TAX CUTS REACH $20 MILLION

Missouri taxpayers were the winners from this year's legislative session, say two area Republican lawmakers.

State Reps. David Schwab of Jackson and Patrick Naeger of Perryville said the tax cuts included an exemption on prescription drugs for the elderly.

Lawmakers approved about $250 million in tax cuts in the session that ended Friday.

The package of tax cuts sent to Gov. Mel Carnahan included an increase in the personal deduction from state income tax, a reduction in the corporate franchise tax for many businesses and health-insurance deductions for the self-employed.

Lawmakers increased the individual income tax deduction from $1,200 to $2,100 and the married couple joint deduction from $2,400 to $4,200.

"With this tax plan, over 200,000 households will become exempt from even filing a state income tax return," said Naeger.

The reduction in the franchise tax means that almost 20,000 small businesses would no longer have to pay the tax, he said.

Schwab welcomed the tax cuts but suggested lawmakers should have made even bigger cuts.

Still, both Schwab and Naeger said the Legislature passed about $50 million more in tax cuts than the nearly $200 million the governor had wanted.

"It's terrific," said Naeger. "We have stretched the governor's proposal."

Schwab said the defeat of a bill to allow collective bargaining for public employees was a highlight of the session.

Carnahan had lobbied hard for passage of the bill, which was opposed by Republicans and many Democrats.

"It was the governor's major proposal this year," Schwab said. "It didn't go anywhere."

The defeat of the collective-bargaining bill set the tone for the session, Schwab said.

He said it led to more cooperation among lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle.

"I probably saw more cooperation in the House than any time I have been here," said Schwab, who has been a legislator for more than a decade.

"It made for a different session," he said.

Both Naeger and Schwab also welcomed passage of an anti-abortion bill that would make it second-degree murder to perform certain late-term abortions.

Carnahan is expected to veto the bill because it wouldn't allow such abortions to save the life of the mother. He has said the lack of such an exception makes the measure unconstitutional.

The two lawmakers, however, said they think there are enough votes to override the veto in September.

"I feel very confident the House will override the veto," he said.

Naeger said he hopes lawmakers will resist the governor's lobbying efforts.

It is hoped, Naeger said, that "people will stick to their guns and hunker down and do what's right."

Also passed was a bill to increase retirement pay for thousands of government employees, including lawmakers.

Naeger and Schwab voted against the pension hike, arguing that lawmakers shouldn't get an increase.

Lawmakers passed a measure to require jury costs in civil trials moved to other counties to be paid by the counties where the lawsuits originated.

Schwab had pushed for such a measure. It was tacked on to another bill and passed Friday in the session's waning minutes.

For the second year in a row, Naeger's bill to have the apple named the state fruit failed to win passage.

It made it through the House but stalled in the Senate. Naeger said lengthy debate in the Senate on the abortion bill sidetracked many bills like his apple measure.

Both Naeger and Schwab said they were pleased for $4.6 million in funding for Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus project.

The university wants to turn old St. Vincent's Seminary in Cape Girardeau into a school for the visual and performing arts.

Naeger said lawmakers throughout Southeast Missouri supported the project.