New Smoking Tax, Minimum Wage Petitions Turned in to State

(Jefferson City, MO)--Missourians could vote to raise the state's cigarette tax this November.  Missouri currently has the lowest tax in the country.

Friday, a group called Show-Me Brighter Future handed in a petition to the Secretary of State.
They were able to collect 220,000 signatures.

The group wants to raise the tax by 17 cents.
That would put the new tax at 90 cents.
That's still below that national average of $1.46.

The group now plans to spend millions of dollars in support of raising the tax.

Also,  another issue you could see on the ballot this November-- raising Missouri's minimum wage.

The Associated Press reports the proposal would boost the minimum wage by a dollar, to $8.25 an hour.

The wage would be adjusted with the cost of living.

Another petition was turned in-- to limit payday loans.
Under that proposal, annual rates on short term loans would be capped at 36 percent.

These latest petitions are among the dozens circulated around Missouri this spring, in an effort to get issues before voters this year.  

See them all here