MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG
Mo. Digital News
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Mo. Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG
Mo. Digital News
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Mo. Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
Tired of what they called a feeding frenzy, House Republican leadership said that in place of giving out federal stimulus money through earmarks, they're going to give it to Missourians in the form of a tax reduction.
Majority floor leader Steven Tilley:
| Actuality: TILLY2.WAV |
| Run Time: 00:12 |
| Description: "I think it did become a feeding frenzy. I think it expanded to the point where we weren't comfortable with it. And we met and didn't feel like the votes were probably there to pass it. And so we decided to go another route." |
All details of the plan have yet to be hammered out, but leaders did say taxes would be reduced by a half percent using 1 billion in federal stimulus money.
Minority leader Democrat Paul LeVota criticized Republicans for once again changing the plan.
From the state Capitol, I'm Rebecca Beitsch, Newsradio 1120 KMOX.
Intro: Missouri House Republican leadership says it has a new plan for the federal stimulus money, a plan some Democrats say is coming too late. Rebecca Beitsch (BYE-tch) has more from the state Capitol.
House Republicans new plan for the federal stimulus money would use 1 billion to reduce Missourians taxes by a half percent.
But Democratic Floor Leader Paul LeVota says that with three weeks of session left, their efforts are coming too late.
| Actuality: LEVOTA5.WAV |
| Run Time: 00:14 |
| Description: "The point is we're right here at the last three weeks before the budget bills are done, and here comes another idea. To me, it still seems half-baked and political. If this is a sincere desire to do this then we should have started talking about it in January." |
Republican leaders described the rush for federal dollars as a "feeding frenzy" and said they would rather give it to the taxpayers.
From Jefferson City, I'm Rebecca Beitsch, Newsradio 1120 KMOX.
Republicans new plan for the federal stimulus money would use 1 billion to reduce Missourians taxes by a half percent.
But Governor Jay Nixon's office said the House's plan for the money is changing too much.
Scott Holste, a spokesperson for the governor, had this to say:
| Actuality: HOLSTER.WAV |
| Run Time: 00:08 |
| Description: "The House Republicans budget plans are kind of like the Missouri weather. There's no use in getting too worried about it because it's likely change within an hour or two." |
But Republican Floor Leader Steven Tilley said he would rather give the money to Missourians than spend it on earmarks.
From the state Capitol, I'm Rebecca Beitsch, Newsradio 1120 KMOX.
House Republican leadership announced a new plan for federal stimulus money that would use 1 billion dollars to give a half percent tax reduction.
But eastern Missouri Senator John Griesheimer said a bill dealing with this much money introduced this late in session stands little chance of getting passed.
| Actuality: GREECE.WAV |
| Run Time: 00:10 |
| Description: "Are you kidding me? We got more dead bills laying on the informal calendar than I can count. So..ha...there's a lot of dead carcases of bills lying on the informal calendar." |
But on the House side, Republicans said they didn't think they had the votes to pass the bill they said is collection of earmarks.
From Jefferson City, I'm Rebecca Beitsch, Newsradio 1120 KMOX.
House Republican leadership says instead of spending federal stimulus money on earmarks, they'd rather let Missourians stimulate the economy through a tax reduction.
Republican Floor Leader Steven Tilley said they decided to spend 1 billion in stimulus money on a half percent tax reduction because the previous bill sparked a feeding frenzy over pet projects.
| Actuality: TILLY2.WAV |
| Run Time: 00:12 |
| Description: "I think it did become a feeding frenzy. I think it expanded to the point where we weren't comfortable with it. And we met and didn't feel like the votes were probably there to pass it. And so we decided to go another route." |
But eastern Missouri Senator John Griesheimer says that a bill dealing with that much money so late in session has little chance of passing the Senate.
| Actuality: GREECE.WAV |
| Run Time: 00:10 |
| Description: Are you kidding me? We got more dead bills laying on the informal calendar than I can count. So..ha...there's a lot of dead carcases of bills lying on the informal calendar." |
The bill is also being questioned by budget director Linda Luebbering. She said federal stimulus money comes with stipulations about how it's spent--specifically as extra funding for health and education.
| Actuality: LUEB.WAV |
| Run Time: 00:08 |
| Description: "It clearly doesn't seem to be necessarily in line with the thought that those funds would be used to stabilize core services though." |
Both the governor's office and House Democratic floor leader Paul LeVota said they were unhappy at the introduction of a new idea so late in session.
| Actuality: LEVOTA5.WAV |
| Run Time: 00:14 |
| Description: "The point is, we're right here at the last three weeks before the budget bills are done, and here comes another idea. To me, it still seems half-baked and political. If this is a sincere desire to do this then we should have heard about it in January." |
Icet said he plans to bring the bill straight to the Rules Committee Monday to speed up the process. He said he hopes to bring the bill to the floor early next week.
From the state Capitol, I'm Rebecca Beitsch, Newsradio 1120 KMOX.