May

9

Missouri Amtrak improvements on the horizon

May 9, 2008 | 3 Comments

Two bits of the new Missouri budget provide hope for Missouri’s beleagured Amtrak service between KC and St. Louis.  First, the state’s $8 million rail budget survived an attempted cut, so the trains will keep running.  Second, the General Assembly approved $5 million to improve capacity of the KC-STL line and hopefully reduce the delays […]

May

5

Problems with Missouri tax structure

May 5, 2008 | 1 Comment

Show Me Progress has an interested post on the sad state of Missouri’s tax structure, where the wealthiest citizens have a lower tax rate than the everyone else and the poorest have the highest tax rate. But it’s not all income tax, a big chunk of the imbalance is in propety tax and sales tax.
Even […]

Apr

20

Rep. Salva reverses course on ticket scalping

April 20, 2008 | 4 Comments

Those tweens distraught over Hannah Monana tickets sure are a powerful lobby in Jeff City.  KMBC-9 reports that Rep. Stan Salva is sponsoring legislation to outlaw ticket scalping.  KMBC failed to mention that less than a year ago Salva voted to legalize ticket scalping….

Apr

11

Aquila wants to change the law it broke

April 11, 2008 | Leave a Comment

In 2004 Aquila broke the law by building the South Harper power plan in rural Cass County getting the county’s permission.  Even worse, they built the plant after the Court of Appeals told them not to. Now the courts are ordering Aquila to disassemble the plant and move somewhere else. Aquila’s response is to ask […]

Apr

10

Earnings Tax: True Hollywood Story

April 10, 2008 | 10 Comments

The Star’s Kit Wager recently posted on Prime Buzz about a failed attempt to eliminate the Kansas City and St. Louis earnings tax. Unfortunately he didn’t go on to explain why a legislator from BFE would be so worried about wealthy suburbanites paying a municipal income tax.  The reason is that Senator Brad Lager (R-Maryville) is on […]

Apr

6

Justus endorses lobbyist

April 6, 2008 | 2 Comments

Prime Buzz reports that State Senator Jolie Justs (D-10) is endorsing lobbyist Amy Coffman for the 44th District Missouri House seat, which covers Waldo and Red Bridge. Rumor has it that State Rep. Beth Low (D-39) is also on board. Normally the career ladder takes people in the opposite direction, from legislator to lobbyist.  Even […]

Mar

24

Missouri trade mission to China, sans KC

March 24, 2008 | 3 Comments

Governor Blunt is leading a bi-partisan trade mission to China. The guest list includes Senators Bond and McCaskill, former Governor Bob Holden, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay and several St. Louis business leaders. Conspicuously absent from the list - anyone from Kansas City or elsewhere in Missouri. The Governor’s press release says that the trip […]

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