Positions on Issues

League of Women Voters^®
of Missouri

What are League's positions on issues?

Government. Justice. Natural Resources. Social Policy. Public Libraries.

The League of Women voters is an action group. However, it takes action only on issues that have been extensively studied and on which members are agreed. When a position is reached through selection, study, discussion, and consensus by the membership, the League works to implement that position through action and encourages its membership to do likewise.

Government

Constitutional Revision: Support of a permanent constitutional commission in addition to other methods for intiating constitutional change. Support of specific constitutional revisions to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of state government.
County Home Rule: Support of measures to extend home rule to counties.
ELECTION PROCESS
Conflict of Interest: Support of financial disclosure to expose potential conflicts of interest among public officials and candidates.
Legislative Reform: Support of measures to improve the organization and powers of the Missouri General Assembly.    Support of standards for apportionment to make congressional and legislative districts as compact, contiguous, and as nearly equal in population as possible.
Presidential Nominee Selection Process: Support of measures to increase the informed participation of Missouri citizens in the selection of presidential nominees.
Voting Rights: Support of an accurate, efficient, accessible, accountable, and uniform election process. Support of measures to ensure a secret ballot.
Fiscal Policy: Support of a balanced and progressive tax system to finance necessary governmental services. Opposition to revenue and expenditure limits to control the growth of state government.

Justice

Support of a flexible unified system of courts under the Supreme Court. Support of the Nonpartisan Court Plan and an improved system of selection, tenure and retirement of judges.

Natural Resources

Hazardous and Solid Waste: Support of strong provisions to fulfill state and local government's responsibility for hazardous and solid waste management.
Land Use and Growth Management: Support for the adoption and implementation of long range land use plans and regulations by state, county and municipal governments.
Water: Support of a comprehensive water policy for Missouri, one that includes the public trust doctrine.

Social Policy

Education: Support for equal opportunity in education, access to quality programs and adequate financing. Support legislation which requires Charter Schools, if they are permitted, to operate under many of the same regulations as traditional public schools, receive the same funding per pupil and be restricted to the school districts in the 2006 state statutes.
Family Planning: Support family planning programs and educational programs about family planning including funding for these programs.
Juvenile Justice: Support of measures to insure a coordinated system of juvenile justice which treats children fairly and effectively.

Public Libraries

Support of a public library system as a basic community service with a long-term assured, stable, and adequate funding source. Support of access by all persons to public library services as a major source of knowledge and information necessary for informed, active participation in a democratic society.

Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact our webmaster. Last revised: August 30, 2010 15:12 PDT.