Dealing with legislators reveals some odd behavior

State Reps. Lanie Black, R-Charleston, and Peter Myers Sr., R-Sikeston, have kept their heads low amid all the fireworks over the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus funding issue.

Both serve on the House Budget Committee.

As such, they presumably would play a key role in efforts to restore state funding for the project.

Other lawmakers tell me that the two lawmakers support the River Campus arts school project.

But neither is talking to the press.

The Southeast Missourian tried repeatedly to reach Black and Myers, but neither returned any of our phone calls over the past week.

Black's secretary now tells us that her boss won't return our calls or those of other reporters.

"He doesn't like to be in the paper," she says.

Myers clearly wasn't eager to talk either.

It's unfortunate when any public official seems more intent on avoiding the press than letting the public know where he stands on important issues.

Democracy breaks down when elected officials choose to avoid public communication.

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Meanwhile, House leaders have crafted a plan for spending proceeds from the sale of some Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority -- better known as MOHELA -- student loans that includes $165 million for campus construction projects.

But those projects have yet to be spelled out in the House plan.

Gov. Matt Blunt had proposed spending $300 million on campus projects.

To his credit, he specified projects to be funded.

Even that proposal didn't include the $17.2 million in funding requested by Southeast Missouri State University for the River Campus.

The governor says he didn't include the project because of opposition from state Sen. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau.

Crowell calls it a misunderstanding and says he'll back the funding request.

Crowell's position may not matter.

House Speaker Rod Jetton, R-Marble Hill, at first said he wouldn't support the River Campus funding request unless three members of Southeast's board of regents resign.

School officials have said the regents won't step down.

Later, Jetton said the regents acted on bad information presented by the university's president.

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As for the House spending plan, it remains more a concept than a detailed blueprint for improvements to higher education.

House leaders at one point proposed a plan to fund 15 projects at 12 universities and research campuses.

The governor's plan, in contrast, would have funded 20 projects at 14 college and research campuses. That included $5 million toward construction of a life-science research facility at Southeast.

But House Republicans led by Jetton eliminated any funding for Southeast and Northwest Missouri State University. House leaders later scrapped that plan after a caucus with their fellow GOP members.

The perception remains that both schools may be left out of any House funding plan.

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It probably shouldn't come as a surprise that Northwest also is in the speaker's doghouse.

Northwest is in the district of state Rep. Brad Lager.

Jetton ousted Lager as budget committee chairman last fall. The speaker said Lager didn't share his budget priorities.

Northwest also has been unable to move forward with a life-science facility that was opposed by Jetton and Crowell.

Lager, who says he will support funding for the River Campus, remains frustrated over the fact that House leaders haven't put out an official list of campus projects they support.

"I think right now everybody is confused and trying to figure out what the plan really is," Lager says.

"If we are going to have fair and open debate about the governor's plan, then it is only right to have fair and open debate about the House plan."

And that can't happen behind closed doors.

Mark Bliss is a staff writer at the Southeast Missourian.