– House Speaker Tim Jones said Tuesday that he was unsure whether Republican members have enough votes to override Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto of income tax legislation.
Speaking to the St. Louis Beacon and St. Louis Public Radio’s collaborative podcast, “Politically Speaking,” Jones, R-Eureka, said the controversial tax cut bill is “likely not going to be overridden.”
“Overriding this veto will be monumental if it happens, because right now, I have to say: I don’t know that we have the numbers,” he said. Jones added that if he does not find that his caucus fully supports an override, he likely would “not even attempt an override.”
To override Nixon’s veto, it would seem that all 109 members of the Republican caucus would have to be on board. Already, one of the bill’s original yes votes — state Rep. Nate Walker, R-Kirksville — has indicated that he will likely oppose an override attempt. Three Democrats supported the bill, two of whom have indicated they would oppose an override.
Jones, in an email on Tuesday after his radio interview, said to move forward with an override, he would need the three Republicans who originally voted no to switch to “yes,” and every member to be present for the September 11 vote. He said he has heard that every “questionable” Republican, including those who originally voted no, is “still in play.”
“If and when we have 109, we will bring the bill up,” he said.
Jones’s comments come after weeks of public pressure from Nixon highlighting elements of the bill Nixon saw to be damaging, including what the bill’s sponsor called an unintended $200 million tax increase on prescription drugs, a sales tax increase on text books for students, and a the potential for a negative impact on the state’s budget (and perhaps even its credit rating) if the federal government approved the federal Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013.
“Today’s comments by the Speaker that the House is unlikely to override my veto of House Bill 253 indicate that legislators are hearing from their constituents and recognizing that there is no need to raise taxes on prescription drugs, defund our schools or jeopardize our AAA credit rating with this fiscally irresponsible experiment,” Nixon said in a written statement in response to Jones’s remarks. “I will continue to communicate as necessary with lawmakers and stakeholders about the need to ensure my veto is sustained so that this flawed bill does not become law.”
Achieving an override has been the target of a coalition of busienss groups and consertavie activists, fueled by a $2.4 million investment from St. Louis investor and political donor Rex Sinquefield. Lawmakers will convene in St. Louis next month to discuss whether they will seek to override Nixon’s vetoes of 29 bills this summer.