State transportation bill stalls in House

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A transportation funding plan stalled Tuesday in the House after representatives narrowly approved an amendment lowering the proposed tax increase that would go to voters.

Supporters of the legislation immediately set it aside, saying they needed to regroup before making another try at a transportation plan.

Sponsoring Rep. Don Koller had proposed Tuesday to raise the state sales tax three-quarters of a cent and the motor fuel tax by 3 cents a gallon -- a move he considered a compromise from his original proposal of a 1 cent sales tax increase.

His sales and fuel tax combination could have raised $639 million annually, according to an estimate by the state transportation department.

But the House voted 66-64 to strike Koller's fund-raising provision and replace it with a three-eighths-cent sales tax increase sponsored by Rep. Derio Gambaro, D-St. Louis. Gambaro's measure would raise $263 million annually.

Koller, D-Summersville, said that's not enough money, so he pulled his bill from consideration.

"We've got to have about $600 million, in my opinion," he said.

The vote on Gambaro's amendment surprised both Koller and House Speaker Jim Kreider, D-Nixa.