According to the Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation (www. MoBikeFed .org), Missouri Bicyclists enjoyed the biggest victory in a decade when a number of State Representatives stood up against a last-minute amendment to HJR 68.
HJR68 will be placed before voters this fall as a 1 percent sales tax designated to fund improvements to Missouri transportation systems. The amendment which removed the word “bicycle” from the HJR68 definition of “transportation system purposes and uses” is touted as “truly a sneak attack…on Missouri’s bicycling community”. It was introduced at the last minute, included difficult language making it hard to understand and “was tagged onto an innocuous amendment that bill supporters had already approved.” (Schmitt, StreetsBlog Nework)
The bicycling community rallied and called, emailed and visited the Missouri House, who overwhelmingly defeated the amendment introduced by Representative Curtman.
MoBikeFed reports that while this is a substantial victory for bicycling in Missouri, if the sales tax is passed this fall by Missouri voters, it will mark the biggest victory for cyclists in 100 years.
Thank your Missouri representatives for standing boldly in favor of cycling enthusiasts across the state today.
Related links:
http://streetsblog.net/2014/04/08/missouri-pols-launch-sneak-attack-on-bike-funding/
