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March 26, 2019Jefferson City, MO |  By: Molly Gardner

State Rep. Andrews discusses bill on consolidating counties

The Missouri Legislature reconvened yesterday after a week off for Spring Break. There was a House Joint Resolution that was filed before the break that would consolidate 31 of Missouri's counties into 14 and would also consolidate all counties under 10,000 people into one county. First District State Representative Allen Andrews, a Republican from Grant City, says this was proposed after a bill that would merge St. Louis City and St. Louis County.

"A bill that was filed by a St. Louis legislator, really out of response to another bill, that has been filed to do a ballot initiative to consolidate St. Louis City and St. Louis County.  The legislator filed a bill saying if northwest Missourians are going to vote to make a determination if there should be a merger between St. Louis City and St. Louis County...then I'm going to turn around and file a bill that says we're going to take it to the people to vote consolidating counties."

If the bill was to pass, it would consolidate Nodaway with Gentry and Worth. Andrews says consolidation of counties should be voted on in the counties themselves and not as a state wide vote.

"I think it was more that the legislator wanted to make a statement.  And to be honest, I agree with the fact that I don't believe that those of us in northwest Missouri I don't think that we should be voting whether or not St. Louis City and St. Louis County consolidates.  Because I don't think anyone around the state should be able to vote if we're going to consolidate counties."

The consildation bill has not yet been heard on the house floor.