NEWS From the Office of Representative Tom Dempsey, 18th District FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 5, 2007 CONTACT: Representative Tom Dempsey (573) 751-1141 House Approves Rep. Dempsey’s Legislation to Ensure Funding For Children Isn’t Diverted to Other Projects Jefferson City – Money that was intended to be used to provide mental health and substance abuse services to young people would be fully utilized for that purpose under legislation sponsored by Representative Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, and approved by the House this week. The House passed House Committee Substitute for House Bill 184 by a vote of 159-0. In 2004, St. Charles County passed a 1/8-cent sales tax measure to create a Community Children’s Service Fund to fund mental health and substance abuse services for young people. The tax came in response to findings that showed more than 10,000 young people were in need of a variety of services that were not available at the time. The tax, approved by residents of St. Charles County, was to provide the funding necessary for those services. The program has worked well but local governments have withheld some of the sales tax money to pay for TIF projects. The Community and Children’s Resource Board that administers the Community Children’s Services Fund in St. Charles County estimates the withholdings are costing them $200,000 annually. Rep. Dempsey’s legislation creates the Children’s Services Protection Act to ensure the money collected from the tax is not diverted and is used for its intended purpose - to provide services to children in need. “The voters of St. Charles County made it very clear where they wanted their tax money to go and it is our duty to respect their wishes,” said Rep. Dempsey. “We have thousands of children in need and the money to provide the services they require is instead being used to pay for roads and sewers. We have to do the right thing and ensure the money is going to the projects for which it was intended.” Rep. Dempsey’s legislation applies to all cities or counties who levy a sales tax for the purpose of creating a community children’s services fund. Currently, three other counties have similar funds and many more are considering doing the same. Rep. Dempsey’s bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.