LEGISLATORS ANTICIPATING LONG HOURS, HEADACHES

The area's two state representatives anticipate long hours and headaches as the legislative session heads into its final two weeks with details of the school foundation funding formula and workmen's compensation bills still to be nailed down.

"It's going to be a hectic two weeks said Rep. Mary Kasten, R-Cape Girardeau, Sunday. "These are things it's tough to have answers for."

In her 11th year in the legislature, Kasten said everyone in Jefferson City is really feeling the pressure.

"I think this is the most stressful year ever," she said. "I think it's because there are so many changes in the world, and there are so many huge issues that don't have any easy answers."

Rep. David Schwab, R-Jackson, complained about the last-minute bottleneck that seems to occur every year.

"It frustrates me that we end up waiting until the last couple of weeks to pass our legislation," he said.

"I feel we do a pretty good job throughout the year."

He suggested that waiting until the 11th hour may be part of the leadership's plan "to go ahead and pass it without having to have a lot of debate."

The Senate already has passed a new school foundation formula measure without a funding mechanism. The House is considering a similar measure which includes a $361 million provision for raising taxes.

The House plan, endorsed by Speaker Bob Griffin, would eliminate individual and corporate state deductions for federal income taxes paid while providing for greater personal and dependent deductions.

Kasten doesn't think the school funding should be expanded all at once, and said the Republican caucus has devised a substitute plan which phases in funding increases.

"It's rather drastic the way it is now," she said. "...I think we need to do something gradual."

She conceded that the legislature is on the hot seat no matter which funding plan it chooses.

"Anything we do with taxes is going to be unpopular with the people we represent," she said.

Schwab echoed the sentiment for phasing in funding for the new school foundation formula, saying the current proposal faces spirited opposition.

"I don't think that's going to fly, at least not unless you put it to a vote of the people," he said.

Proponents say the tax increase does not require such a vote.

Devising a plan to equalize school funding has been enormously difficult, Schwab said.

"It's a pretty complicated issue when you look at what we're trying to do. We've got such a variance of school issues throughout the state."

Much of the funding will be derived by sharing the wealth now enjoyed by larger school districts. Schwab said the Jackson Public Schools in his own 157th District will benefit no matter what because the old formula provided no money for growing school systems such as Jackson.

"Anything we do is going to help Jackson," he said.

Different workmen's compensation reform bills now have passed both houses of the General Assembly. A conference committee is expected to try to split the differences, which include 20 amendments tacked onto the House bill.

"There will be some real compromises," Kasten predicted.

Neither legislator is making any predictions about the school funding outcome.

"We're going to start on it this week and stay with it until something is done," Kasten said.

Sounding slightly less optimistic, Schwab said there is no absolute guarantee the funding issue will be resolved before the session ends.

"I don't think it's going to be that easy to come up with the funding part of it."