December 22, 2014
By John Feldmann, Political Chair and Michael Berg, Chapter Staff
The Missouri Sierra Club mobilized for elections in August and November, gaining some important victories.
This year the Sierra Club had an increased presence in Missouri elections, endorsing 47 candidates and opposing two ballot initiatives. On August 5, the Sierra Club helped defeat
Constitutional Amendment 7, which would have used a regressive sales tax to fund highway-centered transportation projects, with little going to public transportation. Unfortunately voters narrowly approved the deceptively worded Amendment 1, which hurts organic farmers and communities trying to protect themselves from factory farms.
On November 4, Sierra Club support was key to narrow victories in the Missouri House of Representatives for environmental champions Bill Otto, Deb Lavender and Charlie Norr, and in the Missouri Senate for Jill Schupp. Sierra Club support for Steve Stenger for St. Louis County Executive helped stopped anti-environmental extremist Rick Stream from capturing the leadership of Missouri’s most populous county.
Members in the White River Group put in a tremendous amount of effort into the spirited (but unsuccessful) campaigns of fellow Sierra Club members Jim Evans for the United States House and Angie Filbeck for Missouri House.
This year we sent out over 12,000 election postcards to members and delivered over 20,000 emails to members and supporters. A number of people volunteered to go door to door throughout the state in support of our endorsed candidates and made thousands of calls to members.
The make-up of the Missouri legislature may not bode well for environmental policy the next couple of years. We’ll continue to work for pro environmental legislation in the state
legislature and to support the folks that work toward that goal.