The preliminary hearing for Travis Wyrick, 19, Joplin, charged with felony leaving the scene of an accident in connection with the hit-and-run accident that killed Joplin High school senior Jamison Alexander has been postponed two weeks.
According to Jasper County Circuit Court records, Wyrick's preliminary hearing will be held 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 27.
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It doesn't read like much in the pages of the official journal for the Missouri House of Representatives:
"Amend House Committee Substitute for House Bill No. 5, Section 5.520, Page 23, Line 5, by deleting $207,151,703 and inserting in lieu thereof $206,870,101; and further amend Section 5.530, Page 23, Line 5, by deleting $317,571,456 and inserting in lieu thereof $317,289,854.
The wording is legalese designed to keep everyone but the most diligent watchdogs of Missouri taxpayers' money from ever examining it. And even if those watchdogs had looked at that entry, there is no way they could tell what the amendment, offered by Rep. Trent Skaggs, D-Kansas City, would have cut $281,602, a fairly minor amount, from the budget. That money, Skaggs told the Springfield News-Leader, would have cut 20 percent from the state's contribution to the health plans of legislators and elected state officials. Each legislator would have had to pay an additional $115 per month for medical coverage.
"If we're going to ask other people to sacrifice, we should sacrifice first, I firmly believe that," Skaggs told the News-Leader. The Kansas City Democrat does not participate in the state health plan, the article said.
How could anyone argue with that?
St. Louis Republican Jim Lembke did, telling the News-Leader there was no comparison between Medicaid recipients "getting health care for free" and legislators who receive it as part of their jobs.
"To me it's the principle of the thing — representatives are down here for five months away from their families," Lembke told the News-Leader. "It's a just thing for us to be justly compensated."
Republicans claimed the amendment was just a political ploy, to make them look bad. That's true and it worked pretty well.
Legislators will continue to receive their full health benefits. The amendment was voted down 78 to 75. Among those voting against it, and in favor of retaining their complete health benefits, were representatives Marilyn Ruestman, R-Joplin, Ron Richard, R-Joplin; Steve Hunter, R-Joplin, and Bryan Stevenson, R-Webb City.
Two area representatives voted to reduce their own health benefits, Kevin Wilson, R-Neosho, and Ed Emery, R-Lamar.
Voters should consider this vote when they are making their decisions in 2006. They should also consider the type of House leadership that would even strike any reference as to what this amendment actually was from the official records.