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Budget problems

May 07, 1997
By: R. Scott Macintosh
State Capital Bureau

JEFFERSON CITY - With just two days until the constitutional deadline for passing a state budget, the issue of car emissions continues to stall approval the state's proposed $18 billion budget.

House members scrambled Wednesday for a solution to the legislative grid lock over imposing strict vehicle emissions testing in the St. Louis area.

Yesterday, the House rejected a conference committee recommendation to appropriate a $4.4 million increase for new emissions testing equipment.

"It's becoming an issue that we are not for clean air," said Rep. May Scheve, D-St. Louis County. "We are for clean air. I'm concerned about health hazards, but I'm also concerned about what our constituents would have to endure."

House members struggled with the Senate after the conference committee refused to entertain further discussions on the emissions issue.

"I believe our position was correct," said Senate Appropriations Chairman Mike Lybyer, D-Huggins. "I think that reasonable people will come to some kind of compromise. I think we're much better off than we were yesterday."

When a compromised was reached, the House agreed to take up the original committee recommendation as long as the Senate expands the number of testing stations available to the public.

"This will make emissions testing more consumer friendly," said Rep. Joe Treadway, D-Lemay. "We wanted to make it convenient for the consumer. We didn't want to fund a system that wasn't working. We felt that by holding up appropriations, we could get some concessions on other things."

By the end of the day, Lybyer was sounding a bit more optimistic about finishing work on the budget by the end of the week.

Among the budget items awaiting action is the higher education budget and the controversial $6.5 million proposed for family panning that could create more snags.

What will happen if the budget is not approved by the Friday deadline?

"I don't even want to speculate on that," said House Budget Chairman Sheila Lumpe, University City.