CARNAHAN SAYS NO TO SPECIAL SESSION

Gov. Mel Carnahan has no plans to call a special session to formulate pay raises for lawmakers.

Lawmakers will be busy enough dealing with a partial-birth abortion measure in the Sept. 15 veto session, said Carnahan spokesman Jerry Nachtigal.

"It is an issue that could be revisited next session, certainly," said Nachtigal.

"The governor doesn't feel this is the time," he said.

Speaker Pro Tem Jim Kreider, D-Nixa, wants the issue addressed "openly and fairly" in a special session.

But area Republican lawmakers and the state GOP criticized the idea.

"I'm wondering whether the heat has gotten to my friend, Jimmy Kreider," said state Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau.

"This is absurd," said Kinder. "It is an insult to the people. I expect it will go nowhere fast."

Kinder said lawmakers have received a cost-of-living increase in past years. This year the governor vetoed it.

Kinder said lawmakers have more important issues to address than legislative pay raises.

But Kreider sees it differently. In a two-page letter to Carnahan, Kreider said lawmakers deserve to be compensated fairly for their time and efforts.

"It is unfortunate that the salary commission has never garnered the support of the citizens nor the pundits in the press," he wrote.

But Kreider said the commission has run its course and should be abolished. He wants lawmakers to approve a resolution that would require Missourians to vote on whether to terminate the commission.

Kreider said a special session also would allow lawmakers to craft a resolution that would set reasonable legislative salaries.

"There will be no hidden agendas, no last-minute amendments to popular bills nor any shenanigans that some have been accused of playing," he said.

Kreider said lawmakers could address not only salaries but legislative per diems and cost-of-living increases.

Any recommendations by the Legislature would be sent to the voters, he said.

"This will bring accountability to the process and make a huge step toward restoring the public's faith in government," Kreider said.

Kinder and state Rep. David Schwab, R-Jackson, insisted that Kreider is posturing to succeed Rep. Steve Gaw, D-Moberly, as House speaker.

Gaw plans to run for secretary of state.

Schwab wants the salary commission abolished. But he said that can be handled next year. "We can deal with it in a normal session," he said.

Rep. Patrick Naeger, R-Perryville, agreed. "I don't think that's something you do in a special session."

Naeger said he isn't looking for a pay raise. "I never got into this job for what it paid."

John Hancock, executive director of the Missouri Republican Party, accused liberal Democrats of trying to switch the spotlight from the veto session to pay raises.

Lawmakers are expected to push to override Carnahan's veto of an anti-abortion bill.

Kinder, who supports the bill banning infanticide, said the House vote could go against the governor. The issue then would be in the hands of the Senate.

Kinder said the Senate's 16 Republicans would vote to override the veto.

On the Democratic side, Kinder said there are six Democrats who will vote to override the veto and another six who will support the governor's position.

That leaves the decision in the hands of six Democratic swing votes, Kinder said. "We need one of only six swing senators to override the veto," he said.