Gimme Shelter

Thirty years ago the legislature allowed counties to adopt special taxes to pay for sheltered workshops and related services. A special nine-member board oversees the spending of that money. But in years since, some of those boards have spent money on other services to the disabled. Senator Betty Sims of Ladue says the law should be changed to allow the counties to continue spending as they see fit. But others, like Senator John Schneider of Florissant, believe the legislature is being asked to legitimize yeas of improper spending.