MO Citizens for Safe Communities

05/23/2026

Hey friends! Governor Kehoe decided today to put the income tax scheme on the August ballot. We have just over 2 months to save $1.4 billion for public schools. We'll have a statewide emergency call Tuesday evening 7:30-8:30pm. Sign up here: https://parents4mopublicschools.org/.

On the call we'll talk through:
- What's on the line and what it means for us
- What August means about our big plan to win together -- and set up the next legislative session to actually fully fund our schools
- What you can do -- and what you can organize others to do

Right now, our schools are underfunded, and there's potential for it to get much worse as Amendment 5 heads to the ballot in 2026 to decide if Missouri should repeal the income tax. If Amendment 5 passes, our schools will see significant cuts to their budgets. The worst hitting rural and small-town....

05/02/2026

⚠️ URGENT: Missouri SB 1002 heads to a House committee vote THIS MONDAY, May 4th — and MOCSC opposes it.
What is it? SB 1002 would move school board elections and bond/tax levy votes in St. Charles County only to November — and allow school board candidates to declare a party affiliation on the ballot.
Here’s why we’re saying NO:
🔴 It injects partisanship into local education. Party labels have no place on a school board ballot. National political identity should not determine who oversees our kids’ classrooms.
🔴 It creates a two-tiered system — and a chaotic one. This bill applies only to St. Charles County based on population thresholds. That means as counties grow or shrink, the rules could change. Missouri deserves consistent, nonpartisan school board elections statewide — not a patchwork that shifts with census numbers.
🔴 It delays urgent school funding. Moving bond and tax levy votes to November means critical funding decisions could be pushed into the middle of a fiscal year, creating budget disruptions for our schools.
🔴 It disrupts board transitions. New board members would be seated in November instead of April — mid-fiscal year — creating unnecessary instability in school leadership.
🔴 It lengthens unpaid terms. Board members already volunteer their time. Extending terms to four years could discourage good candidates from running.
Our St. Charles County reps largely support this bill — so we need to reach House members from other districts who may be open to opposing it. A quick call or email goes a long way.
📋 Three ways to act RIGHT NOW:
1️⃣ Call or email your state House rep — especially if you’re outside St. Charles County
2️⃣ Submit written testimony online before Monday’s 1PM hearing
3️⃣ Testify in person — the hearing is Monday, May 4th at 1PM in Hearing Room 1 (basement), Jefferson City. We’re looking for 2-3 constituents willing to go. Message us if you’re interested!
📖 Full toolkit with talking points here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ElqqJhWFJcSpq4xnPgRIzozoUw55DkDbSx0jZni9wkg/edit?usp=sharing
This is moving fast. The legislature wraps May 15. Share this post and make some noise this weekend.

04/16/2026

UPDATE on 4/16/26 @11:18 am

The senate ended up picking up HJR 173 at 11:30pm last night. All Dems and 3 Republicans (Hough, Moon and Nicola) voted no. The dems did not filibuster which is very disappointing. This bill puts the question on the ballot for if we should remove state income tax so there is still a path forward to beating it.

My understanding is there will be an emergency meeting most likely on Monday evening from 7-8pm to share report outs and plan the fight forward. Will send y'all the info once I have it.

🚨 Testimony needed against HJR 173 🚨

Shout out to those who reached out to their elected and those who submitted testimony today in opposition to HJR 173 (the bad income tax scheme). They picked it up tonight and put it right back down. So the fight and filibuster will NOT be tonight.

This thing is still looming, but this does give us more time to get testimonies submitted. If you submitted one, invite another 2 people to submit one. If you haven't done yours yet, take a stab at it tonight! It can just be a paragraph long. We're currently at about 50 testimonies and would be great to get us to 100 in the coming days.

Link in the comments!!!!

04/08/2026

Congratulations to all of tonight's winners! 🎉
A heartfelt congratulations to every candidate who was elected to their local Board of Education this evening. Serving on a school board is no small commitment, and we wish each of you well as you take on this important role in your community.
We also want to recognize every candidate who ran. Putting your name on a ballot takes courage, and your willingness to serve makes our communities stronger.

04/07/2026

Election Day — April 7th 🗳️
Today is the day! Polls are open and your vote matters. If you have a school board race on your ballot, make sure your voice is heard. If you don't have a school board race and you live in St. Charles County, we still need you to vote NO on Prop RT!!!
Not sure where to vote or what's on your ballot? Visit vote.org to find everything you need before you head out.
Go vote! 🎉

04/06/2026

Question 7:
Is there anything else you'd like to tell us? You can follow up on something from above you can discuss another issue related to equity or you can give us additional information that you think might help us understand your position?

As a reminder, candidate responses are posted exactly as submitted, without edits. The views expressed are those of the candidates and do not necessarily align with MOCSC.
MOCSC's goal is to inform voters by providing transparent information. While we do not endorse candidates, we reserve the right to note if a candidate is value aligned with our mission of advocating for safe and inclusive education environments.
Respectful dialogue only! Any degrading, violent, or abusive comments will be deleted, and repeat offenders will be banned.
Stay tuned as we continue to share candidate responses throughout the day!

04/06/2026

Question 6: How can the district better support teachers maintain a safe and effective learning environment and build a strong reputation that benefits students staff and the community?

As a reminder, candidate responses are posted exactly as submitted, without edits. The views expressed are those of the candidates and do not necessarily align with MOCSC.
MOCSC's goal is to inform voters by providing transparent information. While we do not endorse candidates, we reserve the right to note if a candidate is value aligned with our mission of advocating for safe and inclusive education environments.
Respectful dialogue only! Any degrading, violent, or abusive comments will be deleted, and repeat offenders will be banned.
Stay tuned as we continue to share candidate responses throughout the day!

04/06/2026

Question 5:
What unique qualities and experiences would you bring to the board how have you shown them through district involvement and how would you apply them to support or improve recent board decisions you agree or disagree with?

As a reminder, candidate responses are posted exactly as submitted, without edits. The views expressed are those of the candidates and do not necessarily align with MOCSC.
MOCSC's goal is to inform voters by providing transparent information. While we do not endorse candidates, we reserve the right to note if a candidate is value aligned with our mission of advocating for safe and inclusive education environments.
Respectful dialogue only! Any degrading, violent, or abusive comments will be deleted, and repeat offenders will be banned.
Stay tuned as we continue to share candidate responses throughout the day!

04/06/2026

Question 4:

What do you see as the board's role in ensuring a safe supportive environment for all students especially vulnerable groups? How would you engage the community address bullying or discrimination and foster a welcoming district climate?

As a reminder, candidate responses are posted exactly as submitted, without edits. The views expressed are those of the candidates and do not necessarily align with MOCSC.
MOCSC's goal is to inform voters by providing transparent information. While we do not endorse candidates, we reserve the right to note if a candidate is value aligned with our mission of advocating for safe and inclusive education environments.
Respectful dialogue only! Any degrading, violent, or abusive comments will be deleted, and repeat offenders will be banned.
Stay tuned as we continue to share candidate responses throughout the day!