Crowell, Cooper tout legislative achievements to area businesses

With a theme of "we delivered," Missouri lawmakers Jason Crowell and Nathan Cooper on Friday touted several achievements of the most recent legislative session, including combating violence against children, finding funds for high-profile projects and cutting back on government waste.

And there was even a disappointment or two, including the failure of a plan to construct college buildings like the River Campus with the profits of a student-loan sell-off and a provision to remove utility taxes at Procter & Gamble.

"Two years ago, Missouri was at a crossroads," Crowell said at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's First Friday Coffee. "We were hemorrhaging jobs. Revenues were down. It didn't look good."

Then, in 2005, Crowell said, the legislature delivered on several promises, including a needs-based formula for funding education, an overhaul of worker's compensation, civil litigation reform and more law-enforcement tools for fighting methamphetamine.

This year, the legislature promised eminent domain reform in light of Kelo v. New London.

"The government in Missouri will never be allowed to take your home or business and give it to another private individual for solely economic development," Crowell, a state senator, said to applause.

Crowell also pointed out that the legislature signed Jessica's Law, which makes life the mandatory sentence for forcibly raping a child.

Things are getting better, Crowell said, including 30,000 new jobs gained and general revenue was up 8.2 percent -- all done without paying taxes, he said.

Cooper, a state representative, said five items that were passed were very important to him, including tort reform, workers compensation reform, new foundation formula, Medicaid reform and restructuring government.

smoyers@semissourian.com

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