Capitol Report: Restoring Nixon’s cuts to education

This week, Governor Nixon called the Legislature to the State Capitol to address a handful of legislative issues.

This is considered an “extraordinary” session as it is not constitutionally required, but allowable to address issues unresolved during our regular session. There has been a political game of tug-of-war over several issues we are addressing this week and, with any luck, special session will resolve a few of them.

As your elected representative, I must review these issues as it relates to our area in rural Missouri and how they will affect us. At a time when our economy is still very fragile, it is imperative we in Missouri’s legislature focus on what allows our business sector to do what it does best: create jobs and generate economic activity. As stewards of your tax dollars, I believe it is imperative we work to allow you to keep more of your hard earned dollars and the Government’s regulatory tentacles out of business and your individual lives. These basic principles are what guide my decision making process.

While all the issues we are addressing are important to our state, I place two of the bills at the top of the list as priorities. 1.) Disaster recovery expenses we are liable for as a state, and 2.) The economic development/tax credit reform legislation.

We in the House of Representatives focused on disaster recovery expenses while the Senate began work on the bill which is arguably the reason Governor Nixon called us back – Tax Credit Reform and Economic Development legislation. I serve on two committees which held hearings on the House legislative work, the Budget and Rules Committees. It has been a productive week on the House side.

Governor Nixon decided this summer, while the legislature was adjourned, to withhold millions of dollars from education to pay for the State’s obligation in disaster recovery. Certainly it is not a question whether or not this is our responsibility, but rather the details of how exactly we pay for this obligation.

It has been brought to the public’s attention thanks to State Auditor Tom Schweich that Governor Nixon unconstitutionally withheld these monies from the budget to pay for disaster relief. Considering it was to the expense of rural school districts, specifically those in my district, which bear the brunt of this unconstitutional activity, I was pleased to work on a constitutional alternative to paying for Missouri’s disaster recovery.

The solution is relative uncomplicated and straightforward: use our State’s “Rainy Day Fund” to pay for the estimated $180-200 million expense. The fund was set up for the express reason to pay for such disasters and we would be able to pay back these dollars to the fund over a period of years. This cuts the annual expense of these disasters to an affordable amount. Most importantly, it restores the budgeted dollars we in the Legislature appropriated to education.

At a time when our economy is still fragile and expenses are only increasing for our school districts, it is imperative we stick to our commitment to education and allow school districts to receive the money we budgeted for them. I hope Governor Nixon agrees with us.

Please contact me any time with your thoughts or comments. You can reach me at [email protected] or (573) 751.4285. Next week, I hope we have wrapped up our Special session and I can report on the Economic Development/Tax Credit Reform legislation.