Secretary of State Matt Blunt approved our petition on April 18, 2001 and that leaves us right at a year to get about 120,000 signatures from six of the nine congressional districts which amounts to a little over 20,000 for each district.

Stops will be planned for St. Louis, Rolla, Lebanon, Springfield, Republic, Marionville, Aurora, Crane, Galena, Reeds Spring, Hollister, Branson and on to Joplin and will include other smaller cities along the line in Missouri. The big picture is that with high speed rail coming from Chicago to St. Louis it makes sense that people in Oklahoma are wanting to tie Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas along tracks that are already in existence and it would tie the Midwest together with Rail Passenger Service.

The one tenth sales tax on fuel will provide only part of the funding around 4 million a year, but it will send a clear message to the State Legislature that the citizens want another way of travel in Missouri and that should lead to additional funding including federal monies. It could help take some of the cars off the roads and at the same time help preserve some of our environment.

To look at ballot language go to elections on the Secretary of State’s website. No statewide petition drive has ever made it onto the ballot without raising and paying workers who help gather signatures. That is why we are working on fund raising and to help or find out more info

e-mail stevenlloydreed@hotmail.com. Send letters of support to:

Julia F. Street 14225 Highway 64 lot Center Lebanon, MO 65536.

We are looking for TEAM CAPTAINS in each city.

To get copies of petition and to help with getting signatures please mail a check for $10 to: Missourians for Rail Passenger Service 101 S. Rice #16 Nixa, MO 65714, (we will accept up to $100).

Sincerely,

Steven L. Reed

Nixa, MO 65714

417-724-2330

INITIATIVE PETITION APPROVED
FOR CIRCULATION IN MISSOURI
Submitted by: Mr. Steven L. Reed
101 S. Rice # 16
Nixa, MO 65714

Mr. Reed can be reached by calling (417) 724-2330.

Petition sample form approved for circulation on
Official ballot title certified by Secretary of State

OFFICIAL BALLOT TITLE AS CERTIFIED BY SECRETARY OF STATE

Shall article IV, section 30 of the Missouri Constitution be amended to provide for a one-tenth of one-percent sales tax on motor vehicle fuel, the proceeds of which shall be used to develop rail passenger service in Missouri?

A one-tenth of one percent sales tax assessed on the sale of fuel used to propel motor vehicles (automobiles, trailers, motorcycles, mopeds) would generate tax revenues of approximately $3,510,000 to $4,875,000 annually. The tax revenues would be used to develop rail passenger service in Missouri.

FULL TEXT OF PROPOSITION AS SUBMITTED BY PETITIONER

Be it resolved by the people of the State of Missouri that the Cnstitution be amended:

Section 30 of article IV of the Constitution of Missouri is amended by adding Section 30(D). The new section includes the following underlined language:

Monies collected from a one tenth of one percent sales tax will be used for the purpose of developing Rail Passenger Service in Missouri including from St. Louis to Rolla, Springfield, Aurora, Billings, Marionville, Republic, Crane, Galena, Reeds Spring, Hollister and Branson. (This will allow connection of the Chicago Rail Passenger Line to Tulsa and other cities in Texas). A one tenth of one percent sales tax upon or measured by fuel used for propelling motor vehicles (automobiles, trailers, motorcycles, mopeds), is to be levied and collected as provided by law.

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Initiative Petitions | Elections | SOS Home Page

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Office of Secretary of State Matt Blunt
600 W. Main and 208 State Capitol, PO Box 1767, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102
Telephone: (573) 751-4936

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4/01


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Petition seeks new rail service in state

By Tony Hall ~ Southeast Missourian

An attempt to revive passenger railway service in Missouri through a statewide fuel tax would give travelers much needed alternatives, said a Springfield, Mo., man who is leading an effort to put the idea on the ballot.

"We need to preserve this type of transportation for the next generation," said Steven Reed, who has been seeking to create rail routes in his area for over 10 years.

Reed got approval from the secretary of state's office last week to begin collecting the 120,000 signatures needed to place the petition on the ballot. The petition would create a one-tenth of 1 percent sales tax on fuel. An estimated $4 million in annual revenue generated by the tax would help pay for passenger rail service between St. Louis and Joplin, Mo.

The petition lists 11 other communities that would be part of the railway line, including Rolla, Lebanon and Branson. Although none of the towns are in Southeast Missouri, Reed believes he can find support in the region.

"If people support this, there's a chance that rail service could be expanded to Southeast Missouri," he said. "At least we'd be at a starting point."

The head of the Cape Girardeau Area Industrial Recruitment Association doubts Reed's idea will work.

"With the demands right now on the state budget, I just don't think it would find much support, if any," said Mitch Robinson.

Although St. Louis' Metrolink experiment with citywide rail travel has had some success, Reed's proposal would not allow access to many people in the state, Robinson said.

A high-speed rail corridor between Kansas City and St. Louis has been given support by the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative, which unites nine states and Amtrak in looking at ways to improve and expand passenger rail services.

However, the plan doesn't expand rail service in the state. It envisions feeder bus routes bringing passengers to railway hubs in Jefferson City and Kansas City to catch a train.

Reed is not put off by opposition to his idea. His visions for rail travel have met with similar roadblocks ever since his father wrote a letter to Union Pacific Railroad in 1989 suggesting the company start a passenger railway between Springfield and Branson.

Reed hopes people will realize the bigger possibilities. In Oklahoma, supporters of increased passenger railways are better organized. If they succeed, it could lead to links stretching from Chicago through Missouri and into Texas.

But with a year to gather approximately 300 signatures a day, Reed's main focus is in Missouri.

His plan has no big donors' support, so he plans to solicit funding from the public.

Reed has not found a person to champion his cause in Southeast Missouri yet, but he said he is looking.

"What we're saying is that with gas prices getting so high, everyone will be looking for alternative travel," Reed said.

thall@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 122

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© 2001, Southeast Missourian. This story was posted on the site Saturday, April 28, 2001.


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