DENNIS CHARTS SPEEDY ACTION ON GAS TAX BILL

State Sen. John Dennis, vice chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee that will consider a House-passed bill increasing the state's fuel tax by 6 cents, predicted Wednesday the bill will receive quick approval in the Senate.

The measure should be on the governor's desk early next week, he said.

"I see no reason why it won't come out of the transportation committee Thursday morning and be taken up on the Senate floor by Monday afternoon," said Dennis.

"I really don't anticipate major opposition and believe it will have the 23 votes we need."

Only 18 votes are needed for passage in the Senate, however, 23 favorable votes are needed to enact the emergency clause that would put the plan into effect with the governor's signature.

The bill was given final approval by the House Wednesday and contains the emergency clause.

Rep. Joe Driskill, D-Poplar Bluff, chairman of the House Commerce Committee, said the fuel tax will bring great economic rewards to Missouri.

"I was very pleased for Southeast Missouri. What we accomplished yesterday was the greatest single economic development boost possibly in the history of our region," he said.

"We have a lot of good statutory laws designed to promote economic development - some that I helped write - but there has never been enough money to put them into full effect. The boost we are going to be able to give our economy with this is irreplaceable in comparison to what we can do with other state means."

Driskill and John Oliver, a member of the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission from Cape Girardeau, agreed that as the bill was discussed, lawmakers concluded the measure was not a tax increase but rather an economic development bill.

"I think that after all the collateral issues were dealt with that the legislators recognized their responsibility to the people of Missouri and did what they knew was the `right thing' to bring money and jobs back to Missouri," said Oliver, who watched Tuesday's House debate with Missouri Highway Chief Engineer Wayne Muri from the gallery.

The legislature took its time putting the fuel tax hike to a vote, but Driskill said the wait was appropriate to help members understand just how broad the support was for the issue.

Driskill pointed out that some legislators wanted to put the issue to a vote of the people and others wanted to deal with additional funding for mass transit and increase the counties share of the gas tax.

"But there were some people adamantly in support of the proposal and kept the drums beating on the subject," said Driskill.

"The bottom line was I thought we needed to hear the debate, get all the public input we could, and make a decision based on those factors. Based on bringing those all together, I was not surprised with the wide margin."

Dennis said he was asked by Senate President Pro Tem James Mathewson to help secure votes Wednesday, and the senator pledged to do his part toward quick action.

"I'm going all the way come hell or high water," said Dennis. "I hope we can get it through and on the governor's desk next week so we can start that heavy equipment rolling."

Driskill stressed the bi-partisan support shown by the governor and legislators was a key to the bill's success. He noted that Republican Gov. John Ashcroft had been aggressive in seeking support for the bill among GOP legislators.

Driskill said he was also surprised to find a letter on his desk Tuesday morning that was signed by the state chairmen of both the Democratic and Republican Party urging legislators to pass the bill.

"This transportation funding proposal is not a partisan issue," wrote W. Thomas Fowler, the Republican chairman, and Gene Bushmann, the Democratic head. "As chairmen of the state Democratic and Republican parties, we encourage you to act expeditiously and enact this program to create jobs and better roads for our citizens."

Driskill said that kind of enthusiastic support and bi-partisan emphasis helped convince House members the plan was too important to pass up.

Allan Maki, executive director of the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority, said Wednesday quick action on the bill will enable the port to proceed quickly with the extension of Nash Road into the port.

"We're very pleased and gratified that the House saw fit to proceed with an act of legislation that will enable Southeast Missouri to address many important road and highway needs," said Maki, who was in Jefferson City for the vote. "Not only does this mean that Nash Road has an excellent chance of proceeding this year, but it also opens the way for better highway access throughout Southeast Missouri."

Maki explained that the port will provide the right of way and secure the necessary permits for the project, while the highway department will assume the engineering and other costs.

He anticipates construction could start in about six months, and if the weather is good, might be finished by the end of 1993.

Oliver said he is optimistic the Senate would move quickly on approving the fuel tax. He said it is possible some of the mass transit issues might come up again in the Senate, but could not understand why any group would want to threaten the entire plan for mass transit.

"I don't know why the transit people don't understand the highway commission is strongly behind them to help find a funding source for mass transit in this state," Oliver said, pointing out that transit is an important part of the commission's job.

"Transit is an absolutely essential part of our job, yet they just seem to ignore that and want to take highways down if they can't get their way. I just don't understand it, and neither did the House."