Jackson education activist challenges use-tax count

A petition calling for a recount of the use-tax question in Cape Girardeau County was filed Monday with the circuit clerk's office.

Jackson resident David Larson issued a news release notifying local media outlets of his decision to file the petition, which is allowed by state statute because the difference between the number of votes in favor and against was less than 1 percent.

Registered voters within the county were qualified to file the petition, but only after the election results were certified. That process happened Friday, showing 3,534 "yes" votes versus 3,521 "no" votes for the tax that will be levied on certain out-of-state purchases, including vehicles. The county plans to use revenue from the tax to build a new county courthouse.

Like any process that goes through the circuit court, the process will take time, and a summons to the county election authority will have to be issued, the circuit clerk's office confirmed. State statute places the burden on the voter or "contestant" to lay out the points on which he or she wishes to contest and any facts or proof that support such points.

"The judge of the court shall immediately note on the petition the date it was filed and shall immediately set a date, not later than five days after the petition is filed, for a preliminary hearing," Missouri statute says.

Larson is no stranger to the Southeast Missouri political arena, having served as the treasurer of No On Three, a political action committee formed to defeat Amendment 3 on last November's ballot. The proposed constitutional amendment that would have tied teacher evaluations to student performance and limited future teaching contracts to three years was ultimately voted down.

srinehart@semissourian.com

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