By Maria Altman, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – Governor Jay Nixon is taking heat from some St. Louis-area Democrats for what they call his "silence" on funding for Metro.
Legislation that included $12 million for the troubled St. Louis transit agency failed in the Missouri House Thursday.
Representative Ted Hoskins, a Democrat from Berkeley, says the governor should support giving Metro the $35 million it requested.
"The governor should take a position," Hoskins said. "The high vote he received in the metropolitan area of St. Louis and St. Louis County should demonstrate to him that he cannot be silent on this issue."
St. Louis Democratic Representative Jamilah Nasheed sent a letter to Nixon's office Thursday accusing him of "ignoring the plight of blacks in the City of St. Louis."
In a statement governor spokesman Scott Holste said Nixon does support Metro funding but found the $336 million spending bill was "irresponsible."