Branson Welcome Sign In Works - BDN

Pride group welcomes sign Branson Community Pride Committee members are considering placing a "Welcome to Branson" sign on the "V" formed by girders underneath the Cliff Drive bridge. But before it can happen, the committee must have permission from the Missouri Department of Transportation. BDN photo by Tonyi Crandell By Tonyi Crandell BDN Staff Writer tcrandell@bransondailynews.com While there is no "Welcome to Branson" sign yet, that may change due to the efforts of residents who formed a Community Pride Committee. Members met Monday to discuss possible locations for the sign and other landscaping efforts. "We have to meet with the right (Missouri Department of Transportation) person to determine what can and can't be done with signage," committee member Chris Myer said. "It will take a while to get this accomplished." The committee discussed the possibility of four locations for a sign, but two locations would require state permission. "We plan to set up a meeting with the right MoDOT official," said Jerry Adams, Community Pride Committee member and public information officer for the city of Branson. "We are considering four possible locations for the sign. The first one is on the south side of Cliff Drive bridge. It would be seen by visitors coming in to Branson from the south, but since this is MoDOT property, we will need permission from them first. "The second location we are considering is the northbound off ramp of U.S. 65 and 76 Country Boulevard. This location would also require permission. "The third location is the giant slope, facing north, behind Home Depot. It is private property and does not require MoDOT approval. "Lastly, we are considering private property on the east side of U.S. 65, just north of the Bee Creek Road interchange. Drivers coming to Branson from the north would see this sign." Adams added that erecting a sign is a "long range plan" and the focus for right now needs to be on beautification efforts of islands near off ramps. "There are a total of four gravel islands we are hoping to improve for next spring," Adams said. "What we hope to do in the next few weeks is remove the gravel and put in top soil so that it will be ready for planting. The committee believes these islands will be enhanced with the addition of flowers." Committee members also discussed improving the landscape and fixing a broken sprinkler system at the U.S. 65 and Bee Creek Road interchange. "The city installed a sprinkler system in that area, but it hasn't been working. We will work to correct that issue and improve the landscaping in that area before spring." Adams is also looking for volunteers to assist with beautification projects. "We are looking for volunteers who would like to help in the future planning and maintaining of the landscaping at 65 and 76," Adams said. No date has been set for the next committee meeting, but Adams said it will be in January. -- http://www.bransonedge.com http://www.bransonmissouri.blogspot.com

Branson business owner pleads guilty to tax evasion

Missouri business owner pleads guilty to tax evasion Published: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 8:09 AM CST SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) - A southwest Missouri businessman pleads guilty to failing to pay up to $7 million in federal income and employment taxes. Kyle Jon Thompson owns Branson Trailer Manufacturing in Ozark. He faces up to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Springfield. The 46-year-old business owner admitted failing to file federal income tax returns for his company or for himself from 1997 to 2006. His taxable income in 2006 was approximately $2.8 million. Prosecutors said Thompson used various methods to conceal income, including paying his employees in cash. He also failed to pay taxes on more than a dozen vehicles, ranging from limousines to a Model-T Ford. Thompson's plea agreement requires him to pay all taxes, interest and penalties before sentencing. -- http://www.bransonedge.com http://www.bransonmissouri.blogspot.com

Karl Rove: The GOP's Path Back to Power

Rove: The GOP's Path Back to Power Yes, we lost the election. But in a year when all currents were running against Republicans and our campaign was lackluster and erratic, Barack Obama received only 3.1 points more than Al Gore in 2000 and only 4.6 points more than John Kerry in 2004. The Democratic victory becomes durable only if Republicans make it so with the wrong moves. Losing the election has led to a debate about whether the GOP should return to its Reaganite tradition or embark on a new reform course. This pundit-driven shoutfest presents a sterile, unnecessary choice. The party should embrace both tradition and reform; grass-roots Republicans want to apply timeless conservative principles to the new circumstances facing America. In the coming year, we will be defined more by what we oppose than what we are for; the president-elect and the Democrats in Congress will control the agenda. We must pick fights carefully and center them around principle. The goal is to have the sharp differences that emerge make the GOP look like the more reasonable, hopeful and inviting party-which is easier said than done. A road map: 1. Avoid mindless opposition. We should support President Obama when he is right (Afghanistan), persuade him when his mind appears open (trade) and oppose him when he is wrong (taxes). It is the Republican Party's job to hold him accountable on the merits only. 2. Be as comfortable talking about health care and education as national security and taxes. Republican health-care proposals are strong; they can trump the Democrats' big-government ideas, but only if we advocate them with clarity, passion and conviction. We must stress that the GOP wants families to be able to save, tax-free, for out-of-pocket medical expenses. People should be able to take their insurance from job to job. Small businesses should be able to pool risk to get the same discounts that big companies get. You can buy auto insurance from anywhere in America, even from a lizard, so why not health insurance? A national market would mean that health coverage for a 25-year-old New Yorker wouldn't cost four times what it does in Pennsylvania. Individuals and families, not just companies, should get a tax break for buying health insurance. And we must stop junk lawsuits that drive up everybody's health-care bills. 3. Winning the war on terror is a matter of national survival. Republicans must be President Obama's best allies in waging unrelenting war against terrorists, and prod him sharply if he weakens or wavers. 4.Republicans must regain ground among critical voting groups. Voters ages 18-29 voted Democratic by a 2-to-1 margin. A market-oriented "green" agenda that's true to our principles would help win them back. Hispanics dropped from 44 percent Republican in 2004 to 31 percent in 2008. The GOP won't be a majority party if it cedes the young or Hispanics to Democrats. Republicans must find a way to support secure borders, a guest-worker program and comprehensive immigration reform that strengthens citizenship, grows our economy and keeps America a welcoming nation. An anti-Hispanic attitude is suicidal. As the party of Lincoln, Republicans have a moral obligation to make our case to Hispanics, blacks and Asian-Americans who share our values. Whether we see gains in 2010 depends on it. Winning requires addition, not subtraction. While the GOP's strength is in the suburbs, exurbs and small towns, it cannot surrender urban America, especially if it wants to win states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan and Ohio and regain strength in New England. 5. For now, our party's face is our congressional leadership. In the coming year, their response to the Democratic agenda will largely determine the speed of the party's recovery. Senate and House Republicans will be seen more than any party chair or 2012 aspirant. Sen. Mitch McConnell and Rep. John Boehner must put on center stage their most persuasive, compelling members: Richard Burr and Jon Kyl in the Senate, and Paul Ryan, Eric Cantor, Mike Pence, Cathy McMorris, Peter Roskam and Kevin McCarthy in the House, for example. They should make our case as Congress and the administration wrangle on the economy, spending, taxes, health care, energy, education, values and defense. 6.Good candidates are essential. The GOP's return can start as early as 2010. In the first midterm, since World War II, the "out party" has gained, on average, two seats in the Senate; since 1966, it's gained an average of 6 governorships, 63 state Senate seats and 262 state House seats. The GOP can have a better-than-average 2010, but only if it recruits strong candidates. Their cultivation starts now. States remain our best source of presidential contenders and new ideas, so elect more governors. There's another reason why governors' races and state legislative seats must be a priority in 2010: redistricting and reapportionment in 2011. Seven electoral votes (and congressional seats) are projected to move from mostly blue to mostly red states, and every House district will be redrawn. 7. Let every 2012 presidential prospect run free; there is no need to throttle anyone's candidacy. Republicans believe in markets, so why not let the marketplace of ideas, performance and persuasion naturally winnow the field? Gov. Sarah Palin will be held to a higher standard than she was during her nine-week vice presidential campaign; voters want to see if she can improve her game. She's smart, but it's unclear she can attract to Alaska advisers who will make her into a durable player on the national scene. Regardless, a consensus about who should be our next standard bearer should develop organically, not be forced by public intellectuals intent on smashing a candidacy this instant, as some are with Palin. We need more people, not fewer, to take the stage for tryouts. Rather than declaring a prospective candidate unacceptable, what about bolstering people who would be attractive? 8. Anyone interested in 2012 must help in 2010. Republicans should remember how much presidential candidates help in re-energizing the grass roots, raising funds, encouraging good candidates and articulating a strong message. Palin, Romney, Gingrich, Pawlenty, Huckabee, Jindal, Giuliani: if you want to lead our ticket, earn our good will. Think tanks like the Heritage Foundation, the Ethics and Public Policy Center, the Hoover Institution, the American Enterprise Institute, the Manhattan Institute and state-level operations are stuffed with writers and thinkers who should be drawn into the orbits of these potential candidates. 9. Culture matters. Suggestions that we abandon social conservatism, including our pro-life agenda, should be ignored. These values are often more popular than the GOP itself. The age of sonograms has made younger voters a more pro-life generation. And California and Florida approved marriage amendments while McCain lost both states. Republicans, in championing our values agenda, need to come across as morally serious rather than as judgmental. More than 4 million Americans who go to church more than once a week and voted in 2004 stayed home in 2008. They represented half the margin between Obama and McCain. 10. The GOP must master new media. Today, more than 70 percent of Americans say they find news online; 37 percent are online daily looking for it. Democrats have successfully developed tools to exploit online advocacy, and Republicans must spend more time and energy doing the same. The Web edge we had through 2004 is gone. This is a long to-do list. But parties that have just been trashed in consecutive elections always have a lot of work to do. Yet Republicans, in recognizing the size of the challenge ahead, shouldn't despair: President Obama and the Democrats in Congress will, fairly or not, own every problem that emerges. We remain a center-right nation, and the GOP will remain a center-right party based on an optimistic conservatism. And political fortunes can change quickly. In 1992, Bill Clinton stood atop the political world; in 1994, he stood defeated after Republicans took control of the House. We can't count on a replay of 1994, but we can take steps that will make 2010 a good year-and, with a bit of luck and skill, a very good year. Democrats control the levers of power, but Republicans still control their own fate. By Karl Rove Saturday, November 15, 2008

Yakov Smirnoff’s New TV Talk Show to Air on KY-3

"Law & Order" Pre-empted for "Love & Laughter" Yakov Smirnoff's New TV Talk Show to Air on KY-3 Branson, MO (Wednesday, November 12, 2008) — Yakov Smirnoff announced today that his new TV Talk Show pilot will air on KY-3 TV on Saturday, November 22 at 9:00 pm. Yakov's guests for this episode are ventriloquist & comedian Jim Barber and his wife Diane; author Willard Harley who wrote the book "His Needs, Her Needs;" and an amazing couple, Ray & Irma Ziff, who have been married for over 75 years. "My new TV talk show is a cross between Dr. Phil and Ellen, where it's a lot of entertainment and a little bit of information, so you can learn and laugh your Yak-Off," says Yakov. "My guests were great fun and an inspiration to us all. Tune in on the 22nd and you'll find out why Law & Order got pre-empted for Love & Laughter!" Yakov says, "I had the idea to create a television show nearly 10 years ago. Since then it has really evolved into a new type of talk show—one that's focusing on the important role that laughter plays in healthy relationships." Along with his own special brand of comedy, this pilot episode features Yakov discussing Jim Barber's unique relationship with his puppets as well as his wife. Yakov also delves into relationships during a segment called, "Yakking with Yakov on a Yacht." During the show audience members interact with best-selling Christian author Dr. Willard Harley. His book "His Needs, Her Needs" provided plenty of animated discussion followed by a hilarious and heart-warming interview with the Ziffs, who recently celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary and were featured on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Yakov earned his Master's Degree in Positive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. He is an adjunct professor at Missouri State and Drury Universities. The television show has evolved from some of the concepts introduced to his students as well as seminars he has conducted around the world for the past five years. Yakov asks viewers to visit LoveAndLaughter.com to provide comments on the TV show and to become a part of his Love and Laughter community. In addition to airing on November 22 at 9:00 pm, the pilot of The Yakov Smirnoff Show will air again on KY-3 on Sunday, November 23 at 1:00 pm. Yakov arrived in the United States in 1977 with less than $100. In the years that followed, he has found success as a comedian and has come to embrace his new country with contagious optimism. He moved to Branson in 1993, and along with his successful Branson show at his own theater, has continued to amass accomplishments including books, CD's, movies, TV appearances, a successful Broadway show As Long As We Both Shall Laugh, and is currently working on a humorous self-help book. Yakov is a featured writer for AARP magazine, the world's largest circulation magazine with a distribution of 39 million. Yakov gives readers advice (and a few laughs) in his column titled, "Happily Ever Laughter. Branson Online

A Way Out of the Wilderness - Karl Rove

By Karl Rove Published Nov 15, 2008 Yes, we lost the election. But in a year when all currents were running against Republicans and our campaign was lackluster and erratic, Barack Obama received only 3.1 points more than Al Gore in 2000 and only 4.6 points more than John Kerry in 2004. The Democratic victory becomes durable only if Republicans make it so with the wrong moves. Losing the election has led to a debate about whether the GOP should return to its Reaganite tradition or embark on a new reform course. This pundit-driven shoutfest presents a sterile, unnecessary choice. The party should embrace both tradition and reform; grass-roots Republicans want to apply timeless conservative principles to the new circumstances facing America. In the coming year, we will be defined more by what we oppose than what we are for; the president-elect and the Democrats in Congress will control the agenda. We must pick fights carefully and center them around principle. The goal is to have the sharp differences that emerge make the GOP look like the more reasonable, hopeful and inviting party-which is easier said than done. A road map:

Cassandre Voice of an Angel

The Haygoods announced today the addition of Cassandre the Voice of an Angel to their 2009 lineup!! Timothy Haygood had this to say, " We are so excited to have Cassandre at our theatre and can't wait to show theatregoers her new show!!" Branson Online

The Rule of Law and the Chasing of Foxes - Missouri Senator Matt Bartle

The year was 1805.  The lawyers for both parties had made compelling cases and the court was sharply divided on this vexing question involving the private property rights of a citizen.  The justices had studiously examined the works of great legal minds, written hundreds of years before, and had pored over the decisions of other courts to see if any guidance could be gleaned.  The legislature had never considered such a case as this, so no direction could be found in the statute books.  Finally, the judges issued their decision—a decision that is required reading for thousands of young law students, even today.     The court was apologetic to the plaintiff, admitting that the defendant had certainly been rude, but despite his behavior, they must rule in his favor.  He could keep the fox.    Yes, this landmark decision stemmed from a simple dispute between two hunters.  Just before Mr. Post and his pack of hounds could catch their wily quarry, Mr. Pierson stepped in and bagged the fox—claiming it for his own.    Far from being merely an entertaining story, this case illustrates one of our nation's most important and valuable traditions—the role of common law.  While most students today are taught how legislators and governors (or Congress and the President at the federal level) craft laws, often overlooked is the fact that much of American law is never voted on or debated in the legislature.  Instead, this foundation of our law—called the common law—is composed of thousands of court decisions, such as the one concerning Pierson's fox, fitted together and cemented by the collective work of Western judges going back hundreds of years—long before the U.S. Constitution was written.   Some may be surprised to find that the rulings of English judges from the 1600s are still very much a part of Missouri's law today.  In fact, if you look at the first page of Missouri's written law—the Revised Statutes—you will find that the laws of England, and its common law as of the fourth year of King James I, are still in effect unless they are contradicted by the Constitution or an act of Congress or the state legislature.     So what is common law and why do we still follow it?  The answer to the first question is rather straightforward—as mentioned above, the common law is the body of law resulting from court decisions built up over time as judges grappled with everyday situations like that of two hunters arguing over who owns a fox pelt.  This is important, because these decisions ultimately set precedents for future courts (under a principle called stare decisis, future judges are obligated to follow earlier decisions).   Answering the second question—why we still follow the common law—is more complicated and I would like to discuss it over the next couple of weeks.  For now, suffice it to say that common law is one of our nation's most priceless possessions.  While not perfect, it is an exceptional blend of common sense and morality gleaned from our nation's distinct history, our understanding of man's place in the universe and of respect for the unalienable rights of the individual.    In closing, I would also like to take a moment to recognize our courageous veterans. November 11, Veterans Day, was set aside as a day to honor the individuals who have put their lives on the line to defend and protect this nation. We owe them our sincere gratitude and respect for their noble sacrifices.  -- http://www.bransonedge.com http://www.bransonmissouri.blogspot.com

Change.Gov - Barack Obama's Agenda - Iraq

The Problem Inadequate Security and Political Progress in Iraq: Since the surge began, more than 1,000 American troops have died, and despite the improved security situation, the Iraqi government has not stepped forward to lead the Iraqi people and to reach the genuine political accommodation that was the stated purpose of the surge. Our troops have heroically helped reduce civilian casualties in Iraq to early 2006 levels. This is a testament to our military's hard work, improved counterinsurgency tactics, and enormous sacrifice by our troops and military families. It is also a consequence of the decision of many Sunnis to turn against al Qaeda in Iraq, and a lull in Shia militia activity. But the absence of genuine political accommodation in Iraq is a direct result of President Bush's failure to hold the Iraqi government accountable. Strains on the Military: More than 1.75 million servicemen and women have served in Iraq or Afghanistan; more than 620,000 troops have completed multiple deployments. Military members have endured multiple deployments taxing both them and their families. Additionally, military equipment is wearing out at nine times the normal rate after years of constant use in Iraq's harsh environment. As Army Chief of Staff General George Casey said in March, "Today's Army is out of balance. The current demand for our forces in Iraq and Afghanistan exceeds the sustainable supply and limits our ability to provide ready forces for other contingencies." Resurgent Al Qaeda in Afghanistan: The decision to invade Iraq diverted resources from the war in Afghanistan, making it harder for us to kill or capture Osama Bin Laden and others involved in the 9/11 attacks. Nearly seven years later, the Taliban has reemerged in southern Afghanistan while Al Qaeda has used the space provided by the Iraq war to regroup, train and plan for another attack on the United States. 2007 was the most violent year in Afghanistan since the invasion in 2001. The scale of our deployments in Iraq continues to set back our ability to finish the fight in Afghanistan, producing unacceptable strategic risks. A New Strategy Needed: The Iraq war has lasted longer than World War I, World War II, and the Civil War. More than 4,000 Americans have died. More than 60,000 have been injured and wounded. The United States may spend $2.7 trillion on this war and its aftermath, yet we are less safe around the globe and more divided at home. With determined ingenuity and at great personal cost, American troops have found the right tactics to contain the violence in Iraq, but we still have the wrong strategy to press Iraqis to take responsibility at home, and restore America's security and standing in the world. Barack Obama and Joe Biden's Plan Judgment You Can Trust In 2002, as the conventional thinking in Washington lined up with President Bush for war, Obama had the judgment and courage to speak out against going to war, and to warn of "an occupation of undetermined length, with undetermined costs, and undetermined consequences." He and Joe Biden are fully committed to ending the war in Iraq. A Responsible, Phased Withdrawal Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe we must be as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in. Immediately upon taking office, Obama will give his Secretary of Defense and military commanders a new mission in Iraq: ending the war. The removal of our troops will be responsible and phased, directed by military commanders on the ground and done in consultation with the Iraqi government. Military experts believe we can safely redeploy combat brigades from Iraq at a pace of 1 to 2 brigades a month that would remove them in 16 months. That would be the summer of 2010 – more than 7 years after the war began. Under the Obama-Biden plan, a residual force will remain in Iraq and in the region to conduct targeted counter-terrorism missions against al Qaeda in Iraq and to protect American diplomatic and civilian personnel. They will not build permanent bases in Iraq, but will continue efforts to train and support the Iraqi security forces as long as Iraqi leaders move toward political reconciliation and away from sectarianism. Encouraging Political Accommodation Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe that the U.S. must apply pressure on the Iraqi government to work toward real political accommodation. There is no military solution to Iraq's political differences, but the Bush Administration's blank check approach has failed to press Iraq's leaders to take responsibility for their future or to substantially spend their oil revenues on their own reconstruction. Obama and Biden's plan will help create lasting stability in Iraq. A phased withdrawal will encourage Iraqis to take the lead in securing their own country and making political compromises, while the responsible pace of redeployment called for by the Obama-Biden plan offers more than enough time for Iraqi leaders to get their own house in order. As our forces redeploy, Obama and Biden will make sure we engage representatives from all levels of Iraqi society—in and out of government—to forge compromises on oil revenue sharing, the equitable provision of services, federalism, the status of disputed territories, new elections, aid to displaced Iraqis, and the reform of Iraqi security forces. Surging Diplomacy Barack Obama and Joe Biden will launch an aggressive diplomatic effort to reach a comprehensive compact on the stability of Iraq and the region. This effort will include all of Iraq's neighbors—including Iran and Syria, as suggested by the bi-partisan The Iraq Study Group Report. This compact will aim to secure Iraq's borders; keep neighboring countries from meddling inside Iraq; isolate al Qaeda; support reconciliation among Iraq's sectarian groups; and provide financial support for Iraq's reconstruction and development. Preventing Humanitarian Crisis Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe that America has both a moral obligation and a responsibility for security that demands we confront Iraq's humanitarian crisis—more than five million Iraqis are refugees or are displaced inside their own country. Obama and Biden will form an international working group to address this crisis. They will provide at least $2 billion to expand services to Iraqi refugees in neighboring countries, and ensure that Iraqis inside their own country can find sanctuary. Obama and Biden will also work with Iraqi authorities and the international community to hold the perpetrators of potential war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide accountable. They will reserve the right to intervene militarily, with our international partners, to suppress potential genocidal violence within Iraq. The Status-of-Forces-Agreement Obama and Biden believe any Status of Forces Agreement, or any strategic framework agreement, should be negotiated in the context of a broader commitment by the U.S. to begin withdrawing its troops and forswearing permanent bases. Obama and Biden also believe that any security accord must be subject to Congressional approval. It is unacceptable that the Iraqi government will present the agreement to the Iraqi parliament for approval—yet the Bush administration will not do the same with the U.S. Congress. The Bush administration must submit the agreement to Congress or allow the next administration to negotiate an agreement that has bipartisan support here at home and makes absolutely clear that the U.S. will not maintain permanent bases in Iraq. -- http://www.bransonedge.com http://www.bransonmissouri.blogspot.com

City of Branson adopts 2009 budget - Branson Daily News

By Tonyi Crandell BDN Staff Writer tcrandell@bransondailynews.com After months of public scrutiny and stringent examination, Branson aldermen unanimously approved and adopted a 2009 fiscal year budget on Monday. According to Dean Kruithof, city administrator, the new budget is "conservative" compared to previous budgets. "Since our goal is to roll things back to spending levels that the city saw in 2007, we are conservatively estimating that revenues could come in at the 2007 level," Kruithof said. In 2007, city records show that revenues were lower and Kruithof added that an "underestimation of the revenue is better than being overly optimistic." Kruithof also said that even though Branson has had steady tax increases, city officials are still unsure how the economic downturn will further affect the city. The new budget shows total revenues of $45.5 million and expenditures of $46.7 million, leaving a deficit of about $1.2 million. Kruithof said he expects the finance committee will be able to present a budget with a general fund balance no lower than $6 million — as it stands now — at the end of 2009. "This fund balance of $6 million is the floor and we are not going below it," said Kruithof. "Just imagine that in 2007 the city had a savings of $12 million and now that savings is $6 million." Kruithof also said that serious efforts to increase the general fund would be taken. "We are going to be looking at our revenue and then, we are going to be taking a very hard look at the expenditures of the Branson Convention Center and the Branson Landing," Kruithof said. "What we want to do is work to find efficiencies." OTHER ACTION • Aldermen approved a first, then a final reading of a bill which would authorize a contract between U.S. Cellular and the city. Under the 15-year contract, U.S. Cellular will lease space on the Wal-Mart water tower for the placement of telecommunications equipment and pay the city a $17,000 installation fee and a rental fee of $2,500 per month, with an automatic annual increase of 4 percent. -- http://www.bransonedge.com http://www.bransonmissouri.blogspot.com

Branson Budget

City of Branson adopts 2009 budget By Tonyi Crandell BDN Staff Writer tcrandell@bransondailynews.com After months of public scrutiny and stringent examination, Branson aldermen unanimously approved and adopted a 2009 fiscal year budget on Monday. According to Dean Kruithof, city administrator, the new budget is "conservative" compared to previous budgets. "Since our goal is to roll things back to spending levels that the city saw in 2007, we are conservatively estimating that revenues could come in at the 2007 level," Kruithof said. In 2007, city records show that revenues were lower and Kruithof added that an "underestimation of the revenue is better than being overly optimistic." Kruithof also said that even though Branson has had steady tax increases, city officials are still unsure how the economic downturn will further affect the city. The new budget shows total revenues of $45.5 million and expenditures of $46.7 million, leaving a deficit of about $1.2 million. Kruithof said he expects the finance committee will be able to present a budget with a general fund balance no lower than $6 million — as it stands now — at the end of 2009. "This fund balance of $6 million is the floor and we are not going below it," said Kruithof. "Just imagine that in 2007 the city had a savings of $12 million and now that savings is $6 million." Kruithof also said that serious efforts to increase the general fund would be taken. "We are going to be looking at our revenue and then, we are going to be taking a very hard look at the expenditures of the Branson Convention Center and the Branson Landing," Kruithof said. "What we want to do is work to find efficiencies." OTHER ACTION • Aldermen approved a first, then a final reading of a bill which would authorize a contract between U.S. Cellular and the city. Under the 15-year contract, U.S. Cellular will lease space on the Wal-Mart water tower for the placement of telecommunications equipment and pay the city a $17,000 installation fee and a rental fee of $2,500 per month, with an automatic annual increase of 4 percent. -- http://www.bransonedge.com http://www.bransonmissouri.blogspot.com

Letter to Branson City Manager

In response to the letter dated on or near August 26th regarding the "Branson Bloggers" access to city hall I'm personally informing you no such procedure will be followed as city officials are claiming no such document exists. I've made several phone calls both to Branson's sitting attorney Dub Duston and Branson's Communication Director Jerry Adams asking for a copy of the correspondence. Branson Communications Director Jerry Adams stated he wasn't aware of any correspondence relating to special procedures that I personally have to follow to access city hall Kudos on finally admitting that a $12 million dollar surplus is being drained as I reported months ago. I believed it was so important that the citizens of Branson understand the fiscally irresponsible activities of the current administration and have elaborated briefly on some of the criminal activities which I hope are being corrected. In the future I hope more people understand that sales tax funds are at an all time high and the current deficit is the result of new expenditures created during the Raeanne Presley administration. If the citizens of Branson clearly understood the extent and circumstances regarding the millions pilfered I'm certain there would be more public outrage. Though your proposal is unclear; I understand that you're requesting that I report to a separate facility to be detained and then escorted before I check the public boards due to blog content you disagree with. I find this unreasonable and due to the fact you're failing to acknowledge that such correspondence was officially issued - I'm assuming you're regressing from your stance. Furthermore delays to access subjects me personally to even more harassment then what I've been experiencing as the only watchdog news organization that hasn't made cash trades with the City of Branson or officials individually. The letter, which I'm having difficulty locating, also commanded that I follow rules of decorum. I have always done this and will continue to do so. It's true I've caught public leaders falsifying information and pinned them on issues relating to unrecorded disbursements and can understand why there would be reason to try and impede my access to information. Still, I've done this in a legal manner and will continue to do so. Fortunately this is the United States of America and both free speech and access to "Our" government is a fundamental right. It's my hope that threatening phone calls from city hall will cease as it's caused both undue stress and considerable fiscal damages to me personally. I've filed a police report regarding one of these incidents and more will precode if necessary. Again, I've requested the letter three times without a response to clarify your request - but - if the request denies unabated access to information which has to be publicly posted by law I reject such notions. Just to be clear, I'm formally requesting a copy of the correspondence from the City Manager's Office Dated August 25th by either fax or email so I can be clear on what your asking of me as I'm unable to locate the original document. Humbly Yours -- http://www.bransonedge.com http://www.bransonmissouri.blogspot.com

Herschend closes Celebration City, explores options - Springfield Business Journal

by Dee Dee Jacobs - Online Editor Branson theme park Celebration City will close out its season on Saturday and will not reopen in 2009, parent company Herschend Family Entertainment Corp. said today. Herschend is studying various opportunities for the 110 acres on Highway 76's western edge, where Celebration City is located. Possible developments for what officials hope will be an "anchor destination" could include an aquarium, other family attractions, a re-themed version of Celebration City or retail and dining, according to spokeswoman Lisa Rau. "(The park) did not meet our financial expectations," Rau said, adding that current economic conditions did play in to the final decision, although the company has been exploring new options for the park for some time. Celebration City opened in 2003 with a $40 million price tag, Springfield Business Journal reported at the time. Rau said factors in the park's shortcomings included its scope - Celebration City only occupied half of the 110 acres, leaving a lot of unused land - and the way it operated, particularly the fact that it did not open until 3 p.m. daily. "We also need to make sure what we build and what we do in the future meets priority goals of extending overnight visitation and bringing more people to the market," Rau said. "What we do will have those two priority goals in mind." It's been a soft year for Branson tourism, and Herschend researcher Jerry Henry has told SBJ that he expects Branson visitation will finish 2008 about 5 percent below 2007 figures. The company does not have a timeline in place for when it could make a decision on the property, Rau said. The park and its rides will stay intact in the meantime. Celebration City's closure will eliminate 18 full-time positions, and Herschend will find new roles for most of those employees, Rau said. Another 250 seasonal employees will be given first opportunity to interview for an anticipated 400 open positions in 2009 at nearby Herschend attractions Silver Dollar City, White Water and Showboat Branson Belle. Herschend properties employ more than 2,000 year-round and seasonal workers. -- http://www.bransonedge.com http://www.bransonmissouri.blogspot.com

Missouri State Treasurer Sarah Steelman to visit Branson High School

State Treasurer Sarah Steelman will visit Branson High School at 1:30 Oct. 28, according to a statement from the school. She will speak to students enrolled in a United States government class and members of the history/politics club. The students will have an opportunity for questions following Steelman's comments about political participation, community involvement and the voting process. -- http://www.bransonedge.com http://www.bransonmissouri.blogspot.com

Top 10 Web Tools for Election Season (Lifehack)

from Lifehacker by Kevin Purdy It's hard these days to imagine how elections happened before the web grew to popularity. With all the instant-access news, video, data, and social networking available in a few seconds' time, election season is a prime time to dig in and find out where the candidates are getting and spending money, what's being by and about them and which of it is true, and how to make sure you get your vote in on Nov. 4. Read on for a roundup of ten tools to get politically savvy this this election season and beyond. Photo by ldcross. 10. Compare the candidates. Unless you're working on a campaign, chances are you don't know where each candidate stands on every issue. McCain's take on net neutrality? Barack's stance on school vouchers? SelectSmart's 2008 Presidential Candidate Selector gives you the skinny on the major-topic stances of every candidate, including most of the third-party contenders. Those are the five-minute takes; for a multitude of quotes straight from the candidates' mouths on the issues, try OnTheIssues.org. 9. Go poll-crazy at FiveThirtyEight.com. Nate Silver is a total data geek, but he knows how to apply it to interesting topics. He proved that with Baseball Prospectus, which projects performance by players and teams, and he's striking out to do the same for election results. Silver's FiveThirtyEight grabs all the polls it can find, weighs them based on methodologies and past accuracy, projects data for regions where it can't find polls, then runs thousands of simulated elections to come up with a likely outcome. Silver's site currently has Obama walking away with it; if nothing else, it'll be interesting to see, come Election Day, how database projections fared with real people. 8. Get your video fix at YouTube's You Choose '08. Sure, it's mostly campaign ads, he-said-she-said coverage, and other videos that are, depending on views, reassuring or infuriating. But YouTube's You Choose '08 section is a central source of all attacks, scandals, video evidence of gaffes and quotes, and occasionally, informative video. Bookmark it and feel better about fast-forwarding through the ads when they blanket your television in the coming weeks. 7. Follow the money. Spending's become a much-debated issue, at least in this part of the race to the White House. Using some cool visualization tools, you can get all kinds of specific data on the wheres and whats of government spending. This Google Earth layer adds pinpoints wherever appropriated money is being sent, although it leans heavily toward military and homeland security bills. The graph-happy folks at Many Works have put together a ton of interactive (and usually Java-required) tools, including this earmarks visualization of per-capita earmark spending. Now you're not just mad, you're madly informed. 6. See what the candidates said about your hot-button topic. Google Labs offers two neat search tools that let you get beyond the basic talking points and read or see the candidates speaking on any topic. In Quotes lets you type a term and see how Obama and McCain referenced it in speeches, interviews, and other places. GAudi, the YouTube-searching audio index tool, does basically the same thing, but points you to specific points in a video where they said it. Oddly enough, neither candidate has said anything so far about Google, Gmail, or YouTube, according to those tools. 5. Find out how and where to vote. In all the never-ending debate and fervor of an election season, it can be easy to forget that it's all about, you know, actually showing up and casting your ballot. Google's Voter Info Map, run as a partnership with the League of Women Voters makes short work of finding out if you can still register (today is the last day in New York and others, for example), where you go to vote, where to grab an absentee ballot, and your local board of elections web site. 4. Vote early with a no-excuse absentee ballot. You probably don't know exactly what your schedule will look like on Election Day, or how crowded your polling place will be. In 28 states, you can skip the early-morning/lunch break/after-work jam and vote with an absentee ballot, no excuse required. The Early Voting Information Center runs down the particulars of getting the jump on your right as a citizen. 3. Track developing stories on blogs and news sites. Political veterans (or just jaded political wonks) always see an "October surprise" in an election year. See what stories and trends are gaining ground and staying there with two search tools: Microsoft's Political Streams, part of its Live Labs, follows news stories across blogs, portals, and other aggregators, tracking how often, and for how long, it's getting linked and written about. Google's revamped blog search is more specific to blog-generated articles and the buzz they generate. Both are worth checking when you're looking to see how stories are spun, refuted, and propagated across the web. 2 Track fund raising and donations by candidates (and your neighbors). Want to see what interests, businesses, and individuals the candidates are helping line the candidates war chests? OpenSecrets.org has maps, graphs, and details that can keep you busy for days. But, honestly, it's more fun to see who in your neighborhood is giving to whom. Luckily, you can get just that specific at Fundrace 2008, a Google Map mashup run by the Huffington Post blog network (you'll see their left-leaning post links, but the data is straight-up). You can search donations by street, city, company, or occupation. 1. Get beyond the spin at FactCheck.org. Run by the non-partisan, non-profit Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, FactCheck.org has been a go-to source for years whenever politicians claims that they, or their opponent, did or didn't so something that just seems a tad bit unbelievable. You can track the latest spins and truths by RSS or email alerts, but the site updates pretty quickly with blow-by-blows after debates, major news stories, and other events that cry out for a little objective double-checking. How do you track the election, the topics at issue, and the galaxy of data available out there? Share your great election resources and links in the comments below. -- http://www.bransonedge.com http://www.bransonmissouri.blogspot.com

Branson Airport puts finishing touches on runway

10/3/2008 11:51:00 AM  Branson Airport puts finishing touches on runway E-MAIL PRINT REPRINTS SAVE SHARE       ARTICLE TOOLS SPONSORED BY by SBJ Staff NO COMMENTS Construction of the runway at Branson Airport is concluding this week, the airport announced. All painting on the 7,140-foot-long, 150-foot-wide runway and parallel taxiway is finished, and the last of the runway lights, signage and navigational aids are being installed, according to a news release. The runway will accommodate aircraft ranging from private airplanes to commercial airliners the size of a Boeing 767. The next focus for the $155 million airport is to finish the terminal, which has been under construction for about five months and should be finished next April, the release said. Springfield firm DeWitt & Associates is constructing the $9.8 million, 58,000-square-foot building. Work on the control tower, meanwhile, is set to begin in early November and conclude by April. The airport is located in the 8,000-acre Branson Creek development, just south of Branson, and it is slated to open next May. Officials are planning a celebration with air show performers for May 9-10, according to the release. -- http://www.bransonedge.com http://www.bransonmissouri.blogspot.com

Paul Link Interview with Springfield Business Journal

Five Questions: Paul Link E-MAIL PRINT REPRINTS SAVE SHARE       ARTICLE TOOLS SPONSORED BY by Jeremy Elwood - Reporter NO COMMENTS Paul Link joined the Branson office of Carnahan, Evans, Cantwell & Brown PC on Sept. 24, after earlier in the month leaving the position of Branson's city attorney. Link had been with the city since 2005. Q: Tell me about your professional history. A: I graduated from law school at University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1996. Being a longtime Springfield resident, I wanted to get back here. I came back and went into private practice with several different firms, and I ended up with Lathrop & Gage in Springfield. They do a lot of work for the city of Branson, and when the city was looking for a new attorney, they looked to Lathrop & Gage. Lathrop wanted someone from Springfield to put in for the job, to keep that business relationship open, and I took the job in December 2005. Q: What prompted you to return to private practice? A: It was a mutual decision. There was a change in mayor - Lou Schaefer was defeated by Raeanne Presley - and five of the six aldermen that were there when I was hired are not there anymore. There's a different philosophy within the city as far as growth and development deals, and I think they wanted to go a different direction with staff that they hired. When you're in any job that is political in nature, when people change offices, there is change that goes with that. Q: What was the biggest issue you dealt with as city attorney? A: Growth. In my time with Branson, it was a time of tremendous growth in the city. I was there during the completion of the Branson Landing, the Branson Convention Center, finalized all the work with the Branson Hills project, and I worked on the agreements for the new airport opening in May 2009. It was a fun time to be with the city, and I got to be a part of very large deals. Q: What's the biggest difference between public and private sector law? A: As a municipal attorney, you are the lawyer for that entity - I'm there to answer any legal questions that may come up during the day, and I'm not keeping track of time. I would advise elected and appointed officials on all matters - everything from ordinance language and contracts to offering advice on various taxing districts available for developers. In private practice, I might represent 20 different clients on various matters throughout the day - sending a demand letter, appearing in court, representing a developer on a specific deal. That (variety) appealed to me. Q: Tell me about your family and hobbies. A: My wife, Katy, and I have been married for 16 years. Katy is the underwriting manager for Cox HealthPlans in Springfield. We have four kids - Andrew is 3, Lauren is 5, Elizabeth is 7, and Adam is 10 - and they keep us very busy. I coach Mighty Mites, soccer, basketball, baseball, and then the girls are in gymnastics and cheerleading - it seems like we're gone every night with a kids' function. As for hobbies, I enjoy playing golf, and I enjoy softball. Interview by Jeremy Elwood. -- http://www.bransonedge.com http://www.bransonmissouri.blogspot.com

Missouri Casino Ballet Initiative Proposition A

2008 Initiative Petitions Approved for Circulation in Missouri Amendment to Various Chapters of the Revised Statutes of Missouri Relating to Casinos and Gambling, 2008-035 THE PROPOSED ACT Be it enacted by the people of the state of Missouri as follows: Section A.  Sections 160.534, 163.011, 313.805, 313.817 and 313.822, RSMo, are repealed and eight new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 1,2,3, 160.534, 163.011, 313.805, 313.817, and 313.822, to read as follows: Section 1.  This act shall be known and may be cited as "The Schools First Elementary and Secondary Education Funding Initiative." Section 2.  There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Schools First Elementary and Secondary Education Improvement Fund," which shall consist of taxes on excursion gambling boat proceeds, as provided in section 160.534.2, RSMo, to be used solely for the purpose of increasing funding for elementary and secondary education.  The schools first elementary and secondary education improvement fund shall be state revenues collected from gaming activities for purposes of Article III, Section 39(d) of the Constitution.  Moneys in the schools first elementary and secondary education improvement fund shall be kept separate from the general revenue fund as well as any other funds or accounts in the state treasury.  The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund and may approve disbursements from the fund in accordance with sections 30.170 and 30.180, RSMo.  Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080, RSMo, to the contrary, any moneys remaining in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the general revenue fund.  The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as other funds are invested.  Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be credited to the fund. Section 3.  The Missouri Gaming Commission shall not authorize additional excursion gambling boat licenses after the effective date of this act that exceed the number of licenses which have been approved for excursion gambling boats already built and those under construction.  For purposes of this section, "under construction" means an excursion gambling boat that has a  license application approved by the Commission for priority investigation and is under construction at the approved site prior to the effective date of this act.  If one or more excursion gambling boat licenses issued under chapter 313 is forfeited, surrendered, revoked, not renewed, or expires then the Commission may issue a new license to replace the license that was forfeited, surrendered, revoked, not renewed, or expired. 160.534. 1.  For fiscal year 1996 and each subsequent fiscal year, any amount of the excursion gambling boat proceeds deposited in the gaming proceeds for education fund in excess of the amount transferred to the school district bond fund as provided in section 164.303, RSMo, shall be transferred to the classroom trust fund.  Such moneys shall be distributed in the manner provided in section 163.043, RSMo. 2.  Starting in fiscal year 2009, and for each subsequent fiscal year, all excursion gambling boat proceeds deposited in the gaming proceeds for education fund in excess of the amount transferred to the classroom trust fund for fiscal year 2008 plus the amount appropriated to the school district bond fund in accordance with section 164.303, RSMo, shall be deposited into the schools first elementary and secondary education improvement fund. 3.  The amounts deposited in the schools first elementary and secondary education improvement fund pursuant to this section shall constitute new and additional funding for elementary and secondary education and shall not be used to replace existing funding provided for elementary and secondary education. 163.011.  As used in this chapter unless the context requires otherwise: (1)  "Adjusted operating levy", the sum of tax rates for the current year for teachers' and incidental funds for a school district as reported to the proper officer of each county pursuant to section 164.011, RSMo; (2)  "Average daily attendance", the quotient or the sum of the quotients obtained by dividing the total number of hours attended in a term by resident pupils between the ages of five and twenty-one by the actual number of hours school was in session in that term.  To the average daily attendance of the following school term shall be added the full-time equivalent average daily attendance of summer school students.  "Full-time equivalent average daily attendance of summer school students" shall be computed by dividing the total number of hours, except for physical education hours that do not count as credit toward graduation for students in grades nine, ten, eleven, and twelve, attended by all summer school pupils by the number of hours required in section 160.011, RSMo, in the school term.  For purposes of determining average daily attendance under this subdivision, the term "resident pupil" shall include all children between the ages of five and twenty-one who are residents of the school district and who are attending kindergarten through grade twelve in such district.  If a child is attending school in a district other than the district of residence and the child's parent is teaching in the school district or is a regular employee of the school district which the child is attending, then such child shall be considered a resident pupil of the school district which the child is attending for such period of time when the district of residence is not otherwise liable for tuition.  Average daily attendance for students below the age of five years for which a school district may receive state aid based on such attendance shall be computed as regular school term attendance unless otherwise provided by law; (3)  "Current operating expenditures": (a)  For the fiscal year 2007 calculation, "current operating expenditures" shall be calculated using data from fiscal year 2004 and shall be calculated as all expenditures for instruction and support services except capital outlay and debt service expenditures minus the revenue from federal categorical sources; food service; student activities; categorical payments for transportation costs pursuant to section 163.161; state reimbursements for early childhood special education; the career ladder entitlement for the district, as provided for in sections 168.500 to 168.515, RSMo; the vocational education entitlement for the district, as provided for in section 167.332, RSMo; and payments from other districts; (b)  In every fiscal year subsequent to fiscal year 2007, current operating expenditures shall be the amount in paragraph (a) plus any increases in state funding pursuant to sections 163.031 and 163.043 subsequent to fiscal year 2005, not to exceed five percent, per recalculation, of the state revenue received by a district in the 2004-05 school year from the foundation formula, line 14, gifted, remedial reading, exceptional pupil aid, fair share, and free textbook payments for any district from the first preceding calculation of the state adequacy target; (4)  "District's tax rate ceiling", the highest tax rate ceiling in effect subsequent to the 1980 tax year or any subsequent year. Such tax rate ceiling shall not contain any tax levy for debt service; (5)  "Dollar-value modifier", an index of the relative purchasing power of a dollar, calculated as one plus fifteen percent of the difference of the regional wage ratio minus one, provided that the dollar value modifier shall not be applied at a rate less than 1.0: (a)  "County wage per job", the total county wage and salary disbursements divided by the total county wage and salary employment for each county and the city of St. Louis as reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the United States Department of Commerce for the fourth year preceding the payment year; (b)  "Regional wage per job": a.  The total Missouri wage and salary disbursements of the metropolitan area as defined by the Office of Management and Budget divided by the total Missouri metropolitan wage and salary employment for the metropolitan area for the county signified in the school district number or the city of St. Louis, as reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the United States Department of Commerce for the fourth year preceding the payment year and recalculated upon every decennial census to incorporate counties that are newly added to the description of metropolitan areas; or if no such metropolitan area is established, then: b.  The total Missouri wage and salary disbursements of the micropolitan area as defined by the Office of Management and Budget divided by the total Missouri micropolitan wage and salary employment for the micropolitan area for the county signified in the school district number, as reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the United States Department of Commerce for the fourth year preceding the payment year, if a micropolitan area for such county has been established and recalculated upon every decennial census to incorporate counties that are newly added to the description of micropolitan areas; or c.  If a county is not part of a metropolitan or micropolitan area as established by the Office of Management and Budget, then the county wage per job, as defined in paragraph (a) of this subdivision, shall be used for the school district, as signified by the school district number; (c)  "Regional wage ratio", the ratio of the regional wage per job divided by the state median wage per job; (d)  "State median wage per job", the fifty-eighth highest county wage per job; (6)  "Free and reduced lunch pupil count", the number of pupils eligible for free and reduced lunch on the last Wednesday in January for the preceding school year who were enrolled as students of the district, as approved by the department in accordance with applicable federal regulations; (7)  "Free and reduced lunch threshold" shall be calculated by dividing the total free and reduced lunch pupil count of every performance district that falls entirely above the bottom five percent and entirely below the top five percent of average daily attendance, when such districts are rank-ordered based on their current operating expenditures per average daily attendance, by the total average daily attendance of all included performance districts; (8)  "Limited English proficiency pupil count", the number in the preceding school year of pupils aged three through twenty-one enrolled or preparing to enroll in an elementary school or secondary school who were not born in the United States or whose native language is a language other than English or are Native American or Alaskan native, or a native resident of the outlying areas, and come from an environment where a language other than English has had a significant impact on such individuals' level of English language proficiency, or are migratory, whose native language is a language other than English, and who come from an environment where a language other than English is dominant; and have difficulties in speaking, reading, writing, or understanding the English language sufficient to deny such individuals the ability to meet the state's proficient level of achievement on state assessments described in Public Law 107-10, the ability to achieve successfully in classrooms where the language of instruction is English, or the opportunity to participate fully in society; (9)  "Limited English proficiency threshold" shall be calculated by dividing the total limited English proficiency pupil count of every performance district that falls entirely above the bottom five percent and entirely below the top five percent of average daily attendance, when such districts are rank-ordered based on their current operating expenditures per average daily attendance, by the total average daily attendance of all included performance districts; (10)  "Local effort": (a)  For the fiscal year 2007 calculation, "local effort" shall be computed as the equalized assessed valuation of the property of a school district in calendar year 2004 divided by one hundred and multiplied by the performance levy less the percentage retained by the county assessor and collector plus one hundred percent of the amount received in fiscal year 2005 for school purposes from intangible taxes, fines, escheats, payments in lieu of taxes and receipts from state-assessed railroad and utility tax, one hundred percent of the amount received for school purposes pursuant to the merchants' and manufacturers' taxes under sections 150.010 to 150.370, RSMo, one hundred percent of the amounts received for school purposes from federal properties under sections 12.070 and 12.080, RSMo, except when such amounts are used in the calculation of federal impact aid pursuant to P.L. 81-874, fifty percent of Proposition C revenues received for school purposes from the school district trust fund under section 163.087, and one hundred percent of any local earnings or income taxes received by the district for school purposes.  Under this paragraph, for a special district established under sections 162.815 to 162.940, RSMo, in a county with a charter form of government and with more than one million inhabitants, a tax levy of zero shall be utilized in lieu of the performance levy for the special school district; (b)  In every year subsequent to fiscal year 2007, "local effort" shall be the amount calculated under paragraph (a) of this subdivision plus any increase in the amount received for school purposes from fines.  If a district's assessed valuation has decreased subsequent to the calculation outlined in paragraph (a) of this subdivision, the district's local effort shall be calculated using the district's current assessed valuation in lieu of the assessed valuation utilized in calculation outlined in paragraph (a) of this subdivision; (11)  "Membership" shall be the average of: (a)  The number of resident full-time students and the full-time equivalent number of part-time students who were enrolled in the public schools of the district on the last Wednesday in September of the previous year and who were in attendance one day or more during the preceding ten school days; and (b)  The number of resident full-time students and the full-time equivalent number of part-time students who were enrolled in the public schools of the district on the last Wednesday in January of the previous year and who were in attendance one day or more during the preceding ten school days, plus the full-time equivalent number of summer school pupils.  "Full-time equivalent number of part-time students" is determined by dividing the total number of hours for which all part-time students are enrolled by the number of hours in the school term.  "Full-time equivalent number of summer school pupils" is determined by dividing the total number of hours for which all summer school pupils were enrolled by the number of hours required pursuant to section 160.011, RSMo, in the school term.  Only students eligible to be counted for average daily attendance shall be counted for membership; (12)  "Operating levy for school purposes", the sum of tax rates levied for teachers' and incidental funds plus the operating levy or sales tax equivalent pursuant to section 162.1100, RSMo, of any transitional school district containing the school district, in the payment year, not including any equalized operating levy for school purposes levied by a special school district in which the district is located; (13)  "Performance district", any district that has met all performance standards and indicators as established by the department of elementary and secondary education for purposes of accreditation under section 161.092, RSMo, and as reported on the final annual performance report for that district each year; (14)  "Performance levy", three dollars and forty-three cents; (15)  "School purposes" pertains to teachers' and incidental funds; (16)  "Special education pupil count", the number of public school students with a current individualized education program and receiving services from the resident district as of December first of the preceding school year, except for special education services provided through a school district established under sections 162.815 to 162.940, RSMo, in a county with a charter form of government and with more than one million inhabitants, in which case the sum of the students in each district within the county exceeding the special education threshold of each respective district within the county shall be counted within the special district and not in the district of residence for purposes of distributing the state aid derived from the special education pupil count; (17)  "Special education threshold" shall be calculated by dividing the total special education pupil count of every performance district that falls entirely above the bottom five percent and entirely below the top five percent of average daily attendance, when such districts are rank-ordered based on their current operating expenditures per average daily attendance, by the total average daily attendance of all included performance districts; (18)  "State adequacy target", the sum of the current operating expenditures of every performance district that falls entirely above the bottom five percent and entirely below the top five percent of average daily attendance, when such districts are rank-ordered based on their current operating expenditures per average daily attendance, divided by the total average daily attendance of all included performance districts plus the total amount of funds placed in the schools first elementary and secondary education improvement fund in the preceding fiscal year divided by the total average daily attendance of all school districts for the preceding fiscal year.  The department of elementary and secondary education shall first calculate the state adequacy target for fiscal year 2007 and recalculate the state adequacy target every two years using the most current available data; provided that the state adequacy target shall be recalculated every year to reflect the per pupil amount of funds placed in the schools first elementary and secondary education improvement fund in the preceding fiscal year.  The recalculation shall never result in a decrease from the previous state adequacy target amount.  Should a recalculation result in an increase in the state adequacy target amount, fifty percent of that increase shall be included in the state adequacy target amount in the year of recalculation, and fifty percent of that increase shall be included in the state adequacy target amount in the subsequent year.  The state adequacy target may be adjusted to accommodate available appropriations; (19)  "Teacher", any teacher, teacher-secretary, substitute teacher, supervisor, principal, supervising principal, superintendent or assistant superintendent, school nurse, social worker, counselor or librarian who shall, regularly, teach or be employed for no higher than grade twelve more than one-half time in the public schools and who is certified under the laws governing the certification of teachers in Missouri; (20)  "Weighted average daily attendance", the average daily attendance plus the product of twenty-five hundredths multiplied by the free and reduced lunch pupil count that exceeds the free and reduced lunch threshold, plus the product of seventy-five hundredths multiplied by the number of special education pupil count that exceeds the special education threshold, and plus the product of six-tenths multiplied by the number of limited English proficiency pupil count that exceeds the limited English proficiency threshold.  For special districts established under sections 162.815 to 162.940, RSMo, in a county with a charter form of government and with more than one million inhabitants, weighted average daily attendance shall be the average daily attendance plus the product of twenty-five hundredths multiplied by the free and reduced lunch pupil count that exceeds the free and reduced lunch threshold, plus the product of seventy-five hundredths multiplied by the sum of the special education pupil count that exceeds the threshold for each county district, plus the product of six-tenths multiplied by the limited English proficiency pupil count that exceeds the limited English proficiency threshold.  None of the districts comprising a special district established under sections 162.815 to 162.940, RSMo, in a county with a charter form of government and with more than one million inhabitants, shall use any special education pupil count in calculating their weighted average daily attendance. 313.805.  The commission shall have full jurisdiction over and shall supervise all gambling operations governed by sections 313.800 to 313.850.  The commission shall have the following powers and shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement sections 313.800 to 313.850: