2002- A year of caution on new taxes

Along with certain interest groups, many state policy makers are beating the drums for a major tax increase. Notably missing from this list are Gov. Bob Holden and most elected officials.

There are some exceptions. Take state Rep. Don Koller of Summersville, Mo., who pledges to introduce his massive, $700 million-plus transportation tax-increase package.

What's different this year -- an election year in which the seats of every member of the House and half the Senate are before the voters -- is that it isn't clear whether the governor backs this or any other transportation package.

Last year, Holden's support enabled Koller and other Demo-crats to push through his $747 million transportation tax increase, the largest in state history.

The big road contractors and other transportation lobbies are pushing for another huge transportation funding measure. It is by no means clear that lawmakers will vote for such a measure this year, especially without the governor's all-out support.

A great debate is under way about state revenue and state expenditures. This is a healthy thing. And meanwhile, anyone proposing new taxes should be careful about what they ask voters to approve, before placing before them a huge package whose likeliest fate is defeat at the polls.