Clayton Hill
Jefferson City
Dear Editor:
As the 2020 legislative session is now finished, we learn of proposed bills sent to the governor's office for signature. As usual, I am not satisfied with our lawmakers' agendas. As a physicians' first priority and Hippocratic oath is "Do no harm." I can say that is not applicable to this abbreviated session. Four bills I would desire the governor to veto include: the port authority bill, the 2020 voter change bill, the bill lessening requirements for motorcycle helmets and the hyper-link MoDOT bill. While all on the surface have noble causes, there are in my opinion, negatives that outweigh the positives - mostly hidden cost burdens to taxpayers and in the case of the voter change bill - possible disfranchising the electorate with invalid votes.
I and others have voiced objection to the port - not from if it needed or not - but up-front public funds supporting private development - viable or not. Nearly $200,000 of taxes has already been spent. Now they propose to spend many more tax dollars to build access to the site over the railroad. This option was discussed years earlier, if the cost could have been passed to the federal government (also taxes) through the National Guard as the vehicle of funding. This project needs to cause the port licensee to structure port users to effectively reimburse any public expenditure.
The voter change bill is a rushed reaction to a problem that does not exist. I have no problem with mail-in voting - but not without notary. I have voted years absentee for various reasons, and I take voting seriously. Citizens, or caretakers of those incapacitated, have individual responsibility to vote in person or go the courthouse cast their vote without fearing crowds at the polls - notary required. A more urgent need is to "scrub" voter rolls of invalid voters and establish a federal and states' identity system which would eliminate illegals, duplicates, dead or other invalid tallies.
I support the individual freedom envisioned by eliminating the helmet law, but the hidden cost to taxpayers to care of individuals injured and incapacitated is unacceptable.
The hyperlink is so far out in left field it does not warrant a viable comment other than it is way out in front of any reasonable transportation need between Kansas City and St. Louis. Any further study is a waste of time and taxes.