 |
WWW.KRCG.COM |
|
Second Special Session Starts
|
| Jefferson City, 9/8/2003 |
The second special session of the Missouri
Legislature in 2003 is underway at the state capitol,
and thing are off to a sluggish start. Governor Holden
called first lawmakers back to Jefferson City in June,
and had no success in getting more money for public
education. It appears his chances are no better in
September.
Barely a dozen House members showed up for what the
leadership described as a technical session only. There
will be no consideration of tax loopholes or any other
special session business until after the house has dealt
with the governor's vetoes, and that doesn't happen
until Wednesday.
Representative Jason Crowell is the Majority Floor
Leader. "We will start veto session at 10:00 a.m.
The first bill out of the gate will be the 24-hour wait
period on abortion. The next one will be the conceal and
carry bill,” says Crowell.
The Senate jumped into the special session with both
feet. Democrat Wayne Goode filed legislation to
eliminate the four loopholes which Governor Holden has
identified as unfair tax breaks for large corporations
doing business in Missouri, and a potential source of
tens of millions of dollars for public schools.
"It's a difficult issue to try to move in a special
session. There's a lot more politics involved in this
that there should be,” says Goode.
In June, GOP Senate leaders showed little if any
interest in a floor debate on tax reform. And little has
changed since then. Even so, Ways and Means Chairman
Carl Vogel promises to give Wayne Goode's legislation a
hearing. Vogel says there is some interest among GOP
leaders in doing something next year about the so-called
"Geoffrey" loophole, which allows corporations
with Missouri franchises avoid taxes here by recording
their Missouri profits as income at their home offices
in other states.
|
|
|
©2002 Mel Wheeler Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized
reproduction or duplication is prohibited by law.
|
|
