Two bills have been filed in the Missouri House regarding the use of the state’s so-called Rainy Day fund.
The first would authorize $150 million to be used to match FEMA expenditures on tornado and flood damage across the state. The second bill would set up a joint House-Senate committee to oversee the use of Rainy Day funds for natural disasters.
They’re sponsored by House Budget Chairman Ryan Silvey (R, Kansas City). He wants Governor Jay Nixon (D) to expand the call of the special session to include both bills.
“The governor flew around the state this summer and made promises, and one of those promises is that disaster relief would be part of the special session call," Silvey said. "When he made the call, it wasn’t on the agenda…he has since amended the call twice, once for Facebook and once for property tax relief.”
In response, a spokesman for Governor Nixon says there are still damaged areas that are underwater, and that assessments in each of the disaster areas are still in progress.
The tax bill the governor added to the special session would exempt business owners in Joplin from paying property taxes if their properties were destroyed by the May 22nd tornado.
