KASTEN TO BUDGET PANEL

JEFFERSON CITY - State Rep. Mary Kasten of Cape Girardeau has captured a seat on the powerful House Budget Committee.

The 30-member committee reviews recommendations from the five appropriations committees and compiles a final draft of the state's $8.3-billion budget for the full House to consider.

Kasten said Friday she sees the appointment as both an honor and a challenge.

"I'm just thrilled to have this opportunity and pleased because it is such an important committee," declared the five-term Republican. "There is really a multitude of problems this year and there aren't going to be many solutions."

With revenues running behind what this year's budget is based on, Gov. John Ashcroft has been forced to withhold funds from state agencies several times during this fiscal year.

The impact of those withholdings, combined with a declining economy, have legislators suggesting this could be one of the tightest budget years for Missouri in a long time.

Kasten agrees with the gloomy forecast and knows the committee faces a difficult challenge.

"It is not a particularly good year to be on the budget committee," said Kasten.

Kasten is one of only two representatives from the 8th Congressional District that will be serving on the budget panel this year. The other is Rep. Jess Garnett, D-West Plains.

Kasten said she was "flabbergasted" to learn Thursday afternoon from House Minority Leader Jim Talent that she had been appointed to the panel. It was not one of the committees she had asked for a seat on; however, she did seek re-appointment to the appropriations committee on health and mental health.

The opportunity was given to Kasten because of her seniority and the fact that several Republican members of the committee during the last session have left the House.

The size of the committee has been increased this year from 24 to 30 members.

Other committee assignments in the House will not be released until today or Tuesday. Names of budget members were released early because the group is scheduled to meet this morning, several hours before lawmakers are scheduled to go into session.

Committees were to be appointed by last Thursday after the first week of the session, but there was a fight over rules and whether House Speaker Bob Griffin should have the power to appoint members of all committees, including Republicans.

As part of the compromise, the rules now give the minority leader the say over Republican member committee assignments.

Kasten said Friday she is not sure whether the new rule helped her, but said it was her understanding that that she was going to have been on the budget committee regardless of the rules that were adopted.

Rep. Joe Driskill, D-Doniphan, who has been on the committee for the last four years, is not included on the list for this session.

That means the five-term lawmaker will likely be named chairman of one of the major committees of the House this week. There are several committees with the workload and responsibility such that the speaker will not appoint those chairmen to the budget committee because of the time involved.

Rep. Al Nilges, D-Bourbon, who became budget chairman in 1989 after Marvin Proffer, of Jackson, retired from the House, was named to a second term by Griffin. Rep. Chris Kelly, D-Columbia, will continue as vice chairman.