House weathered storm, met priorities

By Jim Kreider ~ From the Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The storm clouds have parted -- the seas have calmed. We've made it to shore, alive and whole.

"The Perfect Storm" has subsided.

At the beginning of the year, I predicted a "perfect storm" of sorts for this year's session of the General Assembly, where four individual elements were set for a collision course to produce a storm of tremendous magnitude. Those elements include the onset of legislative term limits, legislative redistricting, the fact it's an election year, and the biggest element of all: a budget crisis resulting in a billion dollars in cuts.

I wasn't disappointed in that prediction, even though I wish I had been. Forty-seven other states faced similar crises, many requiring special sessions to deal with budget shortfalls.

Yet we were able to avoid a special session and emerged victorious, with a fiscally responsible budget giving priority to the well-being of the children, senior citizens and working families of Missouri -- not billionaire ball-team owners.

I said at the beginning of this session that my priority was to take a common-sense approach to balancing our budget and to fund elementary and secondary education. When the gavel fell Friday, measures were passed to close corporate tax loopholes, enhance state revenues and pull the budget into balance. As a result, public education will now see a $132 million increase.

My third priority was to address the issue of Missouri's crumbling roads and bridges. Again, on the final day the General Assembly approved a measure giving voters the chance to decide on a package that will pump more than $500 million a year into safer roads and a more efficient transportation system.

I regret we were unable to do more for schools, as our children deserve the finest education available. The initial Senate position on education was to drastically reduce the amount allocated to Missouri schools. I am proud that House budget negotiators stood firm, and did the right thing by getting every penny available for elementary and secondary education.

But I am disappointed at the lack of leadership from the minority party in the budget process, and their refusal to join other House members in approving use of the state's savings account to shore up the budget shortfall.

By killing the use of the budget reserve, the minority party forced more than $200 million in painful cuts during the current fiscal year. These cuts will hurt our colleges and universities, will hurt our senior citizens in need of nursing care and will hurt our state employees, who will be forced to take unpaid leave. I do not know the minority party's motivations, but I must sadly note their impact.

But the tough decisions were made, and some key legislation was passed important to the working families of southwest Missouri.

The General Assembly eliminated the statute of limitations on rape, reformed election laws and reauthorized an insurance program for low-income children. Also passed was funding for the agriculture center at Southwest Missouri State University, a pledge of future support for the Jordan Valley Convention Center in Springfield, and recognition of the Missouri fox trotter for its contribution to our state's history by making it an official state symbol.

When times are tough, we have to take a common-sense approach, prioritize and address the critical needs of the people of Missouri in a fiscally responsible manner. I believe we have done just that. We've weathered the storm; now it's time to plan for the future.

Jim Kreider of Nixa, Mo., is the speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives.