The following report was issued this week by Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City.
Far too many Missourians looking for work can’t find it. We were called into special session to do our part to address that problem. People are counting on us to act. But if you’ve seen the paper this week about the special session in Jefferson City, I hope you’ll forgive me for admitting that I am, at this moment, frustrated.
We had a good chance over the last three weeks to add new tools to our development programs that will help us to defuse the economic border war with Kansas, make existing development tools more efficient, and save taxpayer resources so that going forward we can help keep college affordable, keep our streets safe and care for the most vulnerable.
Unfortunately, due to a small minority of extremists in the House and Senate, we appear to be at a standstill. Let me be clear, this is not a Democrat vs. Republican thing.
Republicans control 70% of the seats in the legislature and Democrats are in accord on most major components of the economic development legislation we’ve been debating. Rather, it’s a Republican vs. Republican thing. After months of talking they are still so busy fighting one another they can’t seem to close a deal. And so our state stands to suffer.
Like so often in the legislature, blustering personalities and weak political rationales block progress. That’s just unacceptable. You’re counting on us to act like adults, put petty differences aside, and do our jobs. I’m ready to work and I know a lot of you are too.
Missouri deserves better. The legislature still has time to act, but every day that passes is another day we lack the tools that could make a difference. I promise to keep fighting every day to move Missouri’s economy forward.
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