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NewsBook: Missouri Government News for Week of December 10, 2001

 

. State budget cut by $92 million, no layoffs yet (12/14/01)
JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri agencies will face another $92.5 million in budget withholings as part of a $212.2 million budget-constriction package unveiled by Missouri's governor Friday.

Included in the withholdings is another $8.3 million from the University of Missouri system. Withholding now total $41.9 million of the university's general revenue budget for education -- 10 percent of the amount appropriated by the legislature last spring.

The solutions proposed today by Gov. Bob Holden include $57 million of cuts to state agencies and $18 million from higher education. The rest of the proposal includes shuffling money from the state's tobacco settlement, intergovernmenta transfers from fedearl and other state programs and taking money from specialized state funds.

Some of those fund transfers will require legislative approval when lawmakers return next month.

The state does not expect to lay off employees at this time, but may need to in the near future, due to an economic stimulus bill moving through the U.S. Congres, said the governor's budget director, Brian Long. The bill would cut some corporate taxes, and since Missouri ties its taxes to the federal system, it could result in a $70-100 million loss to the state.

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    . New lines have been announced for state legislative redistricting and it could mean big changes for the balance of power (12/13/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - St. Louis city effectively would lose one of its three Senate seats under the redistricting plan.

    Some Republicans predicted the new maps gave them a shot of capturing the House and retaining control of the Senate.

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  • . State to cut $220 million from budget; layoffs possible (12/13/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The state will cut $220 million from its budget at a Friday news conference, but Gov. Bob Holden has pledged not to cut spending to elementary and secondary education.

    If an economic stimulus plan moving through the U.S. Congress becomes law, the state will lose $70-100 million in revenue, and will need to lay off state employees.

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    . Missouri's terrorism concerns outlined in letter to Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge (12/13/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Calling smallpox "a major threat to our homeland security," Gov. Bob Holden has asked for federal response teams in Missouri to respond to any smallpox outbreak.

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    . Transportation funding is short; tax increase possible (12/11/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The Missouri Department of Transportation may not have enough funding to cover an expected $450 million bond sale, so it may recommend delaying the sale.

    Sen. Morris Westfall, R-Halfway, said he would consider supporting a tax increase if it passed a vote of the people.

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    . Verizon Midwest seeks to transfer holdings to CenturyTel (12/12/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The proposed switch was filed in a request to the state's utility-regulating Public Service Commission.

    The change would affect more than 290,000 phone lines in Missouri.

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    . Now is not the time for a new Cardinals stadium (12/11/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The Chair of Appropriations, Senator John T. Russell thinks that new projects in St. Louis and Kansas City are in jeopardy. He does not believe that in a time of economic recession, money should be spent on a new stadium for the St. Louis Cardinals.

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    . Governor's Office to announce future budget withholdings (12/06/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The actual withholdings could be even higher than the previously estimated $150-200 million, according to Gov. Holden's spokesman, Jerry Nachtigal.

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    . Commissioner of Education Encourages Missouri Teachers to Observe Pearl Harbor Anniversary (12/06/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - D. Kent King, Commissioner of Education, would like teachers to help students of all ages observe the 60th anniversary of this historic event.

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    . Missouri State Troopers Association is asking for a pay raise to remian competitive with other law enforcement agencies in the state (12/06/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The Missouri State Troopers Association (MoSTA) held a breakfast for lawmakers to discuss the need for a pay increase.

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    . The Senate Insurance Committee chairman says shrinking competition of health insurance companies is contributing to rising health costs (12/5/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Sen. Larry Rohrbach made his comments after the first day of hearings of a special Senate committee on rising health insurance costs in Missouri.

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    . Assault against flag burning may be legally protected (12/05/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Legislation pre-filed by Missouri Rep. Sam Gaskill could allow people to use any means -- including assault -- to prevent flag burning.

    Although the bill was filed last year, lawmakers stated that it may stand a greater chance of being signed into law because of the events of Sept. 11.

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    . A panel for businesswomen in Missouri held at the Captiol (12/05/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - A group of members with the Women's Business Enterprise brought their concerns to state officials at a conference sponsored by Minority Leader Catherine Hanaway. The organizations help women-owned businesses in Missouri get state contracts.

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    . Senator Singleton. R-Seneca, says he wants to eliminate the statute of limitations on rape cases. (12/05/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - A three statute of limitations could prevent forcible rape case from being prosecuted.

    Senator Marvin Singleton has a bill to introduce in January that will remove the statute so that older rape and sodomy cases can be prosecuted.

    . Organized labor gets a split vote from state workers. (12/04/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Two state employee groups handed organized labor a split vote in two elections on whether to form a union.

    Probation and parole officers voted to form a union. But a in a separate vote by workers in the divisions of Workforce Development and Employment Security, state workers rejected unionization.

    The two votes were the first since Gov. Bob Holden's executive order giving unions the right to seek fees from non-union state workers.

    . Federal Government Threatens to Take Away Missouri's Money for Medicaid (12/04/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri is scheming money away from the federal medicaid program according to a federal audit.

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    . KC Senator Hopes to Help Kansas City in St. Louis Stadium Deal (12/04/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Senator Harry Wiggins, a democrat from Kansas City, has filed a bill proposing an extra $14 million a year in state money for Kansas City stadium renovations. Wiggins says St. Louis and Kansas City need to work together or neither city will get anything.

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    . A rally at the Capitol for the Equal Rights Amendment (12/03/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - A group of state representatives are filing an equal pay bill with the clerks office. This would give women the right to earn as much as their male counterparts. A similar bill died in the 2000 legislative session.

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