THOMASON WILL PLAY KEY ROLE IN SCHOOL FUNDING LEGISLATION

KENNETT - As part of the Democratic Party's leadership team in the Missouri House of Representatives, Rep. Larry Thomason will likely become a key player in any effort to push Gov. Mel Carnahan's plan for dealing with the school foundation formula in this legislative session.

"If the House leadership decides to go that direction, I will use my role as whip to do whatever I have to do," said Thomason, D-Kennett.

But the third-term lawmaker stressed that his role is not like the whip's job in the U.S. House, where strong pressure is applied to party members to go along with certain priority issues.

"The biggest part of my job is one of communications: finding out where people's objections are and how to address those without killing the legislation," said Thomason. "I also count votes, but the biggest job is one of communicator."

Thomason said the issue may ultimately have to be resolved in a special session.

"This whole thing is getting complex in logarithmic proportions," said Thomason. "Every time you deal with one problem, you open up another issue.

"I'm not sure it can be handled between now and the end of the session. To do it will mean we will have to take some other very important issues and forget about them for this session."

Carnahan delivered a brief speech to a joint session of the General Assembly Thursday. He outlined a plan he said would comply with Cole County Circuit Judge Byron Kinder's ruling that the current school foundation formula is inequitable and inadequate.

The governor called for putting $415 million in additional state funds into the formula with $50 million coming through cuts in the current budget and the rest through tax increases aimed at higher income individual and corporations. The plan also calls for school districts to have a $2.75 minimum levy.

In addition, the governor called for various educational reforms.

Since lawmakers left shortly after the speech for an Easter break, Thomason said there was little opportunity to gauge reaction from colleagues.

However, the Kennett representative admitted many would likely be concerned about the large minimum levy and passing a large tax increase legislatively, rather than by going to a vote of the people.

"I'm very supportive of Mel Carnahan. I think he is trying to do the right thing here and sincerely trying to get the court order from Judge Kinder behind us," explained Thomason. "I appreciate his stand on reforms, and that he won't sign a bill that won't assure taxpayers a dime's worth of knowledge for a dime's worth of taxes. I think that is the prevailing attitude of people they want additional money for education used to educate."

With the May 14 adjournment date approaching, Thomason said he believes legislative leaders will begin analyzing the need for a special session for the foundation formula. Because of its complexity, Thomason said the issue could probably be better handled when it receives 100 percent attention from legislators.

Further complicating the problem, Thomason said, is that there is no clear consensus on exactly what Judge Kinder meant by his ruling.

"It would be a shame to spend a lot of time on this issue and reach no consensus, or pass a bill the governor refuses to sign, and in the meantime have lost down the tubes a lot of good, strong, right legislation," said Thomason.

"I don't relish the idea of going back to Jefferson City and spending part of my summer there in special session, but it might be the best way to handle the issue."

Thomason said he has mixed feelings about passing Carnahan's tax increase without going to a vote of the people, even though it is because of a judicial mandate.

"My first impulse is I don't like it at all. The spirit of Hancock, if not the letter, is that the people ultimately wanted the right to decide on tax issues, and philosophically I agree with that," said Thomason.

"But on the other side, people have to understand the ramifications of that. For example, what if we were to put an issue before the people in August, around the judge's deadline to comply, and the voters turn it down?. What happens? Does Judge Kinder then decide what tax to impose on the people?"

Thomason said he fears the judge might impose a minimum local tax levy even higher than the $2.75 being suggested by Carnahan.

"If it came down to whether or not to pass it without voter approval, or let Judge Kinder decide, I would rather we pass it," said Thomason. "I have yet to find a judge anywhere who has made these kinds of decisions that made them in a way that reflected the desires of the people.

"All you have to do is look at the federal level, where judges have mandated desegregation payments. Their mandates have been monumental failures."