Senate kills industrial development money bill

The State Senate has killed a bill that was intended to more quickly get money to counties and communities facing the impacts of industrial development.  Opponents said that the mechanism for funding the communities took away the Joint Appropriations Committee’s ability to oversee such money.   But Senator John Schiffer argued that the current system delays funding to local government entities who need it. “This bill addresses the problem for the little towns, little communities, poorer counties, that gonna get impacted when somebody comes in and builds ... a you name it," Schiffer said.  "We’re gonna make sure that the money is there in a timely fashion, that it’s an appropriate amount of money and yet it’s not a run on the treasury.” The bill would have allowed for a mechanism to get funds to local governments without waiting for legislative approval.  The bill died on a 15-15 tie vote.