Closing days: Legislators wrapping it up

Missouri legislators are winding down their 2008 session, one marked by only modest achievements. Some have been noteworthy.

Thumbs up for action to encourage organ donations. Giving can be done by filling out the back side of your drivers license.

Thumbs up for efforts to get the Department of Revenue to back off from its ill-considered plan to raise the price of drivers license information to prohibitive levels. This is public information, and some companies depend upon access to it. The company that owns CarFax, for example, is looking at an increase of $42 million.

The Department of Revenue says it needs the money for a new computer system for which is has signed a $50 million contract. That’s backwards and all too common in bureaucratic thinking: How much do we need, and let’s adjust taxes and fees accordingly. The equation ought to work the other way around: Set reasonable fees, estimate the revenue and set spending within that limit. The taxpayers shouldn’t have to hand over blank checks.