Proponents continue push for transportation sales tax increase

See Related Stories

Intro:	A proposal to increase Missouri's sales tax rate by one percent to pay for transportation projects is not roadkill yet, but it continues to meet opposition with a few days left in the legislative session.
RunTime:	0:50
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: Republican House Speaker Tim Jones said he would need to find 82 Republicans to support a proposed one-cent sales tax increase for transporation projects, and the House has now passed the measure.

But the proposal made it back to the Senate the evening after the House passed it, and Republicans like St. Joseph Republican Rob Schaaf say they don't want to leave Jefferson City Saturday and tell constituents they voted to raise taxes.

Actuality:	SCHTRAN1.WAV
Run Time:	00:12
Description: "We want to go back and say hey, we're gonna have a vote on a one billion dollar tax increase. No, I don't really want to say that on Saturday morning."

Some Republican opponents say supporters should push the tax increase, which would require voter approval, through the initiative process rather than having the legislature do it.

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Nick Thompson.

Intro:	The Missouri General Assembly has revived debate over a proposed one-cent sales tax increase for transportation projects with three days left in the legislative session.
RunTime:	0:49
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: The Missouri House passed the transportation funding proposal in the morning and it promptly made it's way back to the Senate in the evening, where it met opposition from some Republican lawmakers.

The measure passed the Senate in March but has received a wide array of opposition from both Republicans and Democrats.

Some Democrats say a sales tax increase hurts the poor and some Republicans say they won't tolerate any tax increases.

But Jefferson City Republican Senator Mike Kehoe says it's time to let voters decide on the future of transportation.

Actuality:	KEHOEE.WAV
Run Time:	00:08
Description: "I still believe and many people in this body still believe that there is a point in time where you let citizens decide what they wanna do."

If passed, the measure would generate nearly 8 billion in revenue for transportation over ten years.

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Nick Thompson.

Intro:	Supporters are still working to push through a proposal to allow voters to decide whether or not to increase Missouri's sales tax by one-cent to pay for transportation projects.
RunTime:	0:50
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: House Speaker Tim Jones brought the measure up for debate in the House and delivered the votes in the morning before it went back to the Senate in the evening and met a four hour filibuster.

The Senate passed the tax increase proposal in March but Republican John Lamping of Saint Louis County says the sense of urgency just isn't there considering the increase would not go on the ballot until 2014.

But Republican Mike Kehoe says waiting until next year would put more pressure on those who would make a list of projects for voters to consider.

Actuality:	KEHOEE2.WAV
Run Time:	00:10
Description: "Now you're asking the planning partners, the highway commission, all the stakeholders to come up with this very important list so that people have a chance to sink their teeth into it and vote on it in November."

The Senate has just three days to work out differences and get the tax increase on the ballot.

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Nick Thompson.