Grassroots Alliance Wins Decisive Vote to Keep Earnings Tax in St. Louis & Kansas City

By , on April 6th, 2011

Hundreds of activists, working across the state, won a resounding victory for working people in Missouri yesterday.  Voters overwhelmingly approved keeping the municipal earnings taxes in Kansas City by 78% and St. Louis by 87.5%.

The elections were forced after billionaire financier Rex Sinquefield got Proposition A passed on a statewide ballot in November.  Proposition A barred the creation of any new municipal earnings tax in Missouri, and would phase out the earnings taxes already on the books in St. Louis and Kansas City, but only IF they ever fail in city elections.

Working with allies, Jobs with Justice stopped those who want to starve local government of the necessary resources to maintain Missouri’s two largest cities.

JwJ activists knocked on doors, called their neighbors, rallied, and educated their fellow voters for the November statewide and April elections.  Hundreds of JwJ activists were glad to stand alongside ally organizations- labor unions, neighborhood associations, congregations, elected officials, and ward organizations- in a grassroots alliance that triumphed in an anti-tax political climate.

April 6th, 2011 | Tags: , , , , , , , | Category: Campaigns, Public Money | Comments are closed

St. Louis Voters Decided! We Support the Earnings Tax!

By , on November 5th, 2010

More than 500 volunteers spent countless hours educating voters about the dangers of Prop A.  We canvassed, educated and worked the polls.  Although we are all disappointed that Proposition A passed statewide—stripping communities throughout the state of local control over their budget revenues—a whopping 68% of St. Louis City voters voted NO!  It’s a shame that Prop A proponents spent $11.7 million to find out what St. Louis Voters think about the earnings tax—we told them to butt out. JwJ members’ activism, support and volunteer efforts delivered this critical victory in St. Louis, and we will need to redouble our efforts when the earnings tax becomes a ballot issue in April, 2010.

Working people, seniors and neighborhood organizations bonded together to fight for police, fire protection, city services and local control. Your votes opposed higher sales and property taxes that would hit working people hard.  We must keep this momentum!

Kudos to the broad coalition of Say No to A endorsers—our allies in the faith community, business community and many community groups worked together to defeat Prop A in St. Louis.

November 5th, 2010 | Tags: , , , | Category: Everything Else | Comments are closed

St. Louis Casino Workers Bring in their Own “Lethal Weapon”

By , on August 11th, 2009

Cross-posted from St. Louis JwJ.

On Sunday, August 9 workers from the Lumiere and President Casinos had reason to stand tall as they learned the National Labor Relations board handed down a scathing ruling against their employer, Pinnacle Entertainment.  The rulings call on Pinnacle to finally begin bargaining with the workers’ union, Workers United Local 74. 

The workers and their union had an “all star” cast of support on hand, including actor Danny Glover (pictured here).   Also on hand were members of the St. Louis Workers Rights Board, elected officials, and area union leaders from throughout the labor movement.

August 11th, 2009 | Tags: , , , , , | Category: Alliances, Unions | One comment - (Comments are closed)