State Rep. Becky Ruth Archives

Pandemic has had up to a $100 million impact on Missouri Department of Transportation

June 25, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri lawmakers heard new details on Thursday morning in Jefferson City about the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the state Department of Transportation (MoDOT). That impact includes cuts.

State Department of Transportation (MoDOT) Director Patrick McKenna testifies before the Missouri Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight on June 25, 2020 in Jefferson City (Brian Hauswirth photo)

MoDOT Director Patrick McKenna testified before the bipartisan Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight, which is chaired this year by State Rep. Becky Ruth, R-Festus.

Director McKenna testifies the COVID-19 pandemic has had a $45 to $100 million impact on his agency. That’s because of several factors, including declines in motor fuel tax revenues, license and registration fees and the motor vehicle sales tax.

McKenna says the agency has reduced discretionary purchases for non-construction activities, and has placed an executive review on all new hiring. That began in March.

He also testifies that MoDOT has delayed advertising on about $360 million in projects in Missouri.

McKenna will join Governor Mike Parson (R) at today’s media briefing with Capitol reporters. That will start at 3 p.m. in Jefferson City.

20 House Democrats vote for vehicle sales tax bill pushed by Missouri GOP Governor

September 12, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The Missouri House has voted to give final approval to bipartisan legislation in Jefferson City that involves a complicated state Supreme Court ruling about vehicle sales taxes.

House Transportation Committee Chair Becky Ruth, R-Festus, speaks on the Missouri House floor on September 11, 2019 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Wednesday’s vote was 126-21, and more than a dozen House Democrats voted for the bill. It’s sponsored by House Transportation Committee Chairwoman Becky Ruth, R-Festus.

House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, tells Capitol reporters there’s a lot of support for the bill’s merits.

“Anytime you have a special session, there’s a lot of people that say ‘what about this issue’, ‘what about that.’ But on the actual issue that we were debating (the Ruth bill), we had across (bi)partisan support since the beginning,” Haahr says.

Governor Mike Parson (R) called this week’s special session, following the summer court ruling.

House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, also briefed Capitol reporters following Wednesday’s vote. She is critical of the special session, saying it’s wasting tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars.

“It makes no sense to prioritize tax breaks for a few over the lives of Missourians who die nearly everyday due to gun violence,” says Quade.

Despite Leader Quade’s comments, 20 House Democrats voted for the bill. It involves using the sale proceeds of a vehicle as a credit against the purchase price of a new vehicle when calculating sales tax.

The bill now heads to the Senate Ways and Means Committee for a hearing Thursday morning at 11:15 at the Capitol. State Sen. Andrew Koenig, R-Manchester, chairs Ways and Means.