MO-State legislator aims to focus on healthy finances



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State legislator aims to focus on healthy finances



By Sarah Whitney



Today, state Rep. Mike Sutherland, R-99th District, returns to work.



He and other state legislators will convene in Jefferson City for the

first regular session of the 95th General Assembly of Missouri.



With a budget to balance and an economy that shows no signs of

improving any time soon, legislators have plenty to keep them busy.



Sutherland, who expects to retain his seat as chairman of the Ways

and Means Committee -- a committee that arguably receives the largest

number of bills per session -- has promised to do all he can to

ensure his colleagues don't raise taxes.



"That's one of my goals. Just because we have tough choices, let's

not go to the people and take it out of their pockets," he said. "Of

any bills that come to the Ways and Means Committee, if they're

raising taxes, we probably won't even hear it and that's my decision."



That aside, Sutherland expects the budget will be one of the main

focuses of the session because of the declining revenue for the state.



"In the last half of the year, revenue was down quite a bit. We had

made some smart budgeting decisions so we had a surplus coming into

this year, but because of the changes (in revenue) most of that is

getting used up," he said.



He expects legislation addressing the state's economy to be

introduced and passed, specifically regarding job production and

stimulating the economy.



"We're looking at a lot of different options," he said. "No doubt,

there's going to be some legislation to address the state's economy."



His goal, though, is to keep money with the people in the communities

because "they know how to use it better than we do," he said.



In addition to the Legislature's budget challenges, Sutherland is

interested to see how those will play out with Democratic Governor-

elect Jay Nixon and a Republican majority Congress.



"On some issues, as far as trying to stimulate the economy, there'll

be some common ground, but because of differences in philosophy

there'll be different opinions. But in the end, we'll have to agree,"

he said.



It will be interesting to see how Nixon plans to present a budget to

the Legislature that is not only balanced, but also fulfills his

campaign promises and deals with declining revenue, he said.



Sutherland has already begun work on his own goals for the session by

prefiling a bill that would eliminate the corporate franchise tax on

small Missouri businesses that have assets of $10 million or less.



Last year, Sutherland passed a similar version that made small

businesses claiming $1 million in assets exempt from the tax, but he

believes that with the economy, more small businesses need a break.



"Those small businesses are a lot of the businesses in our

communities," he said. "Although they might not employ hundreds of

people at a time, they employ most of the people in the state. They

are the backbone of our local communities."



Sutherland estimated that if it passes, 12,000 businesses would be

exempt from the tax. Even if the bill changes to include only

businesses that claim $5 million in assets, it would still affect

10,000 small businesses, he said.



Another bill Sutherland hopes to pass would regulate owners of

dangerous exotic animals.



"I've always had supporters locally, but this year because of all the

publicity there seems to be more interest in it. So, hopefully, we'll

be able to get it through," Sutherland said, referencing the tiger

attack at the former Wesa-A-Geh-Ya animal facility in August.



The bill would impose additional responsibilities and requirements to

privately own a tiger, lion or other exotic animal. Those include

microchipping, additional permits, stricter guidelines for housing

and other requirements.



"We really have no law," he said. "There's a little bit of a law, but

not anything that gets enforced much."



STATE LEGISLATOR'S GOALS



BUDGET: Sutherland hopes to promote smart budgeting to keep the state

financially healthy if the economic climate doesn't improve by next

year.



TAXES: Sutherland wants to ensure politicians don't address declining

revenues by proposing tax increases. He hopes to keep tax rates at

the current level or lower them.



CORPORATE FRANCHISE TAX: Sutherland wants to help small businesses

with assets of $10 million or less by eliminating the corporate

franchise tax.



EXOTIC ANIMALS: Sutherland hopes publicity of two Missouri tiger

attacks will help him accomplish his longtime goal of passing

legislation in the Senate to regulate ownership of exotic animals.

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