While the prospect of bipartisan cooperation in the Missouri Legislature has a strong appeal to Third District State Rep. Jim Whorton, the Trenton Democrat is concerned that positive statements made by legislative leaders early this week might not come to pass.
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While the prospect of bipartisan cooperation in the Missouri Legislature has a strong appeal to Third District State Rep. Jim Whorton, the Trenton Democrat is concerned that positive statements made by legislative leaders early this week might not come to pass.
“The atmosphere is good in the House and I am really excited about what (Majority Leader) Rod Jetton is trying to do,” Whorton said. “I’m just a little apprehensive as to whether or not it can be pulled off. My biggest fear is that neither party will let him do the things he wants to do. There are still so many folks down there on both sides of the aisle who thrive on contention.”
Both Republican and Democrat leaders earlier this week expressed their intent to work together in accomplishing agendas they feel are in the best interest of the state. The Republican Party, for the first time in over 80 years, has control of both the Missouri House and Senate as well as the governor’s office, where Matt Blunt will officially assume duties on Monday.
But despite his concerns, Whorton said he is ready to get to work and noted there are several issues he anticipates will occupy much of the legislature’s agenda.
“Rewriting the foundation formula will take up a lot of our time, I’m sure,” Whorton said. “I think we all realize that the formula doesn’t work as it now stands and we have to do something to fix it. One of the things I feel we need to look at is finding sources other than property taxes to provide the money for our schools. As long as we rely solely on property tax, the ‘haves’ will never be willing to share with the ‘have nots’ and the money situation will never be equal.”
Whorton noted that Gov.-Elect Blunt has made the foundation formula one of his top agenda items.
“I know the governor is eager to fully fund the foundation formula, but as of yet we haven’t heard any specifics, although I expect we will soon,” Whorton said.
As for his own priorities, Whorton said he has several bills he would like to have considered, but is waiting until committee assignments are made and other bills come to the forefront before moving forward with his own.
“I have some bills already pre-filed, things that have come about as the result of what I hear from people in my area,” Whorton said, noting that those bills have application statewide.
“One of my bills would increase the number of highway commissioners from six to 10, which means there would be a representative from each of the highway districts in the state,” Whorton said. “That’s important because I don’t think the six commissioners we have now truly understand the transportation problems in the state as a whole. We need to make sure all parts of the state are represented. I don’t feel that is the way it is right now.”
He is optimistic that his efforts from past legislative sessions regarding bio-diesel alternatives may get a boost this year, especially now that the new governor has indicated plans to take a serious look at alternative fuels, in particular requiring gasoline to have 2 percent ethanol included.
“I think that if we see some regulation for something (gasoline) and it’s shown the (usage) volume is there, then I think it would justify building the plants,” Whorton said.
The bill sponsored by Whorton last year would have required all diesel fuel have 2 percent of ethanol included, a bill that was unanimously passed by the House Agriculture Committee. The gasoline initiative from Blunt could lead to a revival of Whorton’s diesel proposal.
Whorton is also looking at legislation to encourage more responsibility by parents of their children, in particular those families who have made living on the welfare rolls a career.
“We need to break the cycle,” Whorton said.
Committee assignments have yet to be made in the House, but Whorton hopes that information will be made available very soon. He noted that without committee assignments, legislative action remains at a standstill.
“We can’t put them (the bills) to any committee and they can’t be heard,” he said.
A list of bills filed with Whorton as sponsor or co-sponsor are listed on the Missouri House of Representatives’ website, www.house.state.mo.us.