Republicans advance tax cut; Democrats walk out
JEFFERSON CITY — Democrats staged a walkout today when Republicans bypassed normal House procedures to advance a proposal cutting the state income tax.
The fracas took place in the House Rules Committee, which was reviewing the GOP’s new proposal giving Missourians a $1 billion tax break funded from federal stimulus money.
By the time the dust had settled, the five Democrats on the committee had stormed out of the meeting. Six of the seven Republicans on the committee then retaliated by axing $31.1 million slated for a new cancer center in one of the absent Democrat’s districts.
Majority Leader Steven Tilley, R-Perryville, deleted the money slated for construction of a new Ellis Fischel Cancer Center in Columbia. Tilley diverted the funds to community colleges, Southeast Missouri State University and the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Tilley noted that the Democrat who represents Ellis Fischel — freshman Rep. Stephen Webber of Columbia — had left the meeting.
“My job is to represent my district,” Tilley said. “His job is to do the same, and he went AWOL.”
Webber later called the move “petty and vindictive. To take that out on Missourians with cancer is just completely inappropriate.”
Webber and the other Democrats said they left the meeting because the spending bill under consideration should have gone to the Budget Committee first. Normally, all spending proposals start there.
Rep. Mike Talboy, D-Kansas City, said Monday’s budgetmaking process was “a sham.”
But Budget Committee Chairman Allen Icet, R-Wildwood, said there wasn’t time for a full-blown budget hearing because the budget must be passed by May 8 and differences must still be worked out with the Senate.
With only the seven Republicans present, the Rules Committee approved the new plan (HB22). It calls for about $300 million worth of capital projects and other spending.
Moments later, the House Tax Reform Committee incorporated the income tax cut into a Senate bill (SB71). The original bill would set up a new tax credit for contributions to programs that help the developmentally disabled.
Again, Democrats objected on technical grounds, questioning the legality of broadening the bill to change its original purpose. They also complained that no public testimony had been received on the proposal and no written estimate on its cost was available.
The plan would lower the state’s individual income tax rate for two years. For example, the top rate — on income over $9,000 — would drop to 5.5 percent from 6 percent. Republicans estimate the plan would cost state coffers $500 million a year.
“Missourians are going to be excited about this because it puts more money in their paycheck,” said the committee chairman, Rep. Joe Smith, R-St. Charles County.
I would posit that Rep. Smith - and other GOP Reps - is looking for points for the election in 2010…
He might want to think about what happens when the tax must be raised again when the crisis is over…
“Republicans on the committee then retaliated by axing $31.1 million slated for a new cancer center in one of the absent Democrat’s districts.”
That is so sad.
It amazes me that elected officials still want to get caught up in battles of ego and grand standing instead of doing what they are elected to do. If any of these clowns think this is a way to endear themselves to voters they are dead wrong. Our country is in a place now where we don’t need elected officials getting in pis#ing matches like this. Act up and learn how to work through your differences. Dem or Rep your job is to WORK TOGETHER. Now go act like adults or we will elect people who will.
I thought that our legislators were to represent their constituents for the good of the State not at the expense of other constituents of the State.
Taxes are evil. Politicians who raise taxes are more evil!
“But Budget Committee Chairman Allen Icet, R-Wildwood, said there wasn’t time for a full-blown budget hearing because the budget must be passed by May 8 and differences must still be worked out with the Senate.”
Well, Allen, where I work we put in unpaid overtime to meet the needs of our customers.
In the meantime, it’s goodbye to $500 million for the state. But hey, if we let it just go into public works, those folks making a million a year won’t get any! The Repubs have to look out for them too ya know!
Missouri is already among the states with the worst infrastructure and the lowest taxes in the country. And now these downhome Neanderthals want to cut state revenues even more? Sounds great! Maybe Jiminy Cricket will fly by and fix our roads and bridges and mass transit systems! If not, well, welcome to West West Virginia!
and we wonder why so many don’t bother to vote…there is no winning side to be on. Dems and Reps are both petty, bickering, selfish morons.
GOOD FOR THE REPUBLICAN ON THIS ONE. It’s time someone stomps on these ludicrous tax and spend Liberals. And once again, the waaaay, waaaaay cry baby impetuous little Democrats act like infants kicking and screaming. That Ellis Fischel hospital is a crumbling inefficient waste of a place anyway. If anything they could have directed the same funds to a viable efficient cancer hospital elsewhere. Pork, Pork, Pork.
So, they break their own rules to get the bill they want, they get their way, and when the other team calls B.S, they take it out on CANCER PATIENTS?!??!! For real??!!! Thanks for that.
BTW, Rep. Tilley, I’d bet good money more than a couple of your constituents or their family members have been treated at Ellis Fischel. Good luck with all that.