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IN THE LAST FEW DAYS, TOP
TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR A ONE CENT SALES TAX HIKE TO PAY FOR
WIDENING I-70 AND FIXING MUCH OF THE STATE'S HIGHWAY SYSTEM. A REPUBLICAN SENATOR JOINED WITH
A FELLOW DEMOCRAT IN INTRODUCING A BILL THAT BEGINS THE PROCESS FOR PUTTING THE ISSUE BEFORE
VOTERS. EVEN THE MISSOURI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SAYS ITS KEEPING AN
OPEN MIND ABOUT THE IDEA. I BUT I THOUGHT THE MOOD IN JEFFERSON CITY WAS NO TO ANY
TAX. HAS THAT CHANGED, SENATOR KRAUS? I DON'T THINK THAT HAS
CHANGED. THIS IS A REFERENDUM THAT ALLOWS THE VOTERS TO VOTE ON IT.
IT'S A FEW SENATORS COMING TOGETHER AND SAYING THIS IS THEIR PROPOSAL.
ANY SENATOR CAN PROPOSE A LAW CHANGE OR REFERENDUM. THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'LL GIVE IT
OVERALL FINAL APPROVAL. YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN MENTIONING, SENATOR LEVOTA, THE
ISSUES OF FUNDING FOR ALL OF THESE AREAS OF GOVERNMENT. HIGHWAYS IS ANOTHER ONE THAT
DOESN'T HAVE MUCH MONEY AT THIS POINT IN TIME? THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE
WE ARE WITH OUR REVENUES IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI. WE'VE HAD TAX CUTS OF ABOUT A
BILLION DOLLARS OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, AND WE KEEP REDUCING OUR REVENUE, AND WE KEEP
REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES WE CAN GIVE TO ROADS, AND SO NOW IT'*** A CRUCIAL DECISION
WHERE WE MAY HAVE TO RAISE TAXES ON SALES. IT MAY OR MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT
SITUATION, BUT WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WITH OUR TAX POLICY AS WE GO ALONG.
PATRICK. I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT. I MEAN, I THINK WHEN YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT NEW PROJECTS EXPANDING THE HIGHWAY, I THINK IT'S A QUESTION OF PRIORITIES.
SOMEONE WHO HAS DRIVEN BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN KANSAS CITY AND ST. LOUIS FOR THE LAST TEN
YEARS, I'VE GOT TO SAY THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A POINT FOR ME, PERSONALLY, WHERE I THOUGHT,
MAN, WE NEED A THIRD LANE. I THINK THERE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE NATENENCE CONCERNS.
I THINK THOSE HAVE TO BE ADDRESS. THAT'S THE PROPER ROLE OF
GOVERNMENT. AS FAR AS ADDING A THIRD LANE, I'M PERSONALLY -- I DON'T THINK
IT'S NECESSARY. AND YOU'RE ON THAT HIGHWAY ALL THE TIME COMING BACK AND
FORTH. ALL THE TIME. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE IDEA OF
HAVING A TOLL ROAD ON I-70, AND WOULDN'T THAT BE A FAIRER WAY OF FUNDING IMPROVEMENTS OF HIGHWAYS
RATHER THAN DOING A SALES TAX A 1% SALES TAX THAT EVERYBODY WOULD BE PAYING FOR?
I THINK THERE WASN'T MUCH APPETITE IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO A TOLL ROAD BECAUSE IT'S ***
CUMBERSOME ON THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THAT ARE AROUND I-70.
BUT YOU'VE ALSO POINTED OUT ON THIS PROGRAM THAT ANOTHER SAX SAX -- SALES TAX IN MISSOURI
WOULD ELEVATE THAT. MAYBE AFTER THE SHOW, WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHEN THE ADDICTION OF
LAWMAKERS RAISING EXCISE AND SALES TAXES EVER END. ANOTHER PENNY HERE, HALF PENNY
THERE, 14, 15, 16 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR, NICK. WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, IT USED
TO BE 3 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR. FOR WHATEVER REASON, THAT'S THE WAY MOST LAWMAKERS WANT TO FUND
GOVERNMENT.