The Department of Natural Resources hopes to make a case for more powers to keep Missouri lakes clean when its director goes before a Senate committee at midday. But the committee chairman wants to hear something else. [Read more...]
Former Senator Talent critical of lack of preparation for biological event
January 4, 2010 By
Former U.S. Senator Jim Talent (R-MO) is sounding the alarm about America’s response to the H1N1 virus and how it proves the country needs better medical emergency plans to deal with any biological event, natural or manmade.
Talent, co-chairman of the congressionally mandated Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism, says that while government can anticipate biological weapons that might be used during a terrorist attack, the knowledge is of little use if the nation does not have stockpiles of medication and vaccines needed to treat those in the affected areas. He’s concerned because the country has not adequately prepared for what he fears might happen in the not too distant future. [Read more...]
Slight uptick in state revenue projected, more cuts to come
January 4, 2010 By
An agreement has been reached between the Nixon Administration and state lawmakers on how much revenue the state is likely to receive next year and while the number is big, the growth is small.
State lawmakers build the budget based on the consensus revenue estimate, which for Fiscal Year 2011 will be $7.225 billion. State Budget Director Linda Luebbering points out that is only slightly larger than the $6.97 billion expected to come in this year, which would be a 6.4% decline from the previous year. [Read more...]
Highway Patrol counts four traffic deaths during New Year’s weekend
January 4, 2010 By
Preliminary figures from the Missouri State Highway Patrol indicate four people were killed and 92 injured in 319 traffic crashes investigated by troopers during the New Year’s weekend counting period that began at 6 pm last Thursday and ran through 11:59 last night. In addition, the Highway Patrol made 113 arrests for driving while intoxicated.
During the New Year’s counting period a year ago, the Highway Patrol investigated 234 crashes, which included 11 fatalities and 89 injuries. There were 24 fatalities statewide over that counting period. [Read more...]
Dept. of Education watching tax assessment bill
January 4, 2010 By
The legislature will again look bills that would help protect seniors and the disabled from getting taxed out of their homes.
Senator Jane Cunningham of St. Louis County is proposing legislation that would prevent assessed tax valuation on homes from being increased until it gets sold. The bill also contains certain exemptions for those over 55. The Department of Education is watching the bill … which was also filed last year … since schools depend on tax revenue to operate.
Legislative analyst Mark Van Zandt says tax legislation is always a balance.
“From a policy point of view, tax legislation is always a balance … schools could not be dependent just from payments from those who directly benefit from them; from a larger view, everyone benefits from public schools,” he says. “The question is what should be the level of that contribution?”
Van Zandt points to laws already on the books, such as the circuit breaker statute, but says “many folks in their later years just don’t have the financial resources to continue to pay a sustained amount in terms of property taxes so the legislature has to again find that balance.”
The legislature convenes for regular session Jan. 6.
The bill filed, SB 671, limits increases in assessed value of residential real property, not subject to transfers of ownership, during reassessment years to the lesser of the percentage increase in the consumer price index for the Midwest Region or 2 percent. Residential real property will only be subject to reassessment upon a transfer of ownership. Certain transfers between family members and transfers made by people age fifty-five and older would not trigger reassessment.
Cunningham’s bill also says taxpayers may dispute assessed values by hiring appraisers who meet certain accreditation requirements. Appraisals provided by such appraisers will form the basis for determining assessed value. This act subjects all school districts in the state to the property tax rate roll-back requirements created by the enactment of Senate Bill 711 (2008). Her bill is identical to Senate Bill 501, which was filed last year.
