Next up in Jeff City: immigration

Dec 20, 2007

Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Michael Gibbons predicts that immigration will be a "big issue" in the upcoming legislative session.

In a recent visit to The Star, he offered no specifics of legislation that is likely to pass, however.

A lot of fire and brimstone over the issue will ensue in Jefferson City, he predicts.

Possibly, it will end with that, but not likely.

Gov. Matt Blunt already is stoking the fires. He apparently has seized on the immigration issue as a way to bolster his lagging support as he gets into the campaign season.

Gibbons sounds like Blunt when he says illegal immmigration becomes a state issue because "it's a massive federal failure".

The Senate leader predicts some lawmakers will focus on employers and how much responsibility they have to take to avoid hiring illegal immigrants.

"People talk to me about two issues: property taxes and immigration," he says.

On the first issue, Gibbons was more specific. He has introduced legislation that mandates tax rate roll-backs by local governments in reassessment years.

—Laura Scott, assistant editorial page editor


http://voices.kansascity.com/node/364