By AP/KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – A Republican-led committee in the Missouri Senate Thursday rejected Democratic Governor Bob Holden's plan to raise new cash for the state's schools.
On a partisan vote, the Senate Ways and Means Committee defeated his proposal to eliminate some tax breaks, mainly affecting
businesses. Holden said it would have raised money for what he calls an underfunded education budget.
The committee also defeated three other bills Thursday during a special session running at the same time as the annual veto session. The measures would have raised revenues from the gambling industry, out-of-state income taxpayers, or through a temporarily higher state sales tax.
The rejections mean the bills cannot advance to the Senate floor, much less to the House. And the House's Majority Floor
Leader, Jason Crowell, declared earlier that he won't allow any tax bills to receive debate, anyway. It was Holden's third attempt this year to raise taxes.