The July 15 campaign finance report to the Missouri Ethics Commission showed proponents of Constitutional Amendment 7 have a sizeable cash advantage heading into the final month of the campaign over the group opposing the amendment.
Missourians for Safe Transportation and New Jobs, the political action committee headed by former state legislator and highways and transportation commissioner Bill McKenna and former state representative Jewell Patek picked up $1.45 million in donations from engineering companies, civic organizations and labor unions.
Critics of the amendment point to the more than 40 donations ranging from $1,000 to $25,000 coming from out-of-state corporations as to why Amendment 7 is wrong for Missouri.
The opposition group has just $1,940 heading into the final days before the Aug. 5 election.
"We are a grassroots organization, with no special interest or out-of-state corporations funding our efforts," Thomas Shrout, of St. Louis, said. Shrout is the treasurer for Missourians for Better Transportation Solutions, which is opposing the amendment.
One of those supporting the amendment is Volkert, Inc., a national engineering firm with an office in Jefferson City. Office Manager, Don Hillis, said the decision to contribute $3,000 to the campaign was an easy one for the firm.
"We know how important transportation is for the state and we wanted to be a part of the group supporting the measure," Hillis said. He added that the firm, "was not thinking about it in those terms," when asked if the firm had thought by contributing funds to the support group, it would give the firm an advantage when bidding for Missouri Department of Transportation construction projects in the future. Another local group supporting the measure is the Jefferson City Area's Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, who voted unanimously to support the measure and to contribute $10,000.
Randy Allen, President and CEO of the Chamber said, that the chamber decided to the support the measure after seeing how long-desired transportation improvements would be finalized with Amendment 7 funds.
"The fact remains that transportation is the key to economic development in this state," Allen said. "Missouri needs to have a well-maintained, modernized transportation system and right now we are falling behind neighboring states."
Some of the funds raised by Missourians for Better Transportation Solutions during the previous quarter came from individual citizens including some from Jefferson City.
Ed Zagorac, of Jefferson City, contributed $200 according to records turned in to the Missouri Ethics Commission. Zagorac could not be reached for comment at the number listed on the July Quarterly report.
Opponents have said their biggest criticism of Amendment 7 is the sales tax will hurt the lower socio-economic Missourians. Opponents also have argued that instead of raising sales tax, the state's gasoline tax of 17 cents per gallon - one of nation's lowest - should be raised.
"Many of us have been working to improve transportation in this state for many years," Thomas Shrout said. Shrout is the treasurer for the group Missourians for Better Transportation Solutions, which is opposing the amendment. "We believe that the sales tax is fundamentally the wrong mechanism for improving our state's infrastructure."
Shrout is undeterred by his group's inability to match the fundraising of the amendment's supporters. Shrout said they would use their almost $2,000 on a "sizeable mail campaign" to target likely August primary voters.
"Once they hear our message and understand where we are coming from, they will be with us," Shrout said. "Of course, we feel it is always easier to defeat a tax than to pass one, so we are not worried."
Calls to numbers listed for McKenna and Patek were not immediately returned for comment.