One Missouri Transportation Plan Headed For Ditch

Governor Bob Holden’s One Missouri Transportation Plan has been dealt a serious blow in the State Senate. Senate Leader Peter Kinder of Cape Girardeau has effectively scuttled the plan by putting into play a substitute package. It would do away with the proposed $747-million tax increase to fund road building and repairs and replace it with a proposal to generate millions of dollars for highways without raising taxes. The transportation bill had been voted out of the Senate Transportation Committee and Governor Holden had been hoping to see it brought to the Senate floor for debate. He’s disappointed with the developments, accusing Senator Kinder of using “dirty tricks.” He calls the substitute package a transportation blueprint for financial disaster.