Senate Leader Hints Progress Possible In Special Session

The Legislature comes back to Missouri to deal with Governor Bob Holden’s suggestions that it raise more money for the state by ending some special favors for business. Senate Leader Peter Kinder is not enchanted with the Governor’s call for a special session to close some business tax loopholes and raise $44-Million for education. The Legislature has said “no” several times this year. But this time the situation is changing. Kinder says the State Chamber of Commerce is working on something. Kinder says he’s been told the Chamber might be softening its opposition to closing the loophole that lets companies incorporated in other states avoid corporation taxes here. Legislative Republicans stuck with the Chamberearlier this year, but Kinder denies Republican lawmakers have to wait for the Chamber to say it’s okay to pass a business tax proposition. Kinder says Governor Holden’s staff has told his staff the Governor will expand the call to include another topic or more today or tomrrow. Hesays there is little or no sentiment in the Legisalture for spending a great deal of time in September talking about the Governor’s issues that failed in the Spring. He says the Governor’s special agenda call is just part of hisre-election campaign.