Council passes 2014 legislative priorities after debate

Springfield City Council last night approved its 2014 legislative priorities after one councilman unsuccessfully moved to pull a couple of suggestions off its to-do list.

Council voted 8-1 to advocate for the creation of nine pieces of legislation, support two broad positions and to promote issues it supports in five general areas. Councilman Doug Burlison cast the lone vote against the resolution.

New legislation sought by council includes a bill that would allow the city to assess a $10 fee on paid citations for the purpose of remodeling and maintaining its current municipal court building; a law providing greater regulation of products used in the manufacturing of methamphetamine; legislation that would allow the city to expunge the records of individuals convicted of marijuana possession without a related conviction within three years; and a measure eliminating restrictions to increasing the number of automated external defibrillators in the community.

Burlison stood opposed to calling for increased restrictions on products such as pseudoephedrine, which can be used in the production of meth. He also took issue with the city encouraging the state to increase Missouri's tobacco tax, a priority listed under the general category of public health.  

“Not just myself, but a lot of the constituents I represent do not feel that it is the role of government to get people to quit smoking,” Burlison said.
 
Burlison moved to strike both priorities from the list used to inform local lawmakers of the city’s positions on issues the Community Involvement Committee feels are likely to crop up in the next legislative session. Councilman Craig Hosmer, a former state representative who said he always paid attention to the priorities the city crafts, said there was no good reason to object to increasing taxes on tobacco use.

“Missouri has got the lowest cigarette tax in the nation – lower than states that produce tobacco. It absolutely makes no sense,” Hosmer said.

According to TobaccoFreeKids.org, the Show-Me State’s tax of 17 cents per pack is the lowest in the nation. New York, which taxes at $4.35 per pack, is home to the highest state tax in the country.

“Missouri should have a higher tax. It would be better for public health. It would be better for state revenues,” Hosmer said.