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Amendment 3 reaches the airwaves

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Since signatures were submitted in May, the battle over the Early Childhood Health and Education Amendment has been fought in courtrooms and endorsements. Now the battle will take to the airwaves.

Vote Yes on 3 for Kids released its first television ad Tuesday, laying out the case for the amendment.

The ad called “23” features writing on a chalkboard with some broad claims about the amendment, while a narrator goes into details.

Transcript:

Missouri ranks near the bottom in early childhood education.

Amendment 3 invests in education by raising Missouri’s cigarette tax, the lowest in the nation, for the first time in 23 years.

Studies show investments in Pre-K produce improvements in reading and math, and higher graduation rates.

Amendment 3 requires all new funding go to children and families, and stops politicians from diverting money for any other purpose.

It’s for children and families.

Vote against the politicians. Vote yes on Amendment 3.

Jane Dueker, a spokesperson for Vote Yes on 3 for Kids, said the amendment was a chance for Missourians to do something about early learning in the state.

“Amendment 3 is Missouri’s chance to finally fund Pre-K in our state, and give thousands of Missouri children the opportunity to access early childhood education,” she said. “We know that early childhood education works. It improves academic outcomes. It reduces crime. It helps grow the economy. And we know that, for far too long, Missouri politicians have failed to fund it. That ends with Amendment 3. This is a constitutional amendment that guarantees this funding goes to our children, families, and classrooms, and that the politicians can’t touch it or divert it. It’s time to help Missouri’s children get the education they need and deserve. Amendment 3 will do that.”

With the final line of the ad, “Vote against the politicians. Vote yes on Amendment 3,” the amendment’s supporters seem to be making a play for voters angry with the establishment that have been more prominent this year. It also comes a week after more than 100 legislators said they were opposed to the amendment.

The Missouri Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Operators Association said that Missourians would vote down the amendment as the Big Tobacco profit scheme they say it is.

“Big Tobacco has a history of using kids for profits, going back to the cartoon Joe Camel. Now Big Tobacco launches the first ad for its flawed scheme by again using kids, this time to place many troubling provisions in the state constitution,” said Ron Leone, the association’s executive director. “When voters realize Amendment 3 is about Joe Camel trying to get a bigger share of the cigarette market in Missouri to build its profits, they’ll vote no. When voters understand Big Tobacco’s Amendment 3 includes issues like abortion and public funding for private schools, they’ll oppose this tobacco tax scheme.”

With both supporters and opponents of the amendment stockpiling money in recent months, both campaigns are sure to have more to come.