PLAN TO CUT NUMBER OF LEGISLATORS LACKS OOMPH

The thing about legislative sessions in Jefferson City is that they surprise us so often, there's hardly anything left to be surprised about. But a proposal by the Senate's president pro tem, Ed Quick of Liberty, at least managed to raise a few eyebrows.

Quick suggests there are too many state legislators. He would like to cut the number of state representatives to 105 from 163. But he would increase the number of senators to 35 from the current 34. Part of his logic is that with 105 representatives and 35 senators, you could evenly divide the state into three House districts for each Senate district.

That's all pretty neat, of course. And Quick goes on to say too many legislators produce too much frivolous legislation. Besides, he says, Missouri's Legislature is bigger than New York's or California's, and you know how populous those states are.

Indeed, there are some good philosophical reasons to take Quick's proposal with more than a grain of salt. And you have to give him some credit for being willing to take the heat from fellow legislators, particularly those who would lose their seats under his proposal.

But Quick's plan begs understanding. There hasn't been an outcry from voters that there are too many state legislators in Missouri. And there haven't been huge protests from taxpayers that the state's 197 legislators cost too much -- even with a proposal in the works for increasing legislators' pay.

Quick speaks of efficiency and productivity when he defends his idea for cutting the number of legislators. But there is no guarantee a smaller number of representatives would move important legislation along any faster. For example, using Quick's logic, could Missourians look forward to shorter legislative sessions with fewer legislators?

But there may be even less desirable reasons to trim the legislative ranks. Because Missouri's population is concentrated in two major urban areas, and because legislative districts are apportioned based on population, Quick's plan would produce more urban legislators than rural lawmakers. (Quick, who is from Liberty, comes from the northern part of the Kansas City metropolitan area.)

Moreover, there is something to be said for having a state representative who is both a lawmaker and a neighbor. Missouri's 163 representatives have always been closely identified with the areas they serve.

Until Quick hears a public outcry about the number of legislators in Jefferson City, it might be best to put this idea aside -- and concentrate on the important legislation he thinks is overwhelmed by having too many legislators.