HANCOCK SAYS VOTERS ARE SMART ENOUGH TO DECIDE

U.S. Rep. Mel Hancock, author of the Hancock II Amendment, says Missouri voters are smart enough to decide tax increases and government should give people a chance.

At the same time, Hancock said, "Governments are crying, The sky is falling!" in response to his proposal for taxpayer rights.

"All those dire predictions -- that can only happen if the citizens want it to happen," Hancock said Friday from his Washington, D.C., office.

"We fought a Revolutionary War over taxation without our consent," Hancock said. "Look what King Carnahan is doing to us," he said, referring to Gov. Mel Carnahan.

Creation of the Hancock II Amendment was prompted by passage of Senate Bill 380, which included a legislated tax increase. In addition to raising income taxes, it also mandated some local school districts to raise their property taxes.

He said the action violated Carnahan's campaign promise to put an education tax increase on the ballot.

"Are we a government of the people, by the people for the people?" he asked. "Why are the government people so afraid, especially educators? Don't they think we're smart enough to vote? They educated us, didn't they?"

Hancock said taxpayers are frustrated with government. "People are saying I ought to have something to say about this."