Comment
Rate
Share
Nixon signs into law bills ending practice of awarding fee offices based on patronage
By Jason Noble/The Kansas City Star, Mo. (MCT)
JEFFERSON CITY -- Contracts to run Missouri fee offices must be opened for competitive bids under legislation signed into law Wednesday by Gov. Jay Nixon.
Two bills formalize and make permanent actions taken by Nixon this year to end the practice of awarding offices based on political connections.
Residents visit fee offices to register vehicles and renew driver's licenses. For decades, they have served as patronage plums granted to political supporters by governors from both parties. Some of the busier offices can yield six-figure profits.
"We put these offices up for competitive bid as we would any other government contract, and made efficiency and service to the customer the key criteria," Nixon, a Democrat, said in a statement. "In signing these bills into law today, I'm proud to know that these reforms will be in place even after I leave office."
The legislation was sponsored by a Republican, state Rep. Ryan Silvey of Kansas City, North, and passed with broad, bipartisan support.
Nixon signed the bills in Springfield, at a fee office that was recently awarded to a nonprofit community services organization.
The new law, effective Aug. 28, requires the Department of Revenue to set up a system for soliciting bids and awarding contracts. The department created such a system in January at Nixon's direction.
The law also requires that preference be given to nonprofit groups and local governments.
The bill-signing comes amid accusations that the Nixon administration had continued to award fee offices to political allies, despite the new competitive bidding process.
Earlier this week, state Rep. Ray Salva, a Sugar Creek Democrat, raised questions about the winning bid for his hometown office, which went to a man whose family donated more than $11,000 to Nixon's 2008 gubernatorial campaign.
Republicans contended that at least nine of the 28 offices awarded so far under the competitive bidding process had gone to Nixon supporters.
Nixon has denied political influence over the contracts and said the winning bidders put together stronger proposals than their competitors.
The scoring system that determines winners is "value neutral" and "based on merit," Nixon told The Kansas City Star this week.
To reach Jason Noble, call 573-634-3565 or send e-mail to jnoble@kcstar.com.
To see more of The Kansas City Star, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.kansascity.com.
Copyright (c) 2009, The Kansas City Star, Mo.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
Subscribe To Lake AlertsTwo bills formalize and make permanent actions taken by Nixon this year to end the practice of awarding offices based on political connections.
Residents visit fee offices to register vehicles and renew driver's licenses. For decades, they have served as patronage plums granted to political supporters by governors from both parties. Some of the busier offices can yield six-figure profits.
"We put these offices up for competitive bid as we would any other government contract, and made efficiency and service to the customer the key criteria," Nixon, a Democrat, said in a statement. "In signing these bills into law today, I'm proud to know that these reforms will be in place even after I leave office."
The legislation was sponsored by a Republican, state Rep. Ryan Silvey of Kansas City, North, and passed with broad, bipartisan support.
Nixon signed the bills in Springfield, at a fee office that was recently awarded to a nonprofit community services organization.
The new law, effective Aug. 28, requires the Department of Revenue to set up a system for soliciting bids and awarding contracts. The department created such a system in January at Nixon's direction.
The law also requires that preference be given to nonprofit groups and local governments.
The bill-signing comes amid accusations that the Nixon administration had continued to award fee offices to political allies, despite the new competitive bidding process.
Earlier this week, state Rep. Ray Salva, a Sugar Creek Democrat, raised questions about the winning bid for his hometown office, which went to a man whose family donated more than $11,000 to Nixon's 2008 gubernatorial campaign.
Republicans contended that at least nine of the 28 offices awarded so far under the competitive bidding process had gone to Nixon supporters.
Nixon has denied political influence over the contracts and said the winning bidders put together stronger proposals than their competitors.
The scoring system that determines winners is "value neutral" and "based on merit," Nixon told The Kansas City Star this week.
To reach Jason Noble, call 573-634-3565 or send e-mail to jnoble@kcstar.com.
To see more of The Kansas City Star, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.kansascity.com.
Copyright (c) 2009, The Kansas City Star, Mo.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
Share this Article
 |
 |
|
| You're not a real boater until you have... | AmerenUE tells NRC to halt review of nuclear plant application |
Article Rating
Reader Comments
Submit a Comment
We encourage your feedback and dialog, all comments will be reviewed by our Web staff before appearing on the Web site.
