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Politics & Government

When Surgery, a Special Session Collide

With the Missouri General Assembly Special Session getting underway next week, the Missouri Watchdog will be recovering from surgery.

Patch is pleased to partner with Brian R. Hook, editor and investigative reporter for Missouri Watchdog, a news website dedicated to investigative journalism about local, state and federal government across Missouri. We've invited Hook to contribute a weekly column that describes what he's watching and why it's important for Missouri taxpayers.

I am bummed.

I have been following and reporting about tax credits and other economic development incentives since last year when Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon formed a commission to look for ways to reform the state’s 61 tax credit programs.

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Tax credit reform, however, did not pass before the end of the legislative session in May.

Since then, I have been told I need surgery on my arm to repair nerve damage.

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While on vacation, earlier this month, the surgery was scheduled for Friday.

Being an optimist, apparently, I heard the surgeon say I would be out for at least two weeks following the surgery. My wife heard it could be a month. We both heard it may take six months before my left hand is fully functional.

Then, while I was out of state last week, the governor scheduled the special session to start after Labor Day.

The call for the special session includes a number of tax credits and incentives to attract and retain businesses, along with legislation to increase exports through the development of an air cargo hub at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport — commonly referred to as Aerotropolis — along with constructing high-tech data centers.

Nixon also asked the Missouri General Assembly to take up legislation to move the presidential primary to March, legislation returning control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department back to St. Louis, and he asked lawmakers to repeal provisions in a bill restricting teacher-student communication online.

As the special session gets underway Tuesday, I will likely be on a heavy dose of narcotics.

I will undoubtedly try to follow what goes on in Jefferson City from a distance at home here in St. Louis.

But we all can agree that any reporting about the special session on my part would be a bit trippy. Therefore, unless it lasts longer than anticipated, I will most likely be writing about history, not news, when I return.

By Brian R. Hookbrhook@missouriwatchdog.org, (314) 482-7944

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