Missouri Gov Plans Line-item Veto In Stimulus Bill
The Associated Press
05/08/09 - 04:45 PM EDT
DAVID A. LIEB
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) Gov. Jay Nixon plans to veto some of the projects included by lawmakers in a $381 million plan for spending a portion of Missouri's federal stimulus money.
Nixon spokesman Jack Cardetti said Friday that the governor believes the bill would spend too much of Missouri's stimulus money and prefers to save more of the money for later use.
"There will be line item vetoes," Cardetti said.
The House and Senate passed the stimulus spending bill Thursday night after haggling for months about which specific projects should be included in it. Some Republicans and Democrats alike complained that lawmakers were spending too much of the money for special projects.
At issue is how to use Missouri's $2.2 billion, two-year share of "budget stabilization" money from the stimulus package over which lawmakers have the greatest flexibility.
When the $381 million stimulus bill is combined with other budget bills, Nixon's office said, the Legislature already has appropriated $1.26 billion of the federal "stabilization" money.
Cardetti did not provide a target for how much of that money Nixon would like to eliminate through his line-item vetoes.
Cardetti previously had cited a $10 million item for a U.S. 50 interchange in Jefferson City as a questionable expenditure in the stimulus bill. The highway interchange and potential street widening would direct traffic to a redevelopment project at the former site of the Missouri State Penitentiary.
On Friday, Cardetti did not single out any specific projects as likely veto targets.
But he did identify two projects the governor supports. One would authorize $50 million of incentives for battery makers to expand in Missouri. The other would provide $12 million to the financially strapped mass transit system in St. Louis.
"The other stuff, he's going to be going through the bill to see which projects help create jobs and move the state forward in difficult financial times," Cardetti said.
The biggest ticket item in the bill would provide nearly $112 million for a new Highway Patrol radio system that could help state and local emergency responders better communicate with each other.
Shortly before leaving office in January, then-Gov. Matt Blunt's administration awarded an $82 million radio contract to Motorola Inc., contingent upon state financing. The federal money would alleviate financing concerns.
But the contract also is being challenged by rival bidder Tyco Electronics Ltd., which contends the true cost of Motorola's bid is closer to $112 million and that its own bid is cheaper.
Nixon's administration has not ruled on the bid protest. Cardetti gave no immediate indication Friday of whether Nixon supports using federal money for the radio system.
