MDN Menu

MDN Home

Journalist's Creed

Print

MDN Help

  Exit  

MDN.ORG: Missouri Digital News

MDN Menu

MDN Home

Journalist's Creed

Print

MDN Help

  Exit  

MDN.ORG Mo. Digital News Missouri Digital News MDN.ORG: Mo. Digital News MDN.ORG: Missouri Digital News

Help  Close

Missouri's Supreme Court Rules On Education Bill

Missouri's Supreme Court rules that while the promise of a public referendum on an education tax increase was not constitutional, the education reforms will stay in place.

Kelly Just reports from Jefferson City.

The "Excellence in Education" bill passed by just a few votes in 1993.

The legislation restructured Missouri's education system and proposed a 320-million dollar tax increase.

The bill also included a partial-referendum clause...that stated Missourians might get a chance to vote on the increase...but such a vote never happened.

The Missouri Supreme court now says the referendum clause is unconstitutional...but that won't change the law.

St. Louis House Republican, Todd Akin says he's unsatisfied with the ruling.

Actuality:Akin
RunTime: 10 sec
OutCue: "get away with it"
Contents: [111K WAV file - Akin says Republicans felt that Griffin, Carnahan and the Democrats cheated to get the bill through. He says the Supreme Court ruling proves the cheating was going on, but lets it slide.]

Akin contends the state never planned to hold a referendum...tricking some legislators into backing the bill.

The Governor's office says the lawsuit was motivated by politics, not the education of Missouri school children.

From the State Capitol, Kelly Just, KMOX news.