Kansas City took another step toward streetcars downtown. It was back to the drawing board on Missouri Congressional redistricting. And Missouri's governor proposed another big cut to state university budgets.
Nixon Proposes $500M In Cuts
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon spoke of spending more on K-12 education in his State of the State address. But overall his budget was about not spending – $508 million in cuts – including more than $100 million trimmed from higher education. Senate President Pro-tem Rob Mayer said on top of a five percent cut to higher ed last year and $17 million this year it was a hard hit.
MO House Passes Spending Cap
House Republicans, like the Democratic Governor, were also talking about not spending. They passed a proposal for a constitutional amendment that would limit future spending increases to inflation and population growth margins. Democrats, like Jeanette Mott Oxford of St. Louis said the spending cap a dangerous move that would make it hard for lawmakers to address newly emerging needs. The spending limit amendment still would have to pass the Senate... and a public vote.
City Manager Would Cut Streets, Parks, Fire Dept.
Kansas City, Missouri was also looking at more cuts. City Manager Troy Schulte's budget proposal would react to still lagging revenues by ending curbside yard waste collection, tightening up on street repairs and parks maintenance and eliminating 105 fire department positions. Schulte said it was possible because the number of fires is down, but Fire Chief Smoky Dyer said it would drastically change the way his people handle fires that do occur. The firefighter's union called Schulte's proposed cuts a contract negotiation ploy.
Economist Defends Brownback Tax Plan
In Kansas, Reagan administration economist Arthur Laffer promoted the tax plan he engineered and Governor Brownback then proposed. Laffer said reducing income tax rates will help everyone in Kansas because it will build prosperity. Critics were still ranting about plans to eliminate the home mortgage interest deduction and earned income tax credit – and plans to keep the state's temporary sales tax increase. Late in the week, Republican leaders in the Legislature proposed their own tax plan, commenting that Brownback's had little chance of passing.
Council Moves Ahead On Streetcars
The Kansas City City Council proposed a transportation development district from the river market to Union Station and Crown Center to create an operating funds taxation base for a downtown streetcar system. Councilman Russ Johnson said acting now is based on advice from Washington. The plan requires approval by voters in the transportation district.
Court Scraps Redistricting Maps
The Missouri Supreme Court struck down the state's new Congressional redistricting plan on a technicality – and questioned the constitutionality of the boundaries of two of its districts, including the one served by Emanuel Cleaver.