Mel Hancock
Encyclopedia
Melton D. "Mel" Hancock (September 14, 1929 – November 6, 2011) was a former member of the United States House of Representatives
from Missouri's 7th congressional district
.
Hancock was born in Cape Fair
, Stone County, Missouri
and in 1936 started school in Carthage, Missouri
. From 1936 to 1941 he attended school in Springfield, Missouri
. During World War II from 1941 to 1945, he attended school in Amarillo, Texas
, Topeka, Kansas
and Sioux City, Iowa
. From 1945 to 1947, he attended high school in Springfield, Missouri
, graduating in 1947. He received his B.S. from Southwest Missouri State in 1951. He enlisted in the United States Air Force
in August, 1951. In basic training he was awarded the American Spirit Honor Medal
. He attended the United States Air Force Officer Candidate School and earned the rank of second lieutenant in March, 1953. Hancock was relieved from active duty in 1953, but continued to serve in the United States Air Force Inactive Reserve until 1965 and was discharged at the rank of first lieutenant.
Hancock worked full and part-time from 1947 to 1951 for International Harvester Company during college and from 1953 to 1959, when he resigned and returned to Springfield, Missouri
to enter the insurance business, where he worked from 1959 to 1969. In 1969, he co-founded Federal Protection, Inc., a bank security equipment leasing company.
In 1977 he founded The Taxpayer Survival Association, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating the public on the principle of constitutional tax limitation. Hancock was the originator, catalyst, and primary organizer and author of an omnibus state and local tax limitation amendment to the Missouri Constitution passed by the voters of Missouri in 1980. Placed on the ballot by an initiative petition process led by Hancock, what is commonly referred to as "The Hancock Amendment", consisted of new sections 16 to 24 of Article 10 of the Missouri Constitution. In general, subject to certain definitions, exceptions and enforcement processes outlined in the Hancock Amendment, the Hancock Amendment limited total state revenues and expenses in Missouri to a percentage of personal income of persons in Missouri, required the state of Missouri to continue to fund expenditures of local political subdivisions required by state law, and required new local tax, licenses or fees to be approved by the voters of such political subdivisions. The Hancock Amendment was one of the first state tax limitation amendments in the United States and is still effective today.
Advocating Constitutional Tax and Spending Amendment he was a candidate for the Republican
nomination for United States Senator
in 1982, challenging incumbent Republican John Danforth
, and a candidate for nomination as Lieutenant Governor of Missouri in 1984, losing out to Democrat Harriet Woods.
In 1988, Hancock was elected as a Republican to the 101st
and to the three succeeding Congresses, serving between January 3, 1989 and January 3, 1997. He was not a candidate for re-election to the 105th Congress and resided in Springfield with his wife Alma "Sug" McDaniel, whom he married on November 17, 1951, until his death on November 6, 2011.
They had three children: two sons, one born in 1955 and one born in 1958, and one daughter born in 1969.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Missouri's 7th congressional district
Missouri's 7th congressional district
Missouri's 7th congressional district consists of Southwest Missouri. The district includes Springfield, the home of Missouri State University , and the popular tourist destination city of Branson...
.
Hancock was born in Cape Fair
Cape Fair, Missouri
Cape Fair is an unincorporated community in Stone County, Missouri, United States. It is located at the southern terminus of Route 173 at Route 76 and located on an arm of Table Rock Lake...
, Stone County, Missouri
Stone County, Missouri
Stone County is a county located in Southwest Missouri in the United States. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county's population was 32,202. Its county seat is Galena...
and in 1936 started school in Carthage, Missouri
Carthage, Missouri
Carthage is a city in Jasper County, Missouri, United States. The population was 14,378 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Jasper County and is nicknamed "America's Maple Leaf City."...
. From 1936 to 1941 he attended school in Springfield, Missouri
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
. During World War II from 1941 to 1945, he attended school in Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
, Topeka, Kansas
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
and Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City is a city in Plymouth and Woodbury counties in the western part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 82,684 in the 2010 census, a decline from 85,013 in the 2000 census, which makes it currently the fourth largest city in the state....
. From 1945 to 1947, he attended high school in Springfield, Missouri
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
, graduating in 1947. He received his B.S. from Southwest Missouri State in 1951. He enlisted in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
in August, 1951. In basic training he was awarded the American Spirit Honor Medal
American Spirit Honor Medal
The American Spirit Honor Medal is a medallion provided by the Citizens Committee for the Army, Navy and Air Force, Inc. It has been accepted for use in basic training or one station unit training at training divisions and centers within continental United States as an award for the display of...
. He attended the United States Air Force Officer Candidate School and earned the rank of second lieutenant in March, 1953. Hancock was relieved from active duty in 1953, but continued to serve in the United States Air Force Inactive Reserve until 1965 and was discharged at the rank of first lieutenant.
Hancock worked full and part-time from 1947 to 1951 for International Harvester Company during college and from 1953 to 1959, when he resigned and returned to Springfield, Missouri
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
to enter the insurance business, where he worked from 1959 to 1969. In 1969, he co-founded Federal Protection, Inc., a bank security equipment leasing company.
In 1977 he founded The Taxpayer Survival Association, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating the public on the principle of constitutional tax limitation. Hancock was the originator, catalyst, and primary organizer and author of an omnibus state and local tax limitation amendment to the Missouri Constitution passed by the voters of Missouri in 1980. Placed on the ballot by an initiative petition process led by Hancock, what is commonly referred to as "The Hancock Amendment", consisted of new sections 16 to 24 of Article 10 of the Missouri Constitution. In general, subject to certain definitions, exceptions and enforcement processes outlined in the Hancock Amendment, the Hancock Amendment limited total state revenues and expenses in Missouri to a percentage of personal income of persons in Missouri, required the state of Missouri to continue to fund expenditures of local political subdivisions required by state law, and required new local tax, licenses or fees to be approved by the voters of such political subdivisions. The Hancock Amendment was one of the first state tax limitation amendments in the United States and is still effective today.
Advocating Constitutional Tax and Spending Amendment he was a candidate for the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nomination for United States Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1982, challenging incumbent Republican John Danforth
John Danforth
John Claggett "Jack" Danforth is a former United States Ambassador to the United Nations and former Republican United States Senator from Missouri. He is an ordained Episcopal priest. Danforth is married to Sally D. Danforth and has five adult children.-Education and early career:Danforth was born...
, and a candidate for nomination as Lieutenant Governor of Missouri in 1984, losing out to Democrat Harriet Woods.
In 1988, Hancock was elected as a Republican to the 101st
101st United States Congress
The One Hundred First United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1989 to January 3, 1991, during the first two...
and to the three succeeding Congresses, serving between January 3, 1989 and January 3, 1997. He was not a candidate for re-election to the 105th Congress and resided in Springfield with his wife Alma "Sug" McDaniel, whom he married on November 17, 1951, until his death on November 6, 2011.
They had three children: two sons, one born in 1955 and one born in 1958, and one daughter born in 1969.