State chamber president speaks at Friday coffee

The Missouri Chamber of Commerce is actively involved in the state political system and is trying to get the government to spend less money and use tax dollars for what they were intended, state chamber president Dan Mehan told area business leaders at the Cape Girardeau chamber's First Friday Coffee.

"We like to consider ourselves the people that you hire to protect you from the people you elect," said Mehan, drawing a chuckle from the large crowd.

The state chamber of commerce represents employers to the general assembly and lobby on their behalf. The chamber employs four full-time lobbyists.

Mehan added that the politicians from Southeast Missouri, Sen. Peter Kinder and representatives Jason Crowell and Rod Jetton, are responsive to the needs of the business community.

One thing the chamber is watching closely is government spending, Mehan said. Despite the national recession, the state government saw a 3.1 percent, or $120 million, increase in revenue over last year.

"Most people would say they'd take 3.1 percent in a heartbeat," Mehan said. "But we've had situation from the last 12 years where state spending has more than doubled."

More than $500 million of tax increases have been considered by both the House and Senate, Mehan said, and the chamber lobbyists are trying to keep those taxes limited as much as possible.

"We don't think this is an economic disaster or emergency," Mehan said. "We think it's a spending crisis."

Another big issue that the state chamber is trying to influence is transportation taxes. The chamber wants to pour more money into a highway system that, according to Mehan, needs immediate improvement.

To do that, Mehan said, the state chamber is fighting against the misuse of transportation taxes.

"Right now when you fill up your gas tank, you pay 17 cents per gallon to the state of Missouri," he said. "But what we see every year, though, is the state taking $300 million out of those funds and using it for other purpose such as the department of revenue to collect your taxes. We don't think that's right."

bmiller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127