Denison: Student Protection Bill Becomes Law, District Directory

“Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Student Protection Bill to Become Law

In a previous report I mentioned the governor’s flurry of bill signing activity leading up to the July 14 deadline. Included in that list of signed bills is a piece of legislation [SB54] that creates the Amy Hestir Student Protection Act to protect students from being sexually abused by school employees. The legislation addresses an issue in current employment law that causes school districts to hesitate to share information regarding former employees for fear of a lawsuit. The lack of information sharing has allowed some teachers with a history of sexual abuse to transfer to other schools where administrators, parents, and students may not be aware of their background.

The Amy Hestir Student Protection Act will allow school districts in Missouri to discuss information about their employees with other school districts. It also makes school districts liable for damages if they dismiss an employee or allow an employee to resign for reasons of sexual misconduct, and then fail to disclose those reasons in a reference request from another school district. The bill also prohibits a teacher from online communications with a current or former student in ways that aren’t accessible to district administrators and the parents of the student. In addition, the bill creates a task force charged with making recommendations to the governor, General Assembly, and State Board of Education on ways to reduce child sexual abuse.

District Directory

The 2011-2012 District Directory for the 135^th District will be arriving in your mailbox very soon. The directory contains an up-to-date listing of government agencies, officials, addresses and telephone numbers. Also included, you will find contact information for the City of Springfield, Greene County officials, Springfield R-XII Board of Education, and schools in the district. You will also find a pull-out section in the center of the directory of successful bills and resolutions that were Truly Agreed to and Finally Passed during the 2011 legislative session.

In the District

I met with the new Southwest District Engineer, Becky Baltz, P.E., this past week, and progress is coming along on Route 65, and should be open within two to three weeks, around the end of August.

Footing for the sound barriers along Route 65 in Springfield is being installed, and this will be a process that will last several months. You will see equipment entering and leaving the work area. The new sound walls are a result of the widening of Route 65 to six lanes between Route 60 and I-44 in Springfield.

Interim Office Hours

Interim office hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Normal schedule will resume December 1, 2011. If you need to call me at home, my number is 417-887-3353.

I look forward to hearing from you. If you ever have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office. Best wishes.

Kelley: Sales Tax Holiday Press Release

This is the time to purchase those school supplies and related items.

Section 144.049, RSMo, establishes a sales tax holiday effective during a three-day period beginning at 12:01 a.m. on the first Friday in August and ending at midnight on the Sunday following. Certain back-to-school purchases, such as clothing, school supplies, computers, and other items as defined by the statute, are exempt from sales tax for this time period only.

The sales tax holiday applies to state and local sales taxes when a local jurisdiction chooses to participate in the holiday. However, local jurisdictions can choose to not participate in the holiday if they enact an ordinance to not participate and notify the department 45 days prior to the sales tax holiday.

If one or all of your local taxing jurisdictions are not participating in the sales tax holiday, the state's portion of the tax rate (4.225%) will remain exempt for the sale of qualifying sales tax holiday items.

The sales tax exemption is limited to:

• Clothing – any article having a taxable value of $100 or less
• School supplies – not to exceed $50 per purchase
• Computer software – taxable value of $350 or less
• Personal computers – not to exceed $3,500
• Computer peripheral devices – not to exceed $3,500

Qualifying Items

Section 144.049, RSMo, defines items exempt during the sales tax holiday as:

“Clothing” - any article of wearing apparel, including footwear, intended to be worn on or about the human body. The term shall include but not be limited to cloth and other material used to make school uniforms or other school clothing. Items normally sold in pairs shall not be separated to qualify for the exemption. The term shall not include watches, watchbands, jewelry, handbags, handkerchiefs, umbrellas, scarves, ties, headbands, or belt buckles.

“School supplies” - any item normally used by students in a standard classroom for educational purposes, including but not limited to, textbooks, notebooks, paper, writing instruments, crayons, art supplies, rulers, book bags, backpacks, handheld calculators, chalk, maps, and globes. The term shall not include watches, radios, CD players, headphones, sporting equipment, portable or desktop telephones, copiers or other office equipment, furniture, or fixtures. School supplies shall also include computer software having a taxable value of three hundred fifty dollars or less.

“Personal computers” - a laptop, desktop, or tower computer system which consists of a central processing unit, random access memory, a storage drive, a display monitor, and a keyboard and devices designed for use in conjunction with a personal computer, such as a disk drive, memory module, compact disk drive, daughterboard, digitalizer, microphone, modem, motherboard, mouse, multimedia speaker, printer, scanner, single-user hardware, single-user operating system, soundcard, or video card.

To see if your municipality is participating in the program, visit this website.
http://dor.mo.gov/business/sales/taxholiday/school/

Nance: Sales Tax Holiday

This is the time to purchase those school supplies and related items.

Section 144.049, RSMo, establishes a sales tax holiday effective during a three-day period beginning at 12:01 a.m. on the first Friday in August and ending at midnight on the Sunday following. Certain back-to-school purchases, such as clothing, school supplies, computers, and other items as defined by the statute, are exempt from sales tax for this time period only.

The sales tax holiday applies to state and local sales taxes when a local jurisdiction chooses to participate in the holiday. However, local jurisdictions can choose to not participate in the holiday if they enact an ordinance to not participate and notify the department 45 days prior to the sales tax holiday.

If one or all of your local taxing jurisdictions are not participating in the sales tax holiday, the state's portion of the tax rate (4.225%) will remain exempt for the sale of qualifying sales tax holiday items.

The sales tax exemption is limited to:

• Clothing – any article having a taxable value of $100 or less
• School supplies – not to exceed $50 per purchase
• Computer software – taxable value of $350 or less
• Personal computers – not to exceed $3,500
• Computer peripheral devices – not to exceed $3,500

Qualifying Items

Section 144.049, RSMo, defines items exempt during the sales tax holiday as:

“Clothing” - any article of wearing apparel, including footwear, intended to be worn on or about the human body. The term shall include but not be limited to cloth and other material used to make school uniforms or other school clothing. Items normally sold in pairs shall not be separated to qualify for the exemption. The term shall not include watches, watchbands, jewelry, handbags, handkerchiefs, umbrellas, scarves, ties, headbands, or belt buckles.

“School supplies” - any item normally used by students in a standard classroom for educational purposes, including but not limited to, textbooks, notebooks, paper, writing instruments, crayons, art supplies, rulers, book bags, backpacks, handheld calculators, chalk, maps, and globes. The term shall not include watches, radios, CD players, headphones, sporting equipment, portable or desktop telephones, copiers or other office equipment, furniture, or fixtures. School supplies shall also include computer software having a taxable value of three hundred fifty dollars or less.

“Personal computers” - a laptop, desktop, or tower computer system which consists of a central processing unit, random access memory, a storage drive, a display monitor, and a keyboard and devices designed for use in conjunction with a personal computer, such as a disk drive, memory module, compact disk drive, daughterboard, digitalizer, microphone, modem, motherboard, mouse, multimedia speaker, printer, scanner, single-user hardware, single-user operating system, soundcard, or video card.

To see if your municipality is participating in the program, visit this website.
http://dor.mo.gov/business/sales/taxholiday/school/

In the District

Our Excelsior Springs Optimist Club recently helped at Camp Quality by preparing and serving a spaghetti dinner.

I met with a senior on Tuesday concerning property taxes. Many seniors are having problems with higher property taxes and want to stay in their home but it is more difficult to do.

I have also been working with the Realtors and Home Inspectors about licensing Home Inspectors through the State.

On Thursday I attended the Ray County Coalition meeting.

Sater: MoDOT Waives Fee for Moving Oversized Hay Loads

JEFFERSON CITY - Severe weather throughout Missouri and surrounding states has prompted a special hauling permit to help farmers move hay as needed for livestock. The permit will allow for the movement of larger loads through Dec. 31 of this year.

At the Department of Agriculture’s request, the Missouri Department of Transportation is waiving the fee for blanket oversize permits to haul wide loads of hay. The fee is waived through Dec. 31 on loads up to 12 feet, four inches wide, that are of legal height, length and weight.

In addition to the savings of up to $64, the waiver will allow hay movements to take place over holidays and at night, a practice not normally allowed. At night, or when visibility is less than 500 feet, drivers must use a reflective, oversized load sign and clearance lights instead of flags at the edges of their loads.

“We appreciate MoDOT’s continued cooperation and support of Missouri’s agriculture industry throughout these severe conditions,” said Director of Agriculture Dr. Jon Hagler. “Many farmers are facing challenges as a result of the severe weather Missouri and other states have experienced during the past few months. Waiving the permit fee for producers and haulers moving hay will certainly help farmers and hopefully help keep them doing what they do best for our state.”

Because many highways are under repair and might have narrow lanes, drivers are expected to review their route for work zone restrictions before beginning their trip. They must adhere to all other permit requirements, such as proper signing and lighting, and they must stop at weigh stations.

Farmers should call MoDOT’s Motor Carrier Services office at 1-800-877-8499 to report the year, make and license plate number of their power unit and provide their business name and address. Motor Carrier Services will then issue the permits by fax or email.

Those interested in purchasing or selling hay can access the Department of Agriculture’s Missouri Hay Directory at http://mda.mo.gov/abd/haydirectory/.

Lichtenegger: Knowing Your Missouri State Departments: The Office of Attorney General

Technically the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) is not a state department. It is an office within the Missouri’s Executive Branch which also includes the offices of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Auditor, and the State Treasurer. In fact I’ll take this opportunity to introduce you to the overall structure of our State Government by using this flow chart:


As with all branches and departments, the AGO has a mission statement: “To protect and advance the interests of the state and its citizens through the judicial and legislative process and to serve as the People’s lawyer, fighting for openness and justice, especially for those who have not voice . . . [it] directs all litigation to which the state, any agency or official is a party and represents the state’s legal position at every level of trial and appellate courts.”

The Mission Statement above is for the entire AGO; however, each of the eight divisions within the AGO has its own missions statement. The division that will be most useful to my constituents is that of Consumer Protection. The picture below is a link to the AGO webpage. Once you connect to that webpage you can link to any of these divisions of interest. (NOTE: The Civil, Disability and Workers’ Rights Division has been absorbed into other divisions to save Missourians money.) I encourage you to visit each AGO division to discover which will be most useful to you as a consumer, business owner, municipal officer or all of the above!


Before I discuss the valuable asset of this state office, I would like to tell you what the AGO does not do.

They do not render legal advice or opinions to private citizens nor any non-state entity particularly and especially with respect to any criminal or civil suit in litigation. (They do render “official opinions to the executive and legislative branch and the county prosecuting attorneys on ques­tions of law relating to their duties.”)

and

They do not have supervision or authority over judges, lawyers, prosecuting attorneys or local elected officials, including law enforcement. However, “the attorney general may institute quo warranto proceedings [A legal proceeding during which an individual's right to hold an office or governmental privilege is challenged.] against anyone unlawfully holding office or move to oust any public official for malfeasance [misconduct] in office.” Complaints about judges are handled by the Commission on Retirement, Removal and Discipline of Judges, and the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel handles attorney complaints.

The most valuable resources from the AGO are its consumer publications and webpage. Link below to view the various publications; everything from their Consumer Fraud Guide, Crime Victims’ Rights to a booklet called Life Choices that walks you through important decisions about your personal care should you become impaired -it even includes forms to fill out to make your wishes known to family, friends and / or legal agent.


When you click on the left-most hyperlink-picture above you’ll need to scroll down the page to the left-lower portion. You’ll notice small < > on each side. Those maneuver buttons will describe an area of consumer information. The example above is the Consumer Complaint section which describes the Know Your Rights publication; gives you a link to file a complaint online; or the 1-800 # to contact the Consumer Protection Division.

The right-most hyperlink-picture above is for the actual Consumer Publications page where you can order a variety of AGO publications; find worksheets for buying a used car or housing rental; and under Where to Find Help you’ll find a long list of State, Federal and independent consumer hotline numbers for everything from elder abuse to wage disputes.

When you know your consumer rights, who to call to get assistance with problems, and anwers to your consumer questions, you are being a resposible and informed consumer . . . and that has personal financial benefit.

Of a Worthy Note

Missouri Teen Wins Second Place in National Song Contest Against Distracted Driving

HANNIBAL – Kori Caswell, 17, a student at Hannibal High School, won second place in the 2011 Ford Driving Skills for Life "Belt It Out" song contest focusing on distracted driving. Caswell’s song “On the Road, You Can Make Or Break Your Dreams,” shared an important safe driving message: keep both hands on the wheel, face straight forward, and turn your cell phone off. Caswell received a $3,000 savings bond.

The contest involved 520,000 public votes and final judging by Shawn Wilson, president of Usher's New Look Foundation. The public selected the five finalists on www.drivingskillsforlife.com from among videos by teen musicians performing original songs. Wilson chose the first, second and third-place winners.

Caswell was honored by the Missouri Department of Transportation and the Northeast Regional Blueprint Committee at Hannibal’s Music Under the Stars event. She was presented with a simulated album cover that included a picture of her with her guitar and the song listed on the cover.

Dugger: Job Creation Agenda Benefits Farmers

"Freedom has never been so fragile, so close to slipping from our grasp as it is at this moment. ... You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we'll sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness" –Ronald Reagan

Without a doubt, we as Americans are facing difficult times. A long recession has hindered economic growth and job creation. Unemployment rates continue to soar, and many families are struggling to meet their day-to-day needs. All the while, reckless spending and a failed stimulus bill from Washington continue to cloud the economic well-being of our nation.

Meanwhile, the General Assembly in Missouri has diligently worked to create a job friendly environment in our great state.

In his inaugural speech earlier this year to the Missouri House of Representatives, Speaker Steven Tilley outlined the legislative goals of the Missouri House, “our top priority must be job creation. But first let me be clear. Government does not create jobs. Entrepreneurs, small business owners, and large employers do. Government’s role is not to run the economy, but to facilitate a business climate where the entrepreneurial spirit can thrive”

Answering this call, Missouri legislators passed several key pieces of legislation this year that will hopefully foster new jobs across the state, and help to lift the burden of economic woes so many Missourians are facing. HB 458 established the Missouri Farmland Trust to provide young famers with the means to acquire land through a low-cost lease and to allow land to continue to be farmed in the future. HB 109 extends a highly successful, low-interest loan program for farmers and small businesses. Yet, when the gavel fell on the final day of session, much work still remained.

Rather than prolong the suffering of many Missourians, legislative leaders in both the House and Senate felt it pertinent to complete the unfinished business. A little over a week ago, legislators traveled the state announcing a groundbreaking job creation plan. In order to make this plan a reality the legislature will convene in a special session sometime in September.

We must get Missouri back on track. Too many Missourians have struggled for far too long. Hopefully, with a special session focused on economic development we can finish the important task of putting Missourians back to work. Missouri truly has a “rendezvous with destiny.” By fostering legislation that will have a long lasting impact on the health of Missouri’s economy we can ensure that economic prosperity will once again be a reality and we can secure that prosperity for future generations of Missourians.

God Bless.

Mayer & Dempsey: Missouri Senate Leaders Call Upon Congress to Send States a Balanced Budget Amendment

JEFFERSON CITY – A recent agreement reached by congressional leaders and the president in Washington, D.C., has Missouri Senate Leader Robert N. Mayer, R-Dexter, and Senate Majority Floor Leader Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, calling on Congress to pass a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution by the end of this year.

The compromise made this past weekend in Washington addresses the nation’s debt limit and includes a provision that would bring the issue of a balanced budget amendment up for a vote by federal lawmakers. If approved by Congress, it would be sent to the states for ratification. An amendment to the U.S. Constitution requires the approval of three-fourths of the state legislatures (38 of 50).

Sen. Mayer says despite this agreement and the promise of substantial cuts in spending, the federal budget remains out of balance to the tune of trillions of dollars.

“It’s high time to bring our runaway debt under control. Today, we call on Congress to move quickly and send the states a well-drafted balanced budget amendment,” said Mayer. “We would like to make Missouri one of the very first states to ratify this important proposal.”

Unlike many states, including Missouri — which cannot spend more than it takes in — the federal government is not bound by any balanced budget provision. This important safeguard, says Dempsey, forces the governor and lawmakers in Missouri to live within their means. Dempsey says the solution to the problem of wasteful spending is to bring a healthy dose of common sense from the Show-Me State to Washington, D.C.

“I am convinced that voluntary budget cuts will not work over the long-term. Real reform will only happen when the federal government is forced by a balanced budget amendment to control excess spending,” said Dempsey. “Recently, I have written to the sponsors of the Balanced Budget Amendment in the U.S. Senate to let them know I will work to secure its ratification here in Missouri. When the Missouri Senate reconvenes in January, I will also ask my colleagues to approve an official resolution calling on Congress to send us a balanced budget amendment so that we can quickly ratify and put it into effect.”

“The current levels of federal spending and borrowing cannot be sustained,” said Mayer. “Rather than sit idly by as our children and grandchildren are saddled with mounting levels of debt, we must take action to give Washington a backbone when it comes to a balanced budget.”

Tim Jones: Expansion of Broadband Wireless Capacity in Chesterfield

Jones praised by Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce for His Efforts to Create Consumer-Focused Environment

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri House Majority Floor Leader Tim Jones, R-Eureka, announced today that AT&T customers in the Chesterfield area will soon benefit from improved mobile broadband coverage. Jones said the telecommunications company is enhancing its network to increase mobile broadband capacity at local cell sites.

In a news release from AT&T regarding the announcement, Jones was singled out by Joan Schmelig, President of the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce, for his work in creating an environment that encourages companies to expand and grow in the area. “Missouri has set the standard for investment based on a consumer-focused environment thanks to the leadership of legislators such as Majority Floor Leader Tim Jones,” said Schmelig. “These upgrades will help our businesses continue to provide Chesterfield with the quality services that they expect and deserve.”

“We’ve been successful in our efforts to keep Missouri a low-tax state that is attractive for business expansion and job growth,” said Jones. “It is such a positive for our community to have excellent telecommunication companies that are willing to invest in improving the services they provide. This is a big win for all businesses and consumers in our area who use smartphones and mobile devices.”

In its release, AT&T said its network enhancement will add new layers of frequency to more efficiently manage available spectrum and increase mobile broadband capacity at local cell sites. The changes will improve both broadband coverage and voice performance.

Sater: Barry County Public Water Supply District No. 2 receives $564,000 for drinking water system improvements

JEFFERSON CITY, MO., AUG. 1, 2011 -- The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has awarded Barry County Public Water Supply District No. 2 $564,000 in grants and loans to replace the district’s distribution system and storage tank.

The department awarded the district a $282,000 grant and a $282,000 low-interest loan for the replacement project, which expected to be complete in November.

Funding for the grant and loan comes from Missouri’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. The fund provides significant funding to assist communities with infrastructure needs for water quality, wastewater and drinking water. A portion of the funding will be targeted toward green infrastructure, water and energy efficiency, and environmentally innovative projects. This funding will help the district protect residents and the environment by making necessary drinking water improvements.

The Department of Natural Resources’ Water Protection Program will administer the grant and loan funds. The department is committed to working closely with communities to assist with funding efforts that support water and wastewater infrastructure improvement projects as well as provide a financial savings.

For more information contact the department’s Water Protection Program, Financial Assistance Center, P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0176 or call 800-361-4827 or 573-751-1192 or visit the department’s website at dnr.mo.gov/env/wpp/srf.

Sater: Economic Stimulus For The State

Since I last spoke with you, the Missouri House and Senate have been in negotiations on an agreement for an economic stimulus bill for our state. With unemployment around the 9% level, we at the state level want to do all that we can to stimulate employment. There is only so much we can do since federal policies have a more overriding effect on our economy. Both chambers have agreed on a bill that would encourage business while not costing anything in state revenues, or at least not much. We have some tax credits that have expired, and a few amount to over 300 million dollars. We can use these savings more effectively by stimulating jobs with economic incentives for businesses throughout the state of Missouri. As of the first of August, it seems our Governor is in agreement to the proposed legislation. We probably will not go into Special Session until September when we are called for the mandated Veto Session. This way we can do two things at once and a Special Session will not cost the state extra monies to get everyone up to Jefferson City, since we will be there anyway.

I have been reading, as you all have, of the debt crisis in Washington. We in Missouri, as many other states, have a balanced budget. Irrespective of what political party is in power, we cannot spend more than we take in revenues. So no matter what political party is in charge, they cannot spend more than we have. I am all for this and would be for this at the federal level as well. Our federal debt is now around 60% of gross domestic product of the United States and we are spending more than 1.5 trillion dollars more than we are taking in. To finance this, we are selling securities to countries like China. This could and might all blow up in our face. Politicians of all persuasions cannot seem to grasp the idea of spending within ones means, unless there is a national emergency. So again, it does not seem to matter which side of the political fence you are on, we need to learn to live within our country’s means.

Later this week I am meeting with Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services in Washington. She will be in the Ozarks this week, and I have been invited to attend a private meeting with her. I was invited because of my pharmacy and political background. I want to get her ideas on how the Affordable Health Care Bill is going to affect services that we have in place in our state. I will represent especially the rural areas of our state. We have one physician for every 1750 people in our area, while the metropolitan areas have one physician for every 900 residents. In 2014, when the health care mandate goes in to effect, how can we take care of the hundreds of thousands of new insures in our present system. It will overload emergency rooms and physician offices. There is just no existing structure to take care of all these new patients. We should have been expanding our medical schools of all disciplines before this ever took place. Anyway, it should be interesting.

The end of May and June, I was busy getting around to functions through out the district and some out of the district. My daughter Samantha, graduated from KU the end of May, and I drove her out to the state of Washington where she will live and work. I hated to see her leave, but glad she graduated and even more glad that she has found employment. It is great to see your kids grow up and become responsible adults, but you never give up being a father.

Thanks for letting me serve as your state representative. My Capitol office is only open on Mondays & Thursdays now (interim hours), so leave a message if no one is there. You can also call me at my home in Cassville (417/847-4661).

Lant: Legislative Staff Tours District

I don't know about you, but I'm beginning to wish I hadn't complained quite so much about the snow and cold last winter. It's true that we're never happy with the weather. From the looks of the forecast, we've got a few more days of hot weather coming. Remind me of this in February, will you?

I left out something last week that I need to tell you about. My Legislative Assistant, Mrs. Beverly McCasland and her husband John, came down from Jefferson City to spend the day. Bev wanted to see the District and get a feel for where everything was. She had been to Joplin to help with cleanup efforts, but John had only seen pictures. We started out at Hornet, then Loma Linda, then Silver Creek, then a tour of the tornado damage. We then went East of Joplin to Diamond. We stopped for lunch in Granby then went down through Newtonia, Stark City and Fairview on our way to Pineville. After a short tour of the courthouse, we went down to Noel, then up through Lanagan and Anderson on our way over to Rocky Comfort and Longview. By this time they were hopelessly lost, tired and hungry. Imagine their surprise when I turned off at Stella and took them to Big R's for dinner. Now when one of you call her for information or assistance, she'll know exactly where you are calling from! Seriously, any time you have questions or need help with legislative matters, Bev is the absolute best! She has worked in the Capitol for nearly 20 years and what she doesn't know, she can find out in short order.

Thursday through Saturday was our annual Summer Caucus Meeting. Normally these meetings are devoted to planning the legislative agenda for next years' Session. This time was a little different. We not only planned for next year, but we were planning for a Special Session to address economic development bills that failed to get passed and look at some possible legislation that would free up some funds for assisting Joplin and the flooded areas along the rivers. Normally, the Governor calls Special Sessions to address issues that he feels are necessary, but he seems to be moving rather slowly this time. There is some speculation that there are political motivations (Heaven forbid even the thought) to stall the Special Session until the polling data indicate the timing is right. House leadership asked each of us to sign petitions to call ourselves into session You see there is a venue by which we can call ourselves to address emergency issues. I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but if this isn't an emergency, I don't know what is! I'll keep you posted on this little exercise.

I've had a couple of dozen calls regarding the Government's imminent shutdown. I'm writing this on Sunday evening, but I'll bet they don't shut down anything. I'm ashamed of elected members of both parties for scaring people to death about a government default. For crying out load, my 12 year old granddaughter can see what they are doing. There are plenty of revenues coming in to pay our debt, the military, social security, and Medicare. There might not be enough to lease their private jets to fly them back and forth to wherever, but it might do some of them good to drive themselves once in a while. It might even impress on them the cost of gas! No one I know is able to borrow 40 cents of every dollar they spend and continue to be in business. It's high time they learned that you need to live within your means. Next week we are attending a conference where I hope to learn a lot about Economic Development opportunities. There will be Representatives and Senators there from all 50 states. My purpose is to gain as much information as possible from states that are enjoying a faster recovery from this recession. Anything that I can do to improve our economic condition is well worth the time and effort expended. By the end of our first year in office, each Representative is encouraged to start developing expertise in some area. I have decided that for me, workforce and economic development is where it's at. As term limits remove Representatives who have specialized in certain areas, there need to be those who are working to educate themselves in the important matters that will set the direction of our State for the future. My goal is to be up to the task.

I'll give you a full report next week. Until then, I am and remain, in your service.