The final vote to override Governor Jay Nixon’s veto of SB 509. Representative Jeremy LaFaver (D) (left) – bearing witness, Representative Keith English (center) – casting the 109th vote necessary for the override, and Representative Ron Hicks (r) (right) – his escort on and off the House floor. May 6, 2014.
….Moreover, the revenue triggers in the legislation only apply until the tax cuts are fully phased-in. After that time, under the legislature’s own estimates, there would be at least $620 million less in general revenue available each and every year, regardless of whether revenue collections are going up or down. In addition, the legislation’s annual cost would continue to grow above the legislature’s $620 million annual estimate because the income bracket adjustments in the bill for increases in the consumer price index would continue indefinitely. See Section 143.011.3. This provision alone would result in an additional $128 million in annual revenue reductions ten years after the legislation is fully phased-in, increasing each year in perpetuity….
That was then, this is now:
Governor Mike Parson @GovParsonMO
Between now and June 31st, we are estimating an over $500 million shortfall.
We have had to take a hard look at our budget and make some very difficult decisions. 3:11 PM · Apr 1, 2020
It’s complicated, but every Missourian should know and care about our state budget. It impacts our daily lives and it determines our economic future. Simply put, the budget is a reflection of our shared priorities. Right now, however, our budget is also a reflection of confusion and uncertainty, as we are experiencing an alarming decrease in revenue collections. Here is what we know about our current dilemma and, more importantly, what we do not.
Missouri’s fiscal year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30. As of January 17––halfway through FY19––revenue collection for the state is down 8.76% compared to this time last year. As one of many measures of our state’s fiscal health, such a significant decrease in revenue indicates something is not right. A closer look at the data shows that the biggest contributor to this problem is a 26% decrease in the amount of personal income taxes being paid to date, as compared to last year.
[….]
Directly stated, the growing body of evidence suggests Missouri cannot afford any more tax cuts—and that we likely cannot afford those already in effect. Unequivocally, it was fiscally irresponsible to layer multiple tax cuts without ever truly and fully realizing the impact of any one of the bills alone. Still, it is amazing how many legislators continue to talk about the need for additional tax cuts. I will continue to demand that my colleagues pump the brakes on any additional cuts, but sadly, brakes may not be enough if policies already set in motion have us heading straight for a fiscal cliff.
Revenue estimate shows Missouri in for yet another rough budget
The official revenue estimate released today for FY 020 shows Missouri has yet another rough budget year ahead and again proves [the] folly of attempting to tax-cut your way to prosperity. While the estimate reflects an expected $193 million in revenue growth, it is silent on the $320 million in revenue Missouri won’t collect next year due to the next phase of implementing an ill-advised 2014 tax cut [SB 509] As House Democrats warned then, this tax giveaway for [the] rich is resulting in serious consequences for everyone else.
State Rep. Kip Kendrick
House Budget Committee, Ranking Democratic Member
D-Columbia
The final vote to override Governor Jay Nixon’s veto of SB 509. Representative Jeremy LaFaver (D) (left) – bearing witness, Representative Keith English (center) – casting the 109th vote necessary for the override, and Representative Ron Hicks (r) (right) – his escort on and off the House floor. May 6, 2014.
Kip Kendrick @Kip_Kendrick
Replying to @MBersin @Martha4MO
3 years into 5 year phase in and conservative estimate is $320 million this year. Year 4 and 5 will basically double this year’s cost. 6:13 PM – 28 Dec 2018
What, a $640 million shortfall the year after that?
Various news sources have reported that Former State Representative Keith English is dead in an apparent suicide. He served two terms in the General Assembly from 2013 to 2017. He ran for reelection as an Independent in 2016, losing to a Democratic Party candidate by over 2400 votes/14%.
The final vote to override Governor Jay Nixon’s veto of SB 509. Representative Jeremy LaFaver (D) (left) – bearing witness, Representative Keith English (center) – casting the 109th vote necessary for the override, and Representative Ron Hicks (r) (right) – his escort on and off the House floor. May 6, 2014.
In May 2014 then Representative English was the only Democrat in the House to vote to overturn Jay Nixon’s (D) veto of a republican tax cut bill. His vote, the last one cast (see photo), was the deciding vote in the override.
Governor Eric Greitens (r) has ordered significant budget cuts, with higher education taking a significant hit. Over the years the republican controlled General Assembly has cut back the possibilities of revenue, creating a death spiral of diminishing revenue and continuous cuts in public investment.
Via Twitter from Tony Messenger at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Tony Messenger @tonymess
‘Nobody was more disappointed about what happened yesterday than I was,’ says Sen. @calebrowden on @EricGreitens higher ed cuts. #moleg 2:37 PM – 17 Jan 2017
On May 6, 2014 the republican controlled General Assembly overrode then Governor Jay Nixon’s (D) veto of SB 509, an ill conceived bill which further exacerbates these same budgetary shackles and insures the Kansasfication of Missouri.
Then Representative (now Senator) Caleb Rowden’s (r) disappointment over the hits the University of Missouri (in his district) would take wasn’t evident (r) on May 6, 2014 when he voted [pdf] (Journal of the House, 1578) to override Governor Nixon’s veto.
What a difference two years can make. A lot of people are weighing in on the 51st Legislative District rematch between Dean Dohrman (r) and Gary Grigsby (D). We received this mail yesterday:
Paid for by The Committee to Protect Missouri Families.
[….]
The Warrensburg School Superintendent said the plan Dohrman voted for, “is something we don’t think is good for education.”
The UCM President said the plan Dohrman supported, “could disrupt funding for the University of central Missouri.” [….]
BUT DOHRMAN VOTED FOR IT ANYWAY.
Somehow republicans thought messing with the future of educational institutions in their districts wouldn’t be noticed around election time.
C141549: The Committee To Protect Mo Families Pac Fund
Po Box 39368 Committee Type: Political Action
St Louis Mo 63139
[….] Established Date: 10/06/2014
[….]
[emphasis added]
And they’re associated with the Carpenters’ District Council of Greater St. Louis and Vicinity. Working people. And they remember those votes on SB 509 which screwed working people, public education, public services, and public infrastructure. They’re using the mail to remind voters in the 51st Legislative District of those inconvenient facts. What a difference two years can make.
Rex Sinquefield had a thing or two to say about Governor Jay Nixon at a Heritage Foundation event (starting at around the forty-six minute mark – via @ssnich):
Rex Sinquefield: ….You know, Kansas has three great things going for it. First of all, it has a great governor. We all agree with that, right? [applause] Secondly, it’s got a great tax policy. And thirdly, and most important, Missouri has an idiot for a governor. [laughter] Am I allowed to say that in public [laughter]?
[….]
So much for respectful discourse when it comes to public policy.
Not that we’ve ever been accused of subscribing to that philosophy.
….Moreover, the revenue triggers in the legislation only apply until the tax cuts are fully phased-in. After that time, under the legislature’s own estimates, there would be at least $620 million less in general revenue available each and every year, regardless of whether revenue collections are going up or down. In addition, the legislation’s annual cost would continue to grow above the legislature’s $620 million annual estimate because the income bracket adjustments in the bill for increases in the consumer price index would continue indefinitely. See Section 143.011.3. This provision alone would result in an additional $128 million in annual revenue reductions ten years after the legislation is fully phased-in, increasing each year in perpetuity….
[emphasis added]
A bill cannot be bipartisan when it needs a majority of only one party to pass it.
….English was a special guest at a private reception for Republican lawmakers on Tuesday night. He told members that he wanted to vote in favor of the bill when it was first brought up in the House, but that he was urged by Republican leadership to hold off until the override vote in an attempt to avoid pressure from Democrats, including the governor.
When you find yourself in a deep hole the first rule is to stop digging.
While the House was in session today, working to complete the process on budget bills by the deadline on Friday, we spoke with three representatives about the veto override vote of SB 509. Representative Keith English was the only Democrat in the General Assembly to vote to override Governor Nixon’s (D) veto:
Representative Keith English (D)(center) – May 6, 2014.
Show Me Progress: So, it’s been an, uh, something of an interesting week for you, hasn’t it?
Representative Keith English (D): Uh, it’s been a very interesting week. You know, um, I worked very hard with both sides of the aisle this week to make sure that, uh, we try to do what we can to make the state move forward, be more competitive with other states, stopping right to work and paycheck deception, stripping teachers of their pensions and the tenure. Um, I had to look really deep into, uh, legislation that we can be more competitive. And I think this bill is definitely gonna do that.
Show Me Progress: You’re, you’re referring to Senate Bill 509.
Representative English (D): Senate Bill 509, that’s correct. Senate Bill 509, uh, will take a two year period, the next two years, we’ll look at, uh, how much money we generate. Then on the third year, through the next five years after that, if, and that’s the big word, if, we can get small businesses, which are the backbone of this, this state, uh, to help generate seven hundred and fifty million dollars to the good, uh, we will, uh, give a little bit back to those businesses to reinvest in their companies to expand more.
And with the rising cost of health insurance, uh, under Obamacare, uh, and insurance companies, uh, dropping companies for uh, for different reasons, uh, and the possibility of the federal government increasing minimum wage to a possible ten dollars and ten cents an hour I feel strongly that we have to do something to tell the small businesses in Missouri, don’t move away, we’ll try to help you. Um, in my district we have businesses that are struggling so bad, uh, and with business of course, and if we can give them some incentive to hire more people, ’cause a lot of them have cut back, cut back to three and four employees when they had five and six. And being a small business owner, um, I know exactly what that feels like.
Show Me Progress: But, uh, didn’t, you know, in some ways, uh, uh, the, the concept of sort of an economic stimulus, per se, with this kind of, uh, cutting back of, of revenue in the sense of, of tax cut, per se [crosstalk] it’s, it’s, the bill made it structural though, and something that can’t be rolled back.
Representative English (D): Well, in the bill [crosstalk]…Well, there’s a failsafe in there, in case, if we don’t hit that hundred fifty million the bill dies. The bill will not move further. It has to, for the five years, has to increase a hundred and fifty million. The failsafe in this bill is, is that it will not cut funds to education. We have to increase seven hundred fifty million, if we don’t the bill’s moot. There’s a lot of people out there that are saying that there’s a possibility that this bill will not move forward, but we have to do something. We do have the lowest taxes of any state neighboring us, we do have the best cities, the best home structures, we have the greatest people and tools and resources. I don’t know what else to do to bring big business here. We’ve had Chrysler move out. Ford closed up and moved out. We’ve had so many businesses that have moved out of state. And if that’s the, the, the issue there, as we have lowest taxes, Florissant, that I represent, is one of the best places to retire. I want to make sure that this continues for a long time. And the only way I could see to do that in the legislation that we have, and the ideas that we have bipartisan sitting at the table, and I believe this was a bipartisan bill. Unfortunately the Governor vetoed it, it made it a partisan issue. I had four, maybe five other Democrats that wanted to be with this bill but just couldn’t go against the Governor. And I had to do something.
[….]
Representative Stephen Webber (D) [file photo].
Show Me Progress: So, how would you, how would you characterize the, uh, the vote on, um, the final vote on, uh, the override on SB 509?
Representative Stephen Webber (D): I mean, it’s certainly shortsighted, uh, to begin with. You know, if, if it’s a good idea it’s something that we should do now. The fact that people pushed off, um, the tax cuts so that they’ll never have to deal with the consequences of their actions, they’ll never actually have to budget, they’ll never actually have face the reality of not funding schools. Um, to me, that, that’s very irresponsible.
Show Me Progress: Would you characterize the bill as bipartisan?
Representative Webber (D): No, absolutely not. No. No, it’s clearly not. I mean, um, getting you know, less than two percent [one person] of the Democrats doesn’t make it a, a bipartisan bill.
Uh, I’ve described it as, it’s like, it’s like boiling a frog. You know, you put frog, a frog in the water and you turn up the heat. And so it feels good at first, and then it starts slowly, by the time you realize you’re burning, you’re boiling it’s, it’s too late. Uh, that’s the way this bill works. I mean it, it doesn’t, uh, fully implement for seven years at the earliest. And so every single member of this General Assembly will be termed out, um, before they have to face the true impact of cutting school funding, of not funding higher education. And at that point, all people are gonna know is there not money, there’s not money for these projects. They’re not gonna know who’s fault it is, they’re not gonna know who to blame, they’re not gonna , they’re not gonna say, oh, let’s go back to, in twenty twenty-two they’re not gonna say let’s go back to twenty fourteen and look at who voted for this bill. I mean, that’s not gonna happen. [crosstalk] Um.
Show Me Progress: Uh, so for, um, and, and, to be clear, the, the, the only way that the, the, the, the bill is reversible is if it comes to a vote of [crosstalk] of…
Representative Webber (D): We have to change the law again, right.
Show Me Progress: Well, you have to change the, and the change will have to go to a vote of the people due to the Hancock amendment.
Representative Webber (D): Correct. Correct.
Show Me Progress: And, and so, there is no sunset clause on any of this.
Representative Webber (D): No. Uh, and, and, they keep saying there’s these triggers and, and the folks that know that, uh, they know that’s incredibly misleading. They know that every year, um, that, the hundred fifty million dollars a year that you have to hit is eaten up very quickly in, in, you know, mandatory, uh, spending for federal match programs, um, I mean, inflation, population growth. It, it clearly will result in a, uh, cut to education funding. And they either, um, most of them know that and they’re just misleading people. Um, those that don’t know that are just uninformed.[….] It clearly will result in education cuts.
[….]
Representative Jeremy LaFaver (D) – May 8, 2014.
Show Me Progress: So, I want to talk with you about the, uh, Senate Bill 509, the veto override.
Representative Jeremy LaFaver (D): Uh huh.
Show Me Progress: Um, would you characterize, what, what would you characterize, the, the long term effect of the bill?
Representative LaFaver (D): Unknown. I think that there are a lot of things up in the air, particularly with the section that the Governor pointed out, that eliminates the top bracket. I think the long term effect, um, is truly unknown. It’s either gonna be bad or it’ll be devastating.
Show Me Progress: Would, would you characterize, uh, any part of the bill as bipartisan?
Representative LaFaver (D): No.
Show Me Progress: [….] Do you, is there, is, is there any easy way to fix any of the problems in the bill?
Representative LaFaver (D): No.
Show Me Progress: [….] Is there any kind of sunset provision in the bill?
Representative LaFaver (D): No.
Show Me Progress: None whatsoever?
Representative LaFaver (D): No. In order for us to fix it, uh, through the legislature anyway, we would have to pass something and then it would have to go to the voters as a tax increase. And so, if we’re gonna try and fix the, uh, section that the Governor is talking about we would have to then go back and approve a tax increase of four point eight billion dollars and ask Missourians to increase their taxes by four point eight billion.
[….]
There are people in Missouri and out who are laughing last.
We received another Facebook message last night from someone identified as [Representative] Keith English. Again, we have no idea if it really is him.
Keith English
Please read the bill.. Boeing
would have gotten 1.5
BILLION.. and now
This bill. Gives 25 % back for
small businesses that help
generate 750 million..
Sent from Jefferson City, MO
Uh, we did read the bill. We also read a lot of other stuff, including the Governor’s veto message and the past Missouri Supreme Court opinion by William Ray Price. You remember him, don’t you? There are reviews [pdf] of SB 509 that aren’t good.
Seriously, you think the Boeing giveaway is some sort of convincing example? You’re obviously not a regular reader of this august enterprise.
May we suggest a public relations strategery a bit more extensive than Facebook messaging?
That is, if the message really did come from Representative English. We have no idea.
The final vote to override Governor Jay Nixon’s veto of SB 509. Representative Jeremy LaFaver (D) (left) – bearing witness,
Representative Keith English (center) – casting the 109th vote necessary for the override,
and Representative Ron Hicks (r) (right) – his escort on and off the House floor.
Here’s the thing. Solidarity means you don’t sell out everyone else for something you want.
Is this an assertion that just one person in the entire State of Missouri stood between us and the enactment of right wingnut anti-organized labor legislation? Just asking.
And finally, dude, we’re an out of the way blog with dozens of readers. You just made the world safe for organized labor, truth, justice and the American Way, at least for the next two years – what are you doing messaging us? Don’t you have friends you can celebrate with?
Maybe not.
That is, if the message really did come from Representative English. We have no idea.
![Caleb Rowden (r) [2016 file photo].](https://i2.wp.com/showmeprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/img_4895.jpg?ssl=1)
