, the citizens, vote on it. This is a gut issue of the constitutional right of the citizens to control the ability of the government to tax," he said.

Hancock said citizen response to the petition drive has been good.

"It's just a case that if we can get enough volunteers out with petitions, the people will sign them. They are looking for the Hancock II amendment petitions."

He urged anyone who would like to volunteer to carry a Hancock II amendment petition to call 1-800-769-3813.