LEGISLATORS SERVE ON NATIONAL TASK FORCE

State Reps. Mary Kasten, R-Cape Girardeau, and Larry Thomason, D-Kennett, are serving on special task forces of the American Legislative Exchange Council.

The organization held its annual meeting last week in Seattle, and both Kasten and Thomason attended.

Its membership includes not only state legislators from around the country, but also legislative staff members and representatives of private organizations involved in government.

Kasten, serving her fifth term in the Missouri House, has been on the Transportation and Public Works Task Force for almost two years, and at the meeting was one of five legislators from around the nation named to a special subcommittee of the group.

"Our purpose is to study ways to cut costs and to make improvements in services in infrastructure all over the United States," said Kasten. Among the options the committee will look at are privatizing infrastructure and using new techniques and technology for building highways and for all types of transportation.

"This committee is one where I have learned an awful lot and this subcommittee is one where I feel I can have some impact," Kasten noted.

Thomason, who is in his second term in the House, was appointed to the task force on trade, travel, and tourism in mid-April.

Both Kasten and Thomason point out the task forces will not only give them access to information, but will also allow them to have input in drafting model legislation for states to consider.

Kasten said the subcommittee she serves on has access to some of the nation's best experts on transportation issues, something she feels can be of help not only to the organization's efforts, but also to people in Southeast Missouri.

Kasten added that the committee will deal with all types of infrastructure and transportation.

"It will be a massive project, but I think it will be a real good group to work on," observed Kasten. "Highways are a hot issue at the moment with the reauthorization of the federal highway bill being discussed and everyone looking toward new highway improvements.

"I feel it is good for me to be on this committee because with us sitting on the Mississippi River, having an airport, and so much access to surface transportation and rail, I can provide some help to our area."

Thomason said his task force focused its efforts primarily on the issue of sanctions against South Africa and the impact of a fair trade agreement now being considered by Congress.

Harry Schwarz, South Africa's ambassador to the United States, explained the impact of sanctions on his country and steps that had been taken to address those concerns. The task force was urged to consider drafting model legislation for states to repeal the sanctions.

Thomason said the task force will prepare policy statements on those issues soon, as well as look into other areas of concern.

Thomason also served as moderator for a panel discussion during the conference entitled: "Of Courts and Carrots: Restoring Rationality in Trade and Litigation."

The panel focused on some of the problems that were caused by the present U.S. trade policy and the heavy tendency toward litigation.

Serving on the panel with Thomason were Walter Olson, author of "The Litigation Explosion,"; David McIntosh, assistant to Vice President Dan Quayle for domestic policy and deputy director of the Council on Competitiveness; and Lewellyn Rockwell, who heads an economic think-tank affiliated with the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and Auburn University.

Both representatives said they were impressed with the conference and stressed that many important issues were discussed.

"I had never been to a major legislative conference but I was impressed by the caliber of people who were there and by how well it was put on," said Thomason.

"The workshops and panel discussions were all interesting, but the best thing was talking to legislators in other states and hearing some of their ideas. I noted how similar our problems are and how different the structures are for dealing with the problems."

For example, Thomason said that some legislators were talking about passing tax increases to meet revenue shortages to fund programs. But that is not an option for Missouri because of the Hancock Amendment, which requires voters to approve any tax increases.

Most states do not have such a provision, Thomason said.

Kasten said she gathered information on a wide variety of issues, which all states are facing.

While states share problems, Kasten said the best part of the conference is being able to learn about new approaches to solving problems that have been successfully used in other states.

An overall theme, said Kasten, is that state government needs to use its limited resources as efficiently as possible and try to provide services better and in a more economical way.