The FAIR Tax proposal is headed for debate in the Senate. But some key legislative leaders are doubtful about its chances. The proposal would replace the income tax with much higher sales taxes. Lawmakers know that if they do not put it on the ballot this year, a well-financed petition campaign likely will. [Read more...]
House leadership will allow campaign limits on ethics bill
February 21, 2010 By
A big sticking point in the debate over ethics legislation at the Capitol is whether to include limits on campaign contributions. While the Senate might be resistant, House leaders says they might accept them on an ethics bill.
House Speaker Ron Richard (R-Joplin) says everything is on the table with ethics reform. Speaker Pro Tem Bryan Pratt (R-Blue Springs) says that though ethics during the legislative session and donation limits during campaigns might seem like two separate issues, they often mesh.
“Here’s the reality to it. You have campaign finance laws and if you violate campaign finance laws, then it gets into ethics-type issues,” Pratt says. “So, I mean, that’s where it meshes. The campaign finance laws dictate how we run campaigns and how you raise money. Certainly, there will be a discussion.”
In very broad terms, Republicans have sponsored bills that target conduct during legislative sessions. Democrats want to restore campaign contribution limits. A special House committee appointed by the Speaker is reviewing the various pieces of legislation filed this year. It has been charged with sending one, comprehensive bill to the House floor for debate.
House Majority Floor Leader Steven Tilley, a Republican from Perryville, sponsors one of the ethics bills the committee is considering. Tilley says he’s keeping the overall goal in mind.
“I want to see something that’s all encompassing, that structurally changes the way things are operated here,” Tilley says.
Tilley doesn’t care much for campaign contribution limits. He prefers the system created when Republicans lifted the limits and added more reporting requirements. But he says that if campaign contribution limits are added to ethics legislation in the House, he won’t move to kill the bill.
“I believe that ethics reform is so important that if we do get a campaign cap on it, I’m going to continue the bill moving down the process,” Tilley says. “I’m not going to lay the bill over. I’m going to send it to the Senate and we’ll see what happens. But I think this year we have a unique opportunity to accomplish something.”
Tilley says he would like to get an ethics proposal to the House floor for debate before legislators leave on spring break, March 4th, but he says that might be pushing it a bit.
Central Missouri claims MIAA title
February 21, 2010 By
For the first time since 1984, the University of Central Missouri Mules have clinched the MIAA title on their own with a narrow 65-61 win over Northwest Missouri State on the road Saturday afternoon.
Bears beat Nevada
February 21, 2010 By
Nafis Ricks knocked down two free throws with 3.4 seconds on the clock to propel the Missouri State Bears to a 62-60 come-from-behind win over Nevada Saturday in the ESPN BracketBusters at JQH Arena.
