— Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander approved the questions for five ballot measures that will be placed before voters on Aug. 5.

The language and fiscal notes were certified on Friday, giving county clerks one week to have ballots ready for members of the military by this Friday. Absentee are to be made available to all voters by next Tuesday, June 24.

Constitutional Amendment 7 is expected to be subject to the most political scrutiny in the lead up to August 5. The Missouri Legislature passed the measure last month asking voters to approve a .75 percent sales tax to fund transportation projects. The measure notes that it would provide some $480 million annually to the state’s “Transportation Safety and Job Creation Fund” and $54 million to local governments. It specifies that the funds “cannot be divertyed for other uses.”

“Shall the Missouri Constitution be changed to enact a temporary sales tax of t hree-quarters of one percent to be used solely to fund state and local highways, roads, bridges, and transportation projects for ten years, with priority given to repairing unsafe roads and bridges,” the question will read.

The amendment has drawn opposition from Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon and the Missouri Association for Social Welfare, which had said the measure would unfairly subject lower income residents to a sales tax increase. However, it is being supported by Democratic U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, as well as many labor unions which say it will increase job opportunities.

Amendment 5 asks voters to strengthen “the right to keep and bear arms” by declaring that “the state government is obligated to uphold that right.” The fiscal note says “the proposal’s passage will likely lead to increased litigation,” and that it’s “potential costs are unknown, but could be significant.”

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