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NewsBook: Missouri Government News for October 14, 2002

 

. Both sides predict victory for legislative elections (10/24/02)
JEFFERSON CITY - Both Republicans and Democrats are predicting big wins for this fall's elections for the House and Senate.

The entire legislature is being thrown into upheaval by the effects of term limits, which hit the state for the first time this year.

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. Democrats, Republicans settle voting lawsuit (10/24/02)
JEFFERSON CITY - Missourians will be able to vote by provisional ballot in their home jurisdictions after Secretary of State Matt Blunt settled a lawsuit filed by two Democrats.

State Auditor Claire McCaskill and Sen. Maida Coleman filed the suit, claiming Blunt had issued rules for provisional voting that were not in line with state law. Both sides are now claiming victory.

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. Transportation Commissioner: legislature could consider gas tax hike without voter approval (10/24/02)
JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri's legislature could raise the state's gas tax -- this time without voter approval -- to help finance bond debt, suggested one Highways Commission member in a special meeting Thursday.

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. State education department releases list of troubled schools (10/24/02)
JEFFERSON CITY - The Department of Education released its list of schools that are under-perfoming.

Eleven St. Louis area schools make the list, including one Governor Holden once called a model of improvement.

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. Voters could call for change in Missouri law as constitutional convention comes up on ballot (10/22/02)
JEFFERSON CITY - One of the least publicized issues on the November ballot gives Missouri voters the option to set things in motion to change the structure of state law. It's the option to call a constitutional convention.

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. Attorney General backs new anti-spam controls (10/21/02)
JEFFERSON CITY - Attorney General Jay Nixon has announced plans to counter the deluge of unsolicited commercial messages flooding Missourians' e-mail accounts.

Nixon said he will work with Rep. Chuck Graham, D-Columbia, and Sen. Wayne Goode, D-St. Louis County, as they draft legislation creating a "no-spam" database similar to the state's No-Call list.

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. State Auditor Claire McCaskill says her opponent Al Hanson is not qualified for the job (10/17/02)
JEFFERSON CITY - Incumbent Claire McCaskill says Republican challenger Al Hanson is not clear about the role of state auditor. She says a background in state government, not finance, is what an auditor needs to succeed in the job.

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. New state law allows voters to vote without a registration card (10/16/02)
JEFFERSON CITY - Provisional balloting will allow voters whose registrations are unclear to cast a vote with the ballot. The ballots will then be held, then counted at the end of the day after the eligibility of those voters have been confirmed. This new law has been triggered by the confusion that surrounded the city of Saint Louis during the 2000 elections, when many voters were turned away because their names failed to appear on the lists at polling places. Because the votes from these provisional ballots will be held until the end of the day, their results will not be reflected in the unofficial election day returns.
. State Auditor McCaskill still raising money in re-election bid; opponent has less than $500 (10/15/02)
JEFFERSON CITY - State Auditor Claire McCaskill has about $470,000 and counting in campaign funds, according to a finance report filed Tuesday. Any unused funds could roll over to future races for McCaskill, who has said she wants to run for governor in 2008.

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. New association of state employees launched (10/15/02)
JEFFERSON CITY - The Missouri Association of State Employees, or MASE, was launched during a press conference on the state capitol steps today.

The association will provide benefits to state employees and lobby legislators on their behalf, but MASE chairman Travis Brown says it's not a union.

. Missourians will decide if St. Louis should get home rule (10/14/02)
JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri's four million registered voters will vote to determine whether St. Louis's 350,000 citizens should get home rule, a right every other county in the state enjoys.
. Republican candidate Al Hanson says he thinks he will win election for state auditor (10/14/02)
JEFFERSON CITY - Al Hanson says his past as a businessman gives him the experience he needs to be an effective state auditor during troubled financial times.

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. New communications system to prepare for terrorist attacks (10/14/02)
COLUMBIA - Gov. Bob Holden on Monday unveiled the new Internet-based system which links hospitals, metropolitan emergency service providers, local health care agencies and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

Missouri is believed to be the first state to link its health agencies and care providers to better handle a major disaster or a terrorist attack.

. Missouri's U.S. Senate race remains a dead heat (10/13/02)
JEFFERSON CITY - A St. Louis Post-Dispatch poll published Sunday showed the race between Sen. Jean Carnahan and Republican Jim Talent remains within the margin of error for the poll.

But the poll did show Talent gaining in support and just a fraction of a percentage point of a statiscially significant lead.

The poll of 800 likely voters found Carnahan with 40.8% to Talent's 47.3% with a 3.5 percentage point margin of error.