STATE LEGISLATORS SAY MESSAGE IS CLEAR ON PROPOSITION B ROUT

A number of Southeast Missouri legislators Tuesday night expressed surprise over the wide margin of defeat of Proposition B. They suggested it is unlikely the General Assembly will propose any more tax hikes for education in the near future.

"When people speak as loudly as they did on this issue, I would be reluctant to bring it back to them," said Rep. Mary Kasten, R-Cape Girardeau. "I'm certainly disappointed, though not totally surprised that it lost. There have been a lot of negatives recently."

Rep. David Schwab, R-Jackson, said the results tell legislators "people don't want to pay anymore taxes."

Schwab said if the vote had been closer, lawmakers might had been willing to propose something else. "But, with the vote this overwhelming, we have a clear signal from the people ... the people have told us what they wanted as far as I'm concerned."

Schwab said he was surprised by the margin and had expected the vote to be close.

Rep. Joe Driskill, D-Doniphan, said he is taking the results of Tuesday's election "as a personal mandate. I'm not going to support anything next year or anytime in the near future.

"It tells me there is a clear mandate to Jefferson City next year that people do not want to increase funding for education. Whatever cuts must be made in education and all state services to balance the budget must be done."

Driskill said people don't seem to be in the mood for any kind of tax hike because the tax proposal in Proposition B was a tax cut for many people and about as fair of a plan as could have been devised.

Rep. Ollie Amick, D-Scott City, said he believes many of the elderly people took exception to the plan because it called for a sales tax increase. He also said he believes some people did not see a need for more funding for higher education.

"The legislature will have to go back to the drawing board and re-shape a proposal, but it's probably dead at least for next year," he said.

Kasten and Rep. Larry Thomason, D-Kennett, said they felt Proposition B offered a sound package of increased funding tied to reforms, and expressed disappointment over its rejection.

"I think what they are saying is, if there is a need for improved education, it is not worth paying higher taxes," said Thomason. "This was the most harmless package we could put together for the general population. The impact on the average family of four was less than a candy bar a month, yet it wasn't acceptable.

"The public must be saying we are doing a good job educating kids, and, if we are doing a good job, why give them more money, regardless of how accountable we make them?"

Asked whether he thought lawmakers would consider a new plan next year, Thomason replied: "After Med Assist was defeated 70-30 several years ago, did anybody propose to do it again? That's the answer."

Thomason said he sees the defeat as part of the public's "taxes be damned" sentiment.