It’s halftime at the Capitol and the legislature appears to have no clear direction for tax cut actions in the remaining weeks.  Majority Republicans are divided on what to cut and by how much and whether it makes any different what Governor Nixon thinks. 

The Senate tax cut bill sponsor has failed three times to get a vote on two different approaches.  Some Republicans think the legislature should pass a tax cut Governor Nixon would sign.  Others say lawmakers should pass what they want, let Nixon veto it, and try for an override–a strategy that failed last year.

Senate leader Tom Dempsey says the House used that strategy in passing two bills this year.  But other Senators think the passage-and-override strategy is only a remote possibility.  About fifteen Republicans refused to support a veto override of a tax cut bill last September.  No Republicans have jumped ship so far this year.

Dempsey says the Senate tax cut sponsor continues to negotiate but Dempsey is not sure when the issue can come back to the Senate floor for more debate.     

Lawmakers will have about seven weeks to resolve differences and complications in this and other issues when they come back from Spring break on the 24th.

postgame