MD PoliBlog

Missouri legislator wants special session to pass bonding legislation

A state representative who sponsored a bonding proposal to construct buildings and make other capital improvements on college and university campuses hopes Governor Jay Nixon calls a special session of the General Assembly to get the legislation passed.

Nixon suggests bond for state infrastructure projects to lawmakers

Nixon suggests bond for state infrastructure projects to lawmakers:

   Trumpeting historically low interest rates and possible federal assistance, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon on Wednesday urged lawmakers to consider a new bond to fund infrastructure projects in the state.

Nixon did not suggest what projects might be funded with the bond or how much it would cost in a letter sent to each of the state’s senators and representatives. But he did describe the state’s needs as great, and emphasized the opportunity afforded by the recession and the federal response to it.

‘Today’s troubled economy presents the best time for Missouri to be making such investments — and the worst time to turn our back on the future,’ he wrote.

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(Via KansasCity.com Prime Buzz - Today's political intelligence and insight.)

Pete Levi retiring from KC chamber

Pete Levi out at chamber:

Pete Levi has announced his retirement at the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.

He's been there for almost 20 years -- and has been in the middle of most of the areas civic political battles.

The resignation takes effect at the end of the year.

(Via KansasCity.com Prime Buzz - Today's political intelligence and insight.)

Dole, Roberts to head up Brownback Kansas gubernatorial team

Dole, Roberts to head up Brownback team:

Sam Brownbacks powerful push to become the next governor of Kansas gained still more steam today with the announcement that Bob Dole and Sen. Pat Roberts will head up Brownbacks national campaign team.

Brownback also announced that each of the Kansas congressional districts will be co-chaired by the 2008 Republican nominees. They include Rep. Jerry Moran (1st), Rep. Lynn Jenkins (2nd), former state senator Nick Jordan (3rd) and Rep. Todd Tiahrt (4th).

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(Via KansasCity.com Prime Buzz - Today's political intelligence and insight.)

Bonner Springs Council comes to shaky compromise with KDOT

The Kansas Department of Transportation and the Bonner Springs City Council may have reached a middle ground during last night’s special work session, but that ground is still a bit shaky. “It is amazing to me that with the current advances in highway design, this is the best design (KDOT) has come up with,” council member Jeff Harrington said towards the end of the meeting regarding the current design for the as-yet-unfunded Kansas Highway 7 and Interstate 70 interchange project. The meeting was a direct result of a letter the city council wrote to KDOT in early May, outlining several issues it has with the project. In their response, officials with KDOT invited the council to meet and further discuss each issue.

Nebraska's White moves toward race against Terry US House seat

White moves toward race against Terry: "LaVISTA State Sen. Tom White strode Saturday night to the brink of a 2010 bid for Republican Rep. Lee Terrys House ..."

(Via JournalStar.com - News Articles.)

Term limits likely to limit races this time

Term limits likely to limit races this time: "The state primary is still 10 months away, but two men have already officially declared their intention to run for a legis..."

(Via JournalStar.com - News Articles.)

Area legislators fill majority of seats on stimulus oversight panel

Area legislators fill majority of seats on stimulus oversight panel:

The 10 members appear set for the newly formed legislative panel assigned to monitor how Missouri's share of the federal stimulus funds are spent. And six of them are from the St. Louis area. They include state Sens. Scott Rupp, R-Wentzville, and'Jeff Smith, D-St. Louis.

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(Via St. Louis Beacon.)

Nixon, Quinn to join forces to press for high-speed rail

Nixon, Quinn to join forces to press for high-speed rail:

In a rare joint appearance, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon are holding a news conference Monday afternoon at St. Louis'' Amtrak Station to help make their case for a high-speed rail line between St. Louis and Chicago.'The two governors envision the St. Louis-Chicago line as the first leg of a regional system that could link most of the Midwest's major cities, including Milwaukee, Minneapolis and Indianapolis. 'They seek the'$8 billion in federal stimulus money available for high-speed lines around the country.

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(Via St. Louis Beacon.)

Gov. Jay Nixon pushes massive building project in Missouri

Gov. Jay Nixon pushes massive building project in Missouri:

JEFFERSON CITY – Gov. Jay Nixon today signaled support for a massive new state building project that would require voters to approve hundreds of millions of dollars in state bonds.

In a letter to lawmakers, Nixon said that the state’s capital building…

(Via Political Fix.)