In the Senate, Democrats picked Mike McKenna to replace Jim Mathewson as the Senate President Pro Tem - the Senate's most powerful position that Mathewson had announced he would not seek again. Elected majority leader was Ed Quick. Republicans selected Steve Ehlmann as their Senate leader.
Jim Mathewson, the President pro tem of the senate, says he hasn't assigned the sales tax cut to a committee yet. With less than two weeks left in the legislative session, that is bad news for the bill's supporters.
According to the Hancock Amendment, Missouri has about one hundred and fifty million dollars in unconstitutional revenue. Unless the senate approves an alternative on Friday, the money will be refunded to income tax payers on a pro rata basis. But that's not the only way of returning the money under consideration. Other suggestions include reducing the sales tax on groceries, giving a tax break to retired people living on private pensions, and raising the dependent deduction for fami..
As it stands, there are several fates possible for the sales tax cut on groceries. In one scenario, it could be lowered from just over four cents per dollar to just over two cents per dollar. In another, it could be attached to a greater tax break for people with children, and a tax break for people living off of private retirement pensions. Or, it could die altogether. In that case, Missouri's income tax payers would be in for about a 150 million dollar tax refund. Jim Mathewson ..
Rather than the Ways and Means Committee, Senate President Pro Tem Jim Mathewson assigned the tax-cut bill to the Senate Committee on Corrections and General Laws.
Senate President Pro Tem Jim Mathewson, who is in charge of assigning bills to committee, said he would assign the bill during Tuesday's night session.
While Senate Pres. Pro Tem Jim Mathewson, D-Sedalia, has sworn off addressing any managed care legislation until he forms a committee to address the various pieces of legislation floating through the chambers, Senate Majority Leader Jet Banks, D-St. Louis, said he wants to see major changes addressed before the May 17 deadline.
When the vote was taken on the referendum amendment, the presider changed his vote at the last minute, passing the amendment by one vote. This change caused heated controversy that led Senate Pro Tem Jim Mathewson to take a 45-minute break from the bill.
Instead of debating the speed limit bill as scheduled, the Senate spent two hours debating Senate rules. Debate on the speed limit bill has been postponed until Tuesday. Senate President Pro Tem Jim Mathewson says some senators don't want to set new limits...
Senate Pro Tem Jim Mathewson complained in a prepared statement issued later in the day that any kind of lobbyist spending ban should be done by law - not by a change in Senate rules which he said cannot be enforced.
"Let's slow down and look at things," Senate President Pro Tem Jim Mathewson, D-Sedalia told Senate Health committee members. "I feel concerned that we're not taking as much time as we should."
Democratic Senate President Pro Tem Jim Mathewson urged his Senate collegues today to support a "Welfare to Work Initiative" intended to get people off welfare without spending tax dollars.
Both House Speaker Steve Gaw, D-Moberly, and Senate President Pro Tem Jim Mathewson, D-Sedalia, expressed general support for the governor's goals at a joint press conference, echoing Carnahan's optimism about the rosy state of Missouri's economy.
While Carnahan stressed Missouri's booming economy and the high revenues pouring in to state government, Senate President Pro Tem Sen. Jim Mathewson, D-Sedalia, urged caution.
Senate President Pro Tem Jim Mathewson says the sales tax rollback will allow all Missourians to quickly benefit from the State's economic prosperity. Matthewson also says he's cautious about lowering taxes until they know exactly what cuts will come out of Congress. Senate Republican leader Franc Flotron says the tax cut looks like a lot of spin-doctoring.
In the meantime, Senate President Pro Tem Jim Mathewson, D-Sedalia, has proposed legislation that would allow the state to cut benefits to able-bodied welfare recipients who refused to work.
In his opening day address to the Missouri Senate Wednesday, Senate President Pro Tem Jim Mathewson, D-Sedalia, called for legislation that would deny welfare to able-bodied recipients who refuse to work.