Let's say you're fed up with your local government and decide to exclude yourself from building codes, safety ordinances and government officials. What if you could get together with your senile neighbor, and your four best friends and declare yourself free from county rule?
What uber-rich developer whose plans were rejected by governing officials wouldn't? According to a provision placed in Senate Bill 22 - anyone can. Robert Plaster was the first and many were wondering who and was the bill created for Plaster. Our local state representatives dodged the bullet and Rep. Ron Wood called the author out as promised at a meeting in Stone County last night.
"The people who did this didn't have the fortitude to go to (Rep. Ray Weter, R- 142), or Jack (Goodman) or me, because it affects my district and say, 'Hey, I want to change this.'
"That's one of the honor things we have with one another (in the legislature)," Wood said. "In this case I think that we were dishonored as representative and senators who represent this district."
Wood held up a bill to the Table Rock crowd that he said calls for reversing the controversial statute. He said he and Sen. Jack Goodman, of Mount Vernon, plan to file identical bills in the House and Senate in December to repeal the statute.
Commissioner Cutbirth said the statewide County Commissioners Association has also voiced its willingness to lobby for defeat of the statute.
Goodman said last week he voted against Senate Bill 22 out of concern it was too large — 220 pages — for him to closely review every section. "I felt it would be dangerous policy-making to vote yes, since it was dealing with important local government issues." He was unable to attend Monday's meeting but a staff member attended and addressed the group.
The revision should concern all local governments because it created law that could be used to incorporate property in all 114 Missouri counties, Goodman said.
Goodman said the provision is inconsistent with the intent and expectations of state and local governments, and said he'll likely work in the next session to correct the provision of the bill.
Excellent Read by Kathleen O' Dell Here
