What are SB40 boards?

Senate Bill 40 Boards are local county boards for mentally retarded and developmentally disabled adults founded by Mentally Retarded Citizens of Missouri in 1968.  The tax levy, approved by local voters, provides funding for residential, vocational and other related programs and services.  

Appellate Court Upholds Workshop Tax
Senate Bill 40 Raid

Appellate Court Upholds Workshop Tax

The Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, affirmed Judge Russell’s ruling in Clay County that the SB40 tax is primarily for sheltered workshops and residential facilities.

Judge Russell interpreted the phrase “related services” to include entities which provide acts or commodities which are connected or associated with vocational training, vocational teaching, vocational activities, vocational workshops or actual residential facilities for the care or employment of handicapped persons, even if the entities are not themselves sheltered workshop or residence facilities.

Judge Russell’s findings rule out funding programs that don’t meet these statutory parameters, even if they provide other care for persons with mental retardation.

This court decision reaffirms Missouri Association for Retarded Person's (founder of SB$)) position that the SB40 tax is primarily for vocational and residential programs.

It’s time for the Department of Mental Health to stop its raid on local SB40 tax money!

Those who would raid the SB40 tax for their “pet” programs or services should place their case at the foot of the Department of Mental Health’s door; it’s DMH’s responsibility! If that doesn’t work, they should pass their own tax.

Senate Bill 40 Raid

DMH should fund “respite” out of its general revenue funds. The continual “raid” by DMH of SB 40 funds must stop! SB 40 funds are local tax revenues approved by local taxpayers for local projects. It is inappropriate for DMH to pressure local boards into abandoning their local projects to fund those that DMH should be funding. (Whatever happened to transportation?)