House panel spikes school funding bill

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A House committee on Thursday killed a bill to overhaul Missouri's system for funding public schools, but a resurrection appears likely heading into the final two weeks of the legislative session.

After spending several days recrafting the bill, the House Special Committee on Education Funding voted 14-9 to reject it. Opposition from urban and suburban lawmakers is seen as the primary factor for the defeat. All the committee's Democrats, most of whom hail from large cities, were joined by five Republicans who represent metropolitan areas.

"It was pretty much urban versus rural on the vote," said state Rep. Gayle Kingery, a Poplar Bluff Republican who voted for the bill.

GOP legislative leaders and Gov. Matt Blunt pledged to use their clout to get the bill back on track. Blunt spokeswoman Jessica Robinson said the governor "will not consider the legislative session complete" unless the bill passes, an indication he may call a special session to finish the job if lawmakers don't do so before adjourning for the year on May 13.

Robinson said changes in the funding system must be enacted this year to thwart a pending lawsuit that seeks to have the current funding system declared unconstitutional because it unfairly distributes too little money. Nearly 300 public school districts, including dozens from Southeast Missouri, are plaintiffs in the case.

"It is critical that the House Education Committee [members] do their part to pass a formula that will protect Missouri's schoolchildren and ensure that judges do not dictate how Missourians' hard-earned tax dollars are spent," Robinson said.

House Speaker Rod Jetton, R-Marble Hill, called the committee vote a "big surprise," especially because he thought some rural Democrats would support it.

"We are committed to trying to get a formula done," Jetton said. "This has been a little bit of a setback."

Options to revive the bill include holding a second committee vote, which would require at least three members to switch their positions, or stripping the committee of its authority over the measure and sending it to the House floor.

The bill, which cleared the Senate earlier this month with overwhelming support, would replace the current education funding formula based on local taxes with one aimed at providing for student needs.

A key sticking point was a provision of the substitute bill offered by state Rep. Brian Baker, R-Belton, that scaled back the amount of additional money for school districts in regions where wages exceed the statewide average. The Senate version is more generous to such districts, which are primarily in the metropolitan areas.

"If you're from St. Louis or Kansas City, things cost more. That's a given," said state Rep. Mike Corcoran, D-St. Ann. "It costs more for housing, and it costs more to pay teachers."

While they had no problem with that provision, the two Southeast Missouri Democrats on the panel said the failure to resolve too many issues in the bill prompted their opposition.

"I thought it was rushed too much," said state Rep. Terry Swinger, D-Caruthersville. "People ought to feel comfortable with the finished product."

State Rep. J.C. Kuessner, D-Eminence, said one issue of major concern is how the state would pay for the new formula, which would require an additional $689 million over five years to fully fund. Senate Majority Floor Leader Charlie Shields, R-St. Joseph, has suggested raising taxes on casino operators and eliminating the limit on gamblers' losses, but Jetton has ruled out such actions.

Although the funding question is unlikely to be answered this year, Kuessner said chances are good the formula bill will make a comeback before the session ends.

"It could happen," Kuessner said. "I'm sure arms are being twisted."

The bill is SB 237.

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