Two more weeks left in the Legislative session. The Budget is supposed to be finished by May 8th. The usual rumors of a Special Session if the Budget is not finished are flying. Meanwhile the Majority has been busy posturing about the Stimulus funds. This week's stunt was an imaginary tax cut.

The weekend was much more pleasant. Our daughter Nicki and her husband Mike brought our 10 week old grandson Shane down from St Louis to visit and meet his Great Grandmother Nadine, my mother.

House Republicans spent most of the week on pointless debate about whether the Federal Stimulus dollars should be used for a tax cut

House votes an imaginary tax cut then votes to make it permanent

The proposal was to cut the Missouri Income tax rate from 6% to 5.5%. Then with much ceremony and hot air the "tax cut" was made "permanent." They only problem with this is everyone acknowledges that the Senate, where the bill goes next, has already said it will not even debate this issue. So the entire issue was just a political farce to try to fool people into thinking Dems are "against tax cuts" !

What was so disgusting was that the entire debate consumed valuable time that could have been used to actually craft public policy. Meanwhile the real budget debate continues. The House and Senate Budget Committees are in a conference committee to hash out the real spending plan for the State..

Annual attack on Missouri Court Plan loses steam in Senate

House Joint Resolution 10 thought to be done for the year

Jim Lebmke, the Senate sponsor of a proposed constitutional amendment that would give future governors greater influence over state's judicial selection process said the measure is likely dead for the year after the chamber debated it for about six hours on April 29 before setting it aside without a vote. The House of Representatives had passed HJR 10 on an 85-72 vote on April 8.

Under the Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan, independent nominating commissions choose three finalists when there is a vacancy on the Missouri Supreme Court, the state Court of Appeals and trial courts in Clay, Greene, Jackson, Platte and St. Louis counties plus St. Louis City. The governor must appoint one of the finalists or forfeit the selection to the commission. HJR 10 would give the governor more control over the membership of the commissions and allow him to reject finalists and demand a new list.

This topic was brought up again this year after failing miserably last year. It seems the opponents of the Judiciary will just not give up. After the end of the debate, for this year, in the Senate became clear discussion has now begun on doing an initiative petition drive to get the issue before the voters in a statewide referendum.

I was on the public television news show Jeff City Journal last week with Rep. Bryan Stevenson debating whether the Missouri Plan should be changed. I take the position that is should not. fun program..

Motorcycle helmet law repeal passed by House sent to Governor