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A member of the Senate Transporation Committee is taking his exit

February 13, 2001
By: Renny MacKay
State Capital Bureau

A Democratic leader of the Missouri Senate is taking his exit after his bill to enact a gas tax stalled in the Transportation Committee.

Renny MacKay has more from Jefferson City.

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In a surprise move Senator Jim Mathewson stepped down from the Transporation Committee. This came after his bill to enact a gas and sales tax increase for transportation was held up in committee.

Mathewson has been a leader in the effort to deal with the transportation problems of the state. But says he feels that he can't accomplish what he wanted to in committee.

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Contents: He says he won't have that opportunity this year in committee so he's leaving the committee to try and work on the issue from the Senate floor.

He says the reason he can't get anything done this year is because of the Republican control of the Senate and Transportation Committee.

Renny MacKay, KMOX News, Jefferson City.

A Democratic Senator resigns from the Transportation Committee because he says he isn't getting his way.

Renny MacKay has the story from Jefferson City.

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Senator Jim Mathewson, a leader in the effort to find a solution to the state's transportation woes, left his spot in committee because it didn't pass his bill to increase a sales and gas tax to fund road construction.

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Contents: Mathewson says that he had heard it would pass and he heard it wouldn't pass. So, he decided to leave the committee and work from the floor on the issue.

His bill would have generated over 600 million dollars, which is too much according to Senator Morris Westfall, the chair of the committee. Westfall says he's working on another solution that wouldn't cost as much money.

Renny MacKay, KMOX News, Jefferson City.

The Senate Transportation Committee lost an experienced member because of a rift over bill to increase gas and sales taxes and help fund state road construction.

Renny MacKay has the story from Jefferson City.

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Democratic Senator Jim Mathewson served on the Transportation Committee for three and a half years and sponsored major legislation dealing with funding transportation.

Now that the Republicans have taken control of the Senate he feels he can't accomplish what he committed to doing.

The new chair of the committee, Republican Senator Morris Westfall, says the change in Senate leadership has been a switch for everyone.

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Contents: Westfall says it isn't easy being in the minority but it's a lot of work being in the majority.

At issue was a bill to increase taxes that Mathewson sponsored. Westfall thought it was too high an increase and is sponsoring something that provides less transportation money, and costs taxpayers less.

From the state capitol, Renny MacKay, KMOX News.