Electric League News

Missouri Transportation Bill Moves Along

The Senate Transportation Committee has passed a bill that would call for a $475 million transportation tax increase. Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bills 915, sponsored by Sen. Morris Westfall (R-28, Halfway); SB 710, sponsored by Sen. Wayne Goode (D-13, Normandy); SB 907, sponsored by Sen. Ted House (D-2, St. Charles) would raise various fees to fund transportation projects and impose a five-year moratorium on the closings of state maintenance sheds.

This legislation would add a 6-cent-a-gallon fuel tax increase, raising the current fuel tax from 17 cents to 23 cents, making Missouri's gas tax higher than those of all neighboring states except Nebraska.

Missouri's state sales tax would also be increased to 4.6 percent, raising Missouri's state and local sales taxes combined rate from 8.225 percent to 8.6 percent. That puts Missouri in the middle of neighboring states. Kentucky's combined sales tax is the lowest at 6 percent and Oklahoma's combined rate is the highest with 9.75 percent.

The new fuel tax would generate about $235 million annually, with $164.5 million going to the Missouri Department of Transportation and $58.8 million to cities and counties. The sales tax increase would raise about $240 million annually. Twenty percent of this revenue would be used for multi-modal transportation. Eighty percent would be credited to general revenue to replace moneys diverted from other agencies and loss of motor vehicle sales tax revenues that currently go to the general revenue fund.

This bill raises taxes to replace approximately $200 million of the $300 million in fuel tax and motor vehicle sales tax moneys that is now used by agencies other than MoDot.

Dale Amick, Missouri Legislative Director, reports that the bill awaits debate in the State Senate. In addition, the House Transportation Committee has yet to approve its transportation funding version. Amick commented that the issue is controversial and may not be decided until the closing days of the session. Any version approved by the legislature must be okayed by voters as well.

Source: Missouri Chamber of Commerce, Legislation Bulletin, February 2002.

March 19-20, 2002 - Electric League Triennial Trade Show

Electric League members will want to mark their calendars on March 19-20, 2002, for the Triennial Electric League Trade Show. The show will be held at the Overland Park International Trade Center, Overland Park, Kan.

This year's theme, “Racing Ahead in 2002” will be brought to life with a simulated replica of a racetrack offering participants the chance to race electronically controlled scale models of NASCARs. In addition, a TV will be given away each hour to lucky attendees.

Members needing more information about the trade show and booth rental should contact Olivia Holcombe at the Electric League - 816-561-5323. See you at the Show!

Thanks From Jacqueline Kelbel

I was a four-time recipient of the Electric League Scholarships, including the initial John McDermott Memorial Scholarship. My sincerest thanks goes to the Electric League for the recognition and funds. I graduated from the University of Missouri Rolla (UMR) Summa Cum Laude with a BS in Engineering Management. I was one of the two selected ©honor student marshallsª for the graduating class of the engineering school. I was able to maintained a 3.9 GPA while participating in two sports (basketball and track and field), a sorority (Chi Omega), and numerous professional and honorary societies. My employment career began last month with General Motors in the Metal Fabrication Division in Troy, Michigan. Thanks again for all the help from the Electric League - it was greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Jackie Kelble

Member Spotlight

Rob Dowell, Telecommunications Engineer with Gibbens, Drake, Scott

Gibbens, Drake, Scott is a mechanical, electrical, plumbing and telecommunications engineering firm based in Raytown, Missouri. The firm was established in the early 1980s.

Rob Dowell has been with the firm for approximately two years. He is a telecommunications engineer and holds a RCDD designation (Registered Communications Data Distributor). He is one of two engineers at the firm with this designation. A native of Leavenworth Kansas, Rob graduated from Kansas Sate University with a degree in electrical engineering. He is responsible for designing structured cabling systems for data, voice and video networks. The majority of the firm's projects are in the Kansas City metropolitan area, however according to Rob, the company does have projects nationwide. He also commented that designing telecommunications networks is a growing part of the business for the firm.

National Legislative News

Energy Bill Discussion Begins
The Senate is working on its version of an energy bill, which is fraught with amendments and the promise of opposition from the administration. Meanwhile, state governors met recently and lambasted Congress for passing a campaign finance reform bill, which polls rank at the bottom of voter interest, while ignoring the security funding bill to provide needed funds to states for food and agricultural security.

SBA Reports on Cost of Regulations to Small Businesses
The General Accounting Office (GAO) has released a report that small businesses remain swept up in an overabundance of regulations despite legislation designed to reduce the burden. The problem is that federal agencies are given wide discretion in determining whether regulations will have a “significant economic impact” on small businesses; therefore, they often skirt issues and issue a regulation under the mask of “guidance.”

The chief counsel for advocacy for the Small Business Administration is reporting that federal regulations cost small businesses $7,000 per employee in fiscal year 2000. Sen. “Kit” Bond (R-MO) says the report supports the popular belief that federal agencies would rather enforce regulations and levy fines against companies instead of providing compliance assistance.

Source: North American Equipment Dealers Association

Permanent Repeal of Death Tax - Your Help is Needed

The federal death tax (estate tax) legislation signed into law in 2001 allows for the tax to be reinstated in 2011 unless Congress passes a law to make repeal permanent. Time is running out in 2002 for Congress to pass a permanent repeal of this tax. Without this burdensome tax, many more family-owned businesses will be able to survive into second, third or succeeding generation ownership. Permanently repealing the death tax means more family businesses stay intact and more workers have stable paychecks and health insurance.

Electric League members are urged to contact their U.S. Senators and ask them to vote “yes” on all amendments to permanently repeal the estate tax. According to the National Federation of Independent Businesses, the best way to contact the U.S. Senators on this important issue is by fax. The fax numbers for the Missouri and Kansas senators are listed below:

Missouri Senator Carnahan: fax (202) 228-1518 Senator Bond: fax (202) 224-8149

Kansas Senator Brownback: fax (202) 228-1265 Senator Roberts: fax (202) 224-3514

The People Column

Happy Birthday greetings go out to: Mary Oberholtz, Jeannie Pappas, and Mark Hood, all of Graybar Electric; Jay Rains, Rains Electrical Sales, Inc.; Jim Stanker and Pat Saviano of C&O Electric Sales; and an early April Happy Birthday to President Peter Kurtz.

Congratulations to Doug McGough of C&O who has just become the newest principal of that agency.

That wraps it up for this time ... keep those e-mails coming in and we'll be glad to print your news.

See you at the Trade Show!

Keep those e-mails coming in: peoplecolumn@electricleague.org

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