"I appreciate the work the General Assembly has already done to achieve broad consensus on these priorities, and I look forward to continuing to work with legislators on both sides of the aisle during an efficient, focused and productive session," Nixon stated in a press release calling the session.
Missing from the agenda is the roughly $150 million that the governor has pulled from the budget and reallocated for disaster relief in areas such as Joplin — an item Nixon promised in July he would put on the agenda. However, Republican State Auditor Tom Schweich released an audit last week contesting Nixon's action.
"We are aware of no constitutional or statutory authority to withhold from appropriated expenditures based on state obligations that were unanticipated at the time the budget was passed by the General Assembly," the auditor wrote in a letter to Nixon.
The governor's office said Monday that the state is already spending out of that pool of funds. In a the statement on the special session, Nixon said the topic wouldn't be formally addressed because the damage assessments are still in progress.
"Before we can determine the best method to finance our recovery obligations, we must determine the full extent of the damage," Nixon said.
Other items that made the agenda for the special session include:
- Creating tax incentives for an air cargo hub for China at St. Louis Lambert Airport;
- Giving St. Louis control of its local police force;
- Adding tax breaks for business, technology and amateur sports;
- Moving the state's presidential primary to March.
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