| A Petition to Compel Reversal of Certification of Sufficiency was filed on August 14, 2008, in the Circuit Court of Cole County, Missouri challenging the casino industry sponsored "Schools First Elementary and Secondary Education Funding Initiative." Troy Stremming, chief governmental affairs officer of Ameristar Casinos in Kansas City submitted the petition prior to it being circulated as well as the proposed act.
Provisions in the initiative include repeal of the $500 loss limit, prohibition of future loss limits, prohibition of new gaming licenses, identification entry requirement for casinos, increase of the gaming tax of 1%, creation of an education fund, and requirements for annual audits of the fund.
Defendants in the court petition include Secretary of State Robin Carnahan and State Auditor Susan Montee.
David Knight and Ray Salva, plaintiffs from Cape Girardeau and Sugar Creek, joined together in attempting to remove the measure from the November ballot in part because it will prohibit casino development in the two Missouri towns. They also believe that The Initiative Petition violates Article III, Section 39(d) and question why the initiative is called "The Schools First Elementary and Secondary Education Funding Initiative," when the proposed act would make changes to the Revised Statutes of Missouri relating to casinos and gambling.
C. Robert Buckley and Deborah J. Blakeley of White, Allinder, Graham and Buckley, L.L.C. of Independence, MO represent the plaintiffs.
Additional information regarding the effort is available here. Go Back |
