Freedom is recommending the following on ballot issues

Questions

Question 1 – Yes

Question 2 – Yes

  

Constitutional Amendments

Amendment 1 - No

Amendment 3 – No

 

Judges

All judges -  yes

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Voters in Kansas City, Missouri will consider the following question on the November 3, 2020 ballot. As the 9th Senatorial District representing Jackson County, Missouri, we are offering this informational guide explaining the ballot issue in plain English. We are not encouraging you to vote for or against this proposal, but we strongly encourage you to cast your ballot. The only way to make your voice heard is to exercise your right to vote.

Constitutional Amendment 3 (Dirty Missouri)

A “Yes” vote on Constitutional Amendment 3 would implement a plan by Jefferson City politicians to overturn Clean Missouri, a measure approved by over 62% of the voters in 2018 designed to make legislative redistricting more fair. A “Yes” vote on Constitutional Amendment 3 would disregard this voter mandate by decreasing partisan fairness and competitiveness in drawing districts, allowing more gerrymandering. A “Yes” vote would also remove the power of Clean Missouri’s nonpartisan state demographer to draw districts and instead require districts be drawn by politically-appointed commissions. A “Yes” vote on Constitutional Amendment 3 would alter a key criteria for determining districts, removing the current “Total Population” standard, instead excluding people who are not eligible to vote, such as children, when drawing districts. This change would disproportionately disenfranchise communities of color by transferring electoral power to whiter, rural areas of the state and reducing electoral power from more diverse, urban areas, as Missouri's communities of color skew younger than white communities. In order to help pass this plan, other elements were added to the proposal by the Jefferson City politicians. Accordingly, a “Yes” vote on Constitutional Amendment 3 would amend the Missouri Constitution to minimally reduce campaign contribution limits for state senate candidates by $100 per election and also prohibit state legislators and their employees from accepting gifts of any value (the current gift limit is $5, a cup of coffee) from paid lobbyists.

A “No” vote on Constitutional Amendment 3 would not overturn Clean Missouri and would make legislative redistricting more fair. A “No” vote on Constitutional Amendment 3 would increase partisan fairness and competitiveness in drawing districts, stopping gerrymandering efforts by career politicians. A “No” vote would allow Clean Missouri's nonpartisan state demographer to draw districts instead of politically-appointed commissions. A “No” vote on Constitutional Amendment 3 would keep the current “Total Population” standard and not exclude young people when drawing districts. A “No” vote on Constitutional Amendment 3 would treat communities of color fairly. A “No" vote on Constitutional Amendment 3 would not amend the Missouri Constitution to minimally reduce campaign contribution limits for state senate candidates by $100 and would allow state legislators and their employees to accept $5 gifts (a cup of coffee) from lobbyists.

JACKSON COUNTY QUESTION 1 (911 Service Fee Increase)

A “Yes” vote on Jackson County Question 1 would impose a one dollar ($1) monthly fee on Jackson County residents’ cell phone bills to fund 911 services improvements. Such fees, predominantly paid for by city residents, would fund improvements that would disproportionately benefit rural areas. As the vast majority of Jackson County residents live within the city, the financial impact of a “YES” vote on Jackson County Question 1 would impose a regressive fee on city residents to improve 911 services in rural areas that often vote against increased funding for government services, including 911.

A “No” vote on Jackson County Question 1 would not levy increased fees on Jackson County residents’ cell phone bills. The proposed fee increase is a regressive means of funding augmented 911 Service delivery, as the monthly fee will take a larger percentage of income from lower-income residents than those with higher incomes. A “No” vote on Jackson County Question 1 would maintain the county’s current level of 911 Service without imposing a regressive fee increase on the city’s poorest residents.

JACKSON COUNTY QUESTION 2 (Andrew Jackson Statue Removal)

A “Yes” vote on Jackson County Question 2 would implement an orderly, legal means of removing the statues of Andrew Jackson presently located outside the Jackson County Courthouse in Kansas City and the Truman Courthouse in Independence. Andrew Jackson, the 7th President of the United States, owned hundreds of slaves and oversaw the forceful removal and ethnic cleansing of countless Native Americans. Jackson's genocidal goal was to exterminate Native Americans from the South in order to open up more land for slave plantations.

A “No” vote on Jackson County Question 2 would allow the statues of Andrew Jackson to remain outside the Jackson County Courthouse and Truman Courthouse.