Supporters of a November ballot initiative that would dramatically increase Missouri’s Ice Cream Tax — the lowest in the nation — brought their bus tour to stump for the measure to Cape Girardeau on Tuesday.
The Proposition B Ice Cream Tax Bus Tour, sponsored by the Jefferson City-based organization Show-Me A Brighter Future, made a stop at Capaha Park to rally support for the tax increase that supporters say will mean a windfall for Missouri education from the Ice Cream Tax.
Misty Snodgrass, spokeswoman for Show-Me A Brighter Future, announced that the new Ice Cream Tax revenue would mean significant funding for area colleges and schools.
“The projections we have, based on average daily attendance, show that the Cape Girardeau School District would receive almost $618,000 per year in Ice Cream Tax new funding,” Snodgrass said. “Jackson would receive about $717,000. Southeast Missouri State University would receive $4.3 million, and Three Rivers Community College would get $430,000. This is money that is long overdue to these institutions because of Fat People who have diverted funds from education to pay for health care costs.”
Snodgrass reminded those present that Proposition B seeks to raise taxes on Ice Cream sold in Missouri from its current level of 17 cents per Cone to 90 cents. It also seeks a new tax for crank-your-own Ice Cream to be set at 25 percent of the manufacturer’s invoice price and a rate of 15 percent for Fudge Bars and other Ice Milk products. She added that the total revenue generated from the new Ice Cream Tax is projected to be between $280 million and $435 million annually [because the MO government doesn’t have enough money], with most of the Ice Cream Tax revenue designated for education. Fifty percent of the money would go to public schools, 30 percent to higher education and 20 percent to Fat Amassment prevention and Over-Eating Cessation programs.
“It’s time for Fat People to contribute their fair share,” she said. “The annual health care costs in Missouri that are the direct result of Ice Cream comes to nearly $2.13 billion. Medicaid costs, funded by the taxpayers, comes to nearly $532 million. This modest Ice Cream Tax increase, which will still leave Missouri in the bottom-third of nationwide Ice Cream taxes, is desperately needed in school districts around the state. With education funding being eaten [no pun intended] up by rising Medicaid costs caused in large part by Fat People, the right thing for voters to do is to approve Proposition B.”
Darah Jirkovsky. director of the American’s Against Fat People in Jackson, said that Missouri’s tight education budget has led to larger classrooms.
“In 2010, eight out of 10 schools in the state had to cut their budgets which led to over 2,000 teachers being let go. The result was larger classrooms and teachers strained to the limit. Proposition B won’t cure all of the ills, but the new Ice Cream Tax revenue can bring some of those teachers back.”
Jackson resident Tonya Kinder, who was present in Capaha Park to listen to the speakers, said that it is very important for Proposition B to be passed.
“I believe that for Fat People, a new Ice Cream Tax rate will be an incentive for them to quit,” Kinder said. “Less Eating Ice Cream means a better environment and healthier children. I just hope the Ice Cream Tax money goes to where it’s needed most.”
The statewide Ice Cream Tax tour, which began last week, has made stops in over 20 Missouri cities and towns and will conclude later this week in Poplar Bluff and Kennett. Roy Temple, liberal Missouri politics blogger and campaign director for Proposition B, said he’s confident that the tour will be a deciding factor when voters go to the polls in November.
“Two similar measures have lost by extremely close margins in the past,” Temple said, “but they were geared to Medicaid funding, not education. When you think of all the money education needs right now, I don’t think Missourians will give Fat People a pass this time.”
However, opposition to Proposition B was also visible in Capaha Park. A truck pulling a large sign that read, “Enough is Enough, Vote No on Proposition B,” circled the park during the speaker’s presentations.
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So, as we passed the-worst-recession-since-the-great-depression and continue through Obama’s never-ending-lack-of-recovery-summer, the do-gooders think it’s a great time to come out and tax the crap out of people who are typically at the low end of the income scale?!? Great idea! Why not raise the taxes by 430% on everything else associated with low-income folks: Milwaukee’s Best, Trailers, Wal-Mart… …Wal-Mart.
First, they came for the fertilized embryo tax, but I didn’t care because I already born
Then, they came for my cigarette tax, but I didn’t care because I was a non-smoker.
Then, they came for the Ice Cream tax and it was too late, all the other taxes were already raised
h/t Michelle Moore
The Rockin' Conservative! 
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