“mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;”>
It’s an old saying in politics:
Never let a good crisis go to waste. We urge Gov. Jay Nixon to keep
this old saying in mind and take advantage of the series of
unfortunate natural disasters that have battered Missouri.
Specifically, Nixon should call a special session of the
Legislature to work out paying for unexpected disaster relief in
Missouri, and under cover of this consensus issue work with the
divided Missouri Republican Party to pass badly needed economic
development legislation.
“mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;”> We say this mindful of the political liabilities to Nixon in calling a special session, given the need to state an agenda that could then be defeated. Republicans dominate both houses of the Legislature, and their internal bickering was responsible for the economic development bill dying at the end of session. To call a special session specifically to complete the economic development bill would give tax credit activists in the GOP another forum to spout their theories and kill the bill, in which case Nixon would now share in the Republicans’ failure. These same Republican tax hawks – state Senators Jason Crowell, Will Krauss, Jim Lembke, Chuck Purgason and Rob Schaaf – also inhabit the activist right wing of their party that relishes causing Nixon political embarrassment.
“mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;”> But last month “font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”>the governor held back $57.1 million in spending from the state’s general revenue fund and $115.1 million from other revenue sources so the state would be in a position to fund disaster relief efforts. Predictably, Republicans criticized this move, which provides an opening for Nixon to call them back to session to discuss how to fund needed disaster relief efforts. While everyone gets some kudos for doing something all Missourians would agree is important, the final haggling over disputed tax credits – which killed the economic development bill – could be conducted quietly without political loss to anyone.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Kansas City
received its
needed attention from this governor in 2010, when he called a
special session to work out tax incentives for Ford to keep its
assembly plant in the Kansas City area. In 2011, Nixon should
answer the needs of the state’s more productive economic hub of St.
Louis and call a special session in which the Aerotropolis tax
incentives – that would stimulate new business at and around the
St. Louis airport – get completed. If maintaining manufacturing
jobs in Kansas City warranted a special session in 2010, then
providing economic incentives to create new assemblage and
cargo-transport jobs in St. Louis warrants a special session in
2011.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Jay Nixon’s handling of unprecedented natural disasters in his state has been impressive. No one would fault him for convening the Legislature to iron out how the state will pay for disaster relief efforts. At the same time, the governor can provide Republicans with a forum to resolve their remaining differences and pass an economic development bill that could radically transform this city and state.
