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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