Many cities wrote letters to the office of Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway over the past two weeks, alleging that Better Together’s proposal would result in a “substantial deficit” to their budgets. The state auditor’s office is charged with estimating the fiscal impact of initiative petitions.

And the Municipal League said it aims to send language for more municipal resolutions to outstate cities, perhaps as soon as this fall.

But Better Together representatives Monday called the resolutions another indicator that municipal officials don’t actually want to reform regional governments.

“They have no plan, after five years. They’re still talking about procedure,” said Dave Leipholtz, research director at Better Together. “We felt like after five years of study, it was time to take action. That’s where we disagree.”

Leipholtz said municipal officials have also acknowledged that the Better Together plan, which calls for the creation of new types of governments, requires an amendment of the Missouri Constitution and a statewide vote.