Yesterday morning Representative Denny Hoskins (r) appeared with Senator David Pearce (r) before the University of Central Missouri Board of Governors meeting on campus in Warrensburg. The effect of a veto override of HB 253 was the main subject of the conversation.
And, we may have an idea of the latest whip count.
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Representative Denny Hoskins (r) : ….And I want to commend UCM [University of Central Missouri], uh, professors, staff, Board of Governors that, uh, we are a, a shining star, uh, among the state universities. And a lot of the different things that we’re doing, um, are models for a lot of the other state schools. And so I’m going to commend, uh, the Board of Governors and professors and staff on that.
And one of those items that, that, uh, President Obama talked about was the Senate Bill 381. We did have the [inaudible] Nixon come in and sign that bill earlier this year. Uh, it really, that’s, uh, a great bill, a great law that’s , will go into effect August twenty-eighth. And so I want to commend the University for supporting us on that. As well as, uh, commend the House sponsor and as well the Senate sponsor, as that gone through to create that fund in order to further the innovation campus.
Um, in other news, and before I turn it over to Senator [David] Pearce [r], uh, we did have the Speaker Pro Tem election this past, uh, weekend and I’m glad to report that I am the new Speaker Pro Tem of the Missouri State House of Representatives. So that is the number two leadership spot in the Missouri State House of Representatives. I’m excited about, uh, the opportunity that will afford me for, to help out UCM as well as, uh, 54th District and the State of Missouri. So, I’m transitioning into that new role, uh, in leadership and therefore I, I will be giving up my, uh, chairmanship of the Appropriations for Economic Development and, [inaudible] five other ones on there, Department of Revenue, Department of Insurance, Department of Labor, and, uh, MoDOT. So, it’s, uh, kind of a transition period for us as we lead up to veto session on September eleventh….
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Chuck Ambrose, President, University of Central Missouri: ….and, of course, this has been in, in, very, uh, specific spotlight across the state, uh, both from the Governor and the legislature going into veto section, session. I think, uh, for us, just specifically focusing that on the impact on the University of Central Missouri. We’re, we’re at a point where we’re educating the most students, graduating the most students, maintaining a high level of performance, and done everything, uh, as diligent as we possibly can to be good stewards of our resources. Um, and, uh, [Senator] David {Pearce], as you mentioned the, the funding formula, and this appropriation cycle, even though we got an appropriations increase, uh, it did not meet the requirements of just our MOSER mandate, uh, to keep up with our retirement. And, uh, as best as we understand it, uh, the range of potential, uh, negative impact on general revenue could range from six hundred million dollars, uh, kind of in a best case, uh, to maybe as much as one point two billion [dollars], uh, in a worst case. And then of course anywhere, as you know as appropriators, anywhere in that kind of loss of revenue would, would mean, as the Governor said, the very difficult, uh, time that even thinking about running state government they way we’re currently running it. Certainly, we continue to be more efficient. Um, but, with his tack of maintaining the state’s triple A bond rating by, uh, putting the withhold, uh, in place currently, at two hundred thousand dollars a month [for UCM] and a projected two and a half million dollar loss off, uh, appropriations in this fiscal year, uh, without passing significant costs on students, which we know one of the best things that we collectively have done together is hold our increases in costs down, uh, it would be catastrophic for the University of Central Missouri. And there would be no way for us to meet this fiscal challenge, uh, without reducing workforce, uh, or significant, and when I say significant, it would be major double digit tuition increases passed on to our students. And we all know that they simply just can’t afford it. Uh, and we’ve heard from, you know, all of the public sector, and, of course, K-12 has been very direct in its impact with resolutions from board, you know, school boards and, uh, but we would ask, uh, especially at a time when we are trying to, to run as a, as high performers to meet the state’s needs, and as you said, trying to, to create the, the future from here, uh, it, it would not just slow our momentum, uh, it, it would take it away from us. Um, so, I, I would like to just ask, you know, where is it, uh, what you would suggest for us to do, uh, to underlie its impact not just on Central Missouri and our students, uh, but across the state, uh, across education, uh, and, and certainly, uh, within scarce resources? Uh, and if we look across the border to our west, there’s no demonstration that, that that tax experiment done, has done anything to, to strengthen, uh, resources to, to put into, to teaching. So, I, I just ask, what can we do, where are we, uh, and, uh?
Representative Denny Hoskins (r): I get, I guess, uh, the first question I have, I know that we ended up with four hundred million dollar surplus over, um, this past fiscal year and the Governor decided to withhold that. So, had the board taken any position on asking the Governor to release the withholds?
Chuck Ambrose, President, University of Central Missouri: Well, we talked to the Governor about releasing the withhold.
Representative Denny Hoskins (r): Great.
Chuck Ambrose, President, University of Central Missouri: And, uh, and absolutely, uh, and as John Merrigan would put it, [inaudible], right now, uh, with his tack, uh, it is two hundred thousand dollars of, of cash, uh, withheld money which would not take us very long to feel. Uh, and I, I guess the only thing he’s come back with and said, until we get through veto session and know where that’s gonna go that he will continue [withholding]. And if it is overturned his intent would be to keep that [inaudible].
Representative Denny Hoskins (r): There are a lot of different groups out there and, and I know the Governor has, uh, his groups and his talking points, as well as what, uh, he, uh, believes to be a cat, catastrophic, uh, shortfall of revenue. I’m of, I’m of the other opinion. I don’t, I don’t believe that there, I believe that the Governor’s playing political games and, uh, he’s, he’s hitting all the right groups and withholding these funds even though that the money is right there, uh, in order to use. And I disagree with the Governor philosophically as far as what a tax cut would do for the State of Missouri, uh, on a personal side, uh, incremental tax cut of twenty-five percent over the next ten years. And that’s only happens if, uh, revenue, general revenue increase a hundred million dollars [inaudible] each year. So, uh, [inaudible]. Again, that does not happen if general revenue doesn’t, doesn’t increase at least a hundred million dollars. So, philosophically the, the Governor and I have a difference of opinion on, uh, [inaudible]. I know you mentioned Kansas, uh, our, our neighbor to the west. We’ve seen other states such as Tennessee, Oklahoma, uh, Texas. And you know, if you haven’t heard yet Governor Rick Perry is coming to Missouri next week and he’s launched a campaign to try and lure, uh, Missouri businesses to, uh, Texas, the State of Texas. And, um, you know, [inaudible] the low, the low tax state as well as, uh, a state that’s very friendly toward business and, and the economy.
So, I guess, I understand your concerns and many of my colleagues have those same concerns on both sides of the aisle. Uh, I do have, I do share some of those concerns but philosophically I believe that, that those can be overcome and I do not believe in, in the doomsday, uh, projections that, uh, Governor Nixon has, has said. Um, and I’ve gone on record and I said I, I guarantee that if House Bill 253 [veto] was overridden education would not receive less money next year. We will not fulfill the Governor’s promise. That, that’s kind of where I stand [inaudible]. Senator [David] Pearce and I agree on a lot of things and, uh, we, we have a difference of opinion on, on this issue. So….
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Chuck Ambrose, President, University of Central Missouri: ….Uh, but, you know, I, I, I’m taking the Governor on his word he’s gonna maintain the withhold if his veto is overturned.
Representative Denny Hoskins (r) : This has been a point of contention with the, uh, Missouri General Assembly as well as the Governor’s office. Um, and something will probably get [inaudible] to take to court. Constitutionally the Governor is not supposed to withhold unless the revenue’s not there. But the revenue’s there and [inaudible] he’s still deciding to withhold.
Um, you know, my personal opinion on, on 253, currently I, I do not believe the votes are there for a override of the Governor veto. Uh, could that change? Yes, it could change. I have, uh, been in discussions with, with some of the different groups, education as well as business groups. Uh, in the event that it is not overridden on September eleventh, come together [inaudible] work out a, uh, tax cut as well as, uh, provide adequate funding for education….
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Marvin “Bunky” Wright, President, University of Central Missouri Board of Governors: ….Uh, the board has discussed at great length this whole situation. You can refer to it as a difference in philosophy, frankly, I don’t care what you refer to it as. Uh, this board has got responsibility of this University. And I’ve seen President Ambrose, the faculty, the staff, everybody cut to the core budgetwise in the last three years. Uh, the last thing we need is a further crunch because of political differences. There isn’t any political difference when it comes to higher education when we’ve got responsibility. And we would ask that the two of you [Rep. Hoskins and Senator Pearce], uh, do not support the position of overriding this veto. I mean, we can’t sit back and wonder who’s right or wrong, because some money’s gonna go by the wayside. And whatever it is is gonna hurt us. So, you know, we would ask you to support this University which is in your district and the people. We think we’re one of the best universities in the state. I happen to think it is the best. A lot of it is due to the help of people like you. And we’re asking you again, and I’d like to go on record for this board as requesting that you support us, uh, in this override session. We appreciate you coming in very much. If you ever have any questions, why, give us a call. We’ll try to answer them.
Representative Denny Hoskins (r): Thank you.
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Philosophically, giving tax breaks to billionaires and millionaires while increasing the burden on seniors and the poor through an added sales tax on their prescription medications is a good thing. Philosophically.
Philosophically, giving tax breaks to billionaires and millionaires while defunding the infrastructure of society and diminishing access to a quality education is a good thing. Philosophically.
Philosophically, holding up the less than erudite Governor of another state making a political visit to poach jobs from your own state as an ideal is a good thing. Philosophically.
Philosophically, being the new Speaker Pro Tem of the Missouri House is more important than representing the interests of the voters in your district. Philosophically.
If you’re in the right wingnut majority in control of the Missouri General Assembly, that is.
