SEN. STAPLES HOLDS FAST IN OPPOSITION TO BILL ON FORMULA

JEFFERSON CITY - Sen. Danny Staples was the only one of 19 Democrats in the Missouri Senate to vote against a new school foundation formula bill Thursday, as issue regarded as the top priority of Democratic Gov. Mel Carnahan.

On Monday, when Senate Bill 380 came up for final passage, the number of yes votes increased from 21 to 24. But Staples was not among the new "aye" voters.

The third-term senator from Eminence took the floor of the Senate and urged his colleagues to defer any action on the bill until a special session could be held to decide the issue. Staples complained that the Senate was moving too fast, knew little about the bill it was trying to pass, and that the full implications of a court ruling declaring the current formula unconstitutional were unclear.

"Before we rush something through here, we need to take time to think about what we are doing," said Staples. "In my opinion, the governor should call us back in September to address the formula and tax issue. I hate to see the General Assembly rush to do this; it is too important to rush."

Staples complained that the governor did not unveil his plan to deal with the ruling of Cole County Circuit Judge Byron Kinder until April 8, which he said was too late in the session for lawmakers to fully absorb along with other pressing issues.

"I realize it costs money to come back in September and look at this in great detail, but even though it costs money, I feel it is very important to everyone involved to the business sector, schools and the legislature that we come back and do this," said Staples.

In his ruling, Judge Kinder noted disparities between some districts where the state and local per-pupil payment ranged from $9,000 in some districts to less than $3,000 in others.

Staples also argues that no one seems to have a clear opinion of just what Kinder's ruling means. Since it has been appealed to the Supreme Court, the senator said, it would be best for legislators to take up the matter after the appeals process is over.

"We really don't know what to react to," said Staples.

Carnahan's plan calls for increasing the minimum local levy for school districts to $2.75, which would generate about $56 million in local funding to go with $415 million in additional state funds.

Of the state funds, $50 million would come from budget cuts in other state departments, and the other $365 million would come from an increase in the corporate and individual income taxes.

The governor has asked lawmakers to approve the tax hikes without a vote of the people, because of the need to react to the court order.

SB-380 changes the formula and raises the minimum levy, but the tax increase part of the package will be taken up in another bill.

Staples has concerns about raising the minimum levy and bypassing people on a tax increase. He has heard strong opposition to both in his 20th District.

"We just mandated a $2 levy last session and now we are mandating $2.75 or $3," said Staples, who pointed out the levy increase hits his district particularly hard. Of the 26 school districts in his senatorial district, Staples observed that 24 currently have levies below $2.

Staples said the time may come when people in his district and other parts of the state will recognize why the levy has to be increased and taxes raised for the foundation formula, but he does not feel that time is now.

"If my constituents understand this is something court ordered, that will be one thing, but right now very few understand what happened in court."

Staples noted that when 89 rural school districts voted to file a lawsuit against the state challenging the current formula, he warned them that the result could be bad and drive up their local levies.

"I told some of the superintendents that I knew in the beginning they would win, but in the long run they would lose, and that's what is happening now," Staples said. "The legislature is 60 percent urban and some of those have a $4.50 levy or more."