Governor, GOP legislative leaders trade barbs in speeches

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Anti-tax protesters and opposing factions upset with cuts in state services traded heated rhetoric in the Capitol Thursday as the House of Representatives passed revised spending plans for education and other key portions of the state budget.

Business organizations and other groups loyal to the Republicans who control the Missouri Legislature mobilized hundreds of state residents to rally against putting tax increases on the ballot for voter approval as proposed by Gov. Bob Holden, a Democrat.

Those protesters wore red T-shirts and carried placards shaped like stop signs that read: "Stop Holden's Taxes."

Counter-demonstrators, also numbering in the hundreds, organized by the Missouri National Education Association, labor unions and other Democratic groups voiced support for giving voters a choice on taxes, which they feel is needed to protect vital state services. Some carried signs that read: "Education Cuts Don't Heal."

Special session

Lawmakers are meeting in a special legislative session to redo four appropriations bills Holden vetoed covering the departments of elementary and secondary education, higher education, mental health, health and senior services, and social services.

Holden says the original $19 billion state budget approved last month is underfunded and out of balance. The vetoed bills account for nearly two-thirds of the total budget.

After nearly 6 1/2 hours of debate, the House gave both preliminary and final approval to revised bills that would boost spending by about $95.4 million -- far less than the $354 million increase sought by the governor. The Senate will take up the bills next week.

Holden and the top two Republican leaders traded barbs during speeches before a joint assembly of lawmakers in the House chamber. The governor's comments were wedged between those of Senate President Pro Tem Peter Kinder of Cape Girardeau and House Speaker Catherine Hanaway of Warson Woods.

While governors commonly ask to address lawmakers during legislative proceedings, long-time Capitol observers can't recall an instance when legislative leaders also did so at the same time.

Holden saw significance in the order of speakers.

"While there may be arguments on either side of an issue, the truth is somewhere in between," Holden said. "I'm here today speaking in between."

Loud galleries

The opposing activists who packed the House galleries for visitors raucously -- and often simultaneously -- booed and cheered all three speakers. Capitol police removed a few of the more boisterous individuals from the chamber.

Kinder opened by urging the governor to sign three key pieces of legislation approved during the regular legislative session that ended May 16. Holden has vowed to veto those bills, which would allow law-abiding residents to carry concealed weapons, impose a 24-hour waiting period on women seeking an abortion and place limitations on civil lawsuits.

On the issues at hand -- taxes and state spending -- Kinder sternly chastised the governor for calling the special session, which is costing taxpayers nearly $100,000 a week.

"Governor, I join with other Missourians from all walks of life who are asking a simple question of their elected leaders when it comes to taxes: What part of 'no' don't you understand?" Kinder said.

The senator said the legislature met the governor more than halfway in providing the $700 million in new revenue he requested in January, but that Holden is still demanding taxes in that amount.

Kinder accused Holden of engineering the budget showdown and pushing the state toward a government shutdown if a spending plan isn't signed into law by the July 1 start of the next fiscal year.

"I know we in the legislature have cooperated with you and your administration as much as we possibly can," Kinder said. "But we cannot and will not compromise on sending a tax increase to a vote of the people."

He added that if a government shutdown occurs, it will be the governor's fault.

Forceful Holden

Holden's comments were equally forceful. He took credit for cutting more than $1 billion in state spending so far in his administration and said all the fat is gone with nothing but bone remaining.

While nearly $400 million in recently approved one-time federal money that House Republicans have used to restore some education cuts is helpful, Holden said it isn't enough and doesn't address long-term funding shortfalls.

"To claim that this federal money will solve our budget problems is like finding a $10 bill and thinking you'll never have to pay for lunch again," Holden said. "You're either deceiving yourself or trying to deceive the people."

Primary components of Holden's proposed revenue package include raising taxes on smokers and casino operators. Holden said most Missourians wouldn't pay those targeted levies, a statement that was met with incredulous moans from the anti-tax crowd.

"For those who disagree, your solution is to rely only on devastating cuts to education and health care while protecting the tobacco and gambling companies," Holden said. "I'm not willing to trade teachers and doctors for cigarettes and poker chips."

The governor also called for higher taxes on wealthier Missourians and the closure of certain corporate tax loopholes.

Holden, who arrived after Kinder spoke and left before Hanaway's turn, closed by reiterating his call to let Missouri voters decide between higher taxes and reduced state services.

Government growth

Hanaway said Missouri government expanded too fast in recent years and taxpayers can no longer afford to fund every service the state is called upon to provide.

"Missourians' capacity for love of their fellow man and desire for the best in public schools is boundless," Hanaway said. "But Missourians' ability to pay for their fellow man and schools is bounded by the earnings of working men and women in this state."

She said the long-term solution to the state budget problems isn't higher taxes but putting more Missourians to work, which will put more revenue in the state treasury. She urged Holden to sign the revised budget bills and drop the tax campaign.

"If you choose to continue this fight, it will be abundantly clear to all Missourians that you can only be satisfied with the largest tax increase in Missouri history," Hanaway said. "It will also be very clear that you are more interested in creating a crisis than finding a solution."

mpowers@semissourian.com

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