BRANONS, DEVELOPMENT LIKELY SPECIAL-SESSION TOPICS

Under the Constitution, it is within the governors' powers to call the General Assembly into special session and to specify the subjects to be addressed. Gov. Carnahan has added to speculation that he may do so this year by dangling certain subjects for public discussion. First was the proposal of the Carnahan-appointed Total Transportation Commission for a 1-cent general sales tax dedicated for transportation. The wheels came off this one pretty much before it got started, and it would appear the governor has dropped any such notion.

That leaves two other possible special-session topics. First there is Branson. In 1993, reacting to requests from leaders in that town, lawmakers passed enabling legislation to permit voters there to pass a tax to pay for street, lighting and sewer improvements. Based on this statute, Branson voters approved the proposed sales tax, and the town sold $48 million of bonds. The trouble is that the way the Legislature wrote the bill caused it to be struck down by the Missouri Supreme Court as unconstitutional special legislation. The bill by its own terms applied to "a city or town located within a county bordering Arkansas and containing 5,000 hotel rooms."

With the credit ratings and reputations of both Branson and Missouri on the line, lawmakers simply have to fix this measure. A default on these bonds is unthinkable. It is also preventable with timely action. Therefore this will likely be on the agenda.

Then there is the matter of the economic development bill. The term "economic development" covers a multitude of sins -- er, subjects. Some among this lengthy bill caused the governor to veto it. Also contained within it were certain tax credits for historic preservation of old structures. These are deemed especially important for St. Louis and Kansas City, where they could play key roles in downtown revitalization efforts. Legislative leaders have been talking with the governor about sending him a version of this bill that he could live with. Thus it is likely to be the other subject for a special session.