FARM BUREAU HEAD SAYS HE WON'T RUN FOR GOVERNOR IN '96

Charles Kruse won't run for governor in 1996.

The possibility that Kruse, the Missouri Farm Bureau president and former state director of agriculture, would run in 1996 surfaced last year.

"I've learned never to say never," Kruse said during a visit to Cape Girardeau Tuesday. "I'm flattered that some people have suggested that I run for governor."

But 1996 is out of the question, he said. "Right now I want to do the best job I possibly can for the Missouri Farm Bureau."

Kruse, a Republican, did not rule out a gubernatorial run another year.

The Farm Bureau and its positions on a number of issues -- the tax limitation bill, the 1/10th-cent sales tax for soil conservation and parks, this year's farm bill and the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department's thoughts on a $400 million to $500 million bond issue -- were among topics on Kruse's agenda Tuesday. He is on a tour of Farm Bureau offices in Southern Missouri that includes stops at Dexter, Rolla and Springfield.

The Missouri Farm Bureau's 81st annual meeting will be held Dec. 3-5 at Tan-Tar-A Resort.

Among topics to be discussed at the state meeting are two major issues facing voters: tax limitation and the 1/10th-cent sales tax.

The tax limitation measure will be voted on April 2.

"We'll be working with our entire membership to promote passage of this constitutional amendment," said Kruse. The amendment would curb the powers of the governor and lawmakers to raise taxes. It would limit taxes and fees the Legislature can impose in one year without a statewide vote to 1 percent of the total state revenue or $50 million, whichever is less.

The measure was proposed in November 1994 when voters rejected Hancock II, another bill designed to limit state taxation.

"We were neutral on the Hancock II vote," said Kruse, "but we were concerned with some of the wording in the bill. And an impact analysis study by the bureau indicated that Hancock II would impact the state's budget by at least a billion dollars."

The bureau's members, who supported the original Hancock amendment passed in 1980, were split on Hancock II, with about a third favoring the bill, a third opposing it and a third being undecided.

The bureau, however, supports the latest amendment proposal.

The group also supports the 1/10th-cent sales tax that provides funding for Missouri parks and soil conservation.

The present tax was approved for a five-year period in 1984 and was renewed by a 70-30 percent margin in 1988 for 10 years, with the expiration date being November 1998.

In 1995, an effort was made in the Legislature to pass a constitutional amendment to allow voters to decide in 1996 if they want to extend the program another 10 years.

"The constitutional amendment failed," said Kruse. "Other interests, particularly those in urban areas, wanted to get a piece of the sales tax for their programs."

The bureau launched an initiative petition to place the issue on the November 1996 ballot. About 124,000 valid signatures in six of the nine congressional districts need to be turned in to the secretary of state's office by July 5.

"Our goal is 180,000 signatures," said Kruse.

The tax would provide about $50 million a year, split evenly with $25 million for parks and $25 million for soil conservation.

"This is a crucial tax program," said Kruse. "When this program started in 1984, Missouri was the second-worst state in the nation in soil erosion."

Today, the state has moved to seventh place. Missouri has made a lot of progress, said Kruse, but there is a lot to be done.

Representatives of the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department recently appeared before the bureau to seek support for a $400 million-to-$500-million bond issue to complete a 15-year highway improvement program.

"We favor a pay-as-you-go program," said Kruse. 'We want to see this 15-year plan completed, but we want to look at ways to fund the program, and a bond issue is not at the top of our list."

Topping the list, said Kruse, would be efforts to have federal road taxes returned to the state for use on highway programs.