Holsman: Robo-Calls From Energy Group, Dept. of Agriculture Receives Grant

Dear Friends

Thank you for reading this capitol review. This Jan 2011 newsletter marks the begining of our fourth year of publication.

The Missouri General Assembly moves fast. It is impossible to even scratch the surface in a monthly newletter. But, myself and staff will do our best to balance the big debates with my individual efforts on behalf of the 45th district.

There are many reps who do weekly publications and I encourage all of my readers to subscribe to theirs as well. It's free information that keeps our citizens connected to their state governement.

If your not a fan of recieveing more email then try the web sites which aggregate Missouri political news for you. Below you will find links on how to stay informed.

As always, all comments, questions, and suggestions are welcome. Thanks for the opportunity to serve you.

Jason Holsman

Robo-calls from Energy Group

It has become common in recent years for groups seeking to influence public opinion about a particular issue to make automated "robocalls" to people's homes that urge them to support or oppose that issue. Sometimes these robocalls give the recipient the option of pressing a button on their phone to automatically be connected to their state lawmaker's office so that they may share their opinions on the subject with their elected representatives.

I recently have been contacted by some constituents who received such robocalls and were upset because they were left with the impression that the calls originated from my office. That is absolutely not the case. Those calls were placed and paid for by special interest groups who are unaffiliated with my office, and I in no way support or condone the calls.

Introduction of Staff

Please welcome my new staff this session;

Legislative Assistant: Ryan Burke graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in Political Science. He is a member of Alpha Nu chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha. Ryan will be in charge of the capitol office handling constituent issues and policy management. He is a St. Louis native but is quickly getting to know South Kansas City and Grandview.

Legislative Intern: Shannon Dawson is a senior at the University of Central Missouri and will be graduating in May with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Criminal Justice. She is a member of the Zeta Zeta chapter of Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority and plans to attend law school back in her hometown of St. Louis in the fall.

Legislative Intern: Jason Copeland is a junior at the University of Missouri and will be graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in English with emphasis in fiction writing and a minor in Philosophy. He is a member of the Alpha Nu chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha and hails from Independence, Missouri.

Inauguration

At right: Holsman Family

The 96^th Missouri General Assembly was sworn into office on January 3^rd 2011. In keeping with tradition the newly sworn in members of the assembly celebrated the occasion by participating in the Grand March held during the Legislative Ball.

Department of Agriculture Gets Grant for 5 Million Dollars

An exciting breakthrough for Missouri small farmers took place on January 21, 2011 in Jefferson City. Governor Jay Nixon announced the launch of the Missouri Agricultural Energy Saving Team - a Revolutionary Opportunity (MAESTRO) from the Missouri Department of Agriculture and the University of Missouri Extension. MAESTRO is a grant program that is offering 5 million dollars to help small farmers who want to reduce energy costs in their homes and farms.

The program will offer several financial incentives to farmers, including audit cost share, audit rebate, grants for interest buy down or down payments, and loan loss reserve. Missouri participated in a competitive grant process and was the only state to receive funding for this type of program.

State of the State

While the snow fell outside Governor Jay Nixon addressed the General Assembly on Jan 19th 2011. The state of the state speech highlighted economic successes of the past year. Governor Nixon was in his element communicating our budget challenges while laying out his legislative agenda.

State of the State Text

Speaker Tilley Forms Renewable Energy Committee Names Holsman Chairman

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - State Rep. Jason Holsman, D-Kansas City, has been named chairman of the newly created House Special Committee on Renewable Energy. House Speaker Steve Tilley, R-Perryville, established the committee and selected Holsman to lead it.

"Establishing energy independence from fossil fuels through the development of renewable energy is an important and long road to travel," Holsman said. "Missouri takes another step on that journey with the creation of a legislative committee dedicated to exploring all alternatives for making the state a leader in renewable energy production."

Holsman has established three priorities for the committee:

• Conducting an energy audit of the Missouri Capitol and pursuing options for making it the first truly "green" state capitol building in the country.
  
• Pursuing better implementation of Proposition C, which Missouri voters overwhelmingly approved in 2008 to establish renewable energy standards for Missouri power utilities.
  
• Crafting legislation to assist residential, commercial and industrial users of electricity in investing in on-site energy generation.
  

Holsman is one of just four Democrats holding committee chairmanships this year in the Republican-controlled House.

Drug Testing TANF Recipients

Jefferson City - The Missouri House of Representatives gave initial approval to legislation that would implement a system of drug testing for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families recipients suspected of using illegal controlled substances. The House perfected HB 73, sponsored by Rep. Ellen Brandom, (R-Sikeston), by a vote of 121-37.

HB 73 would require the Department of Social Services to develop a drug testing program for applicants and recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program benefits. Tests would be given to individuals who the department has reasonable suspicion to believe engage in the illegal use of controlled substances. An applicant or recipient who tests positive would be ineligible for benefits for one year. Household members of an individual who tests positive could continue to receive benefits as protective or vendor payments to a third-party payee.

An amendment offered by Representative Jeanette Mott Oxford (D-STL) would have allowed a third party to pay essential housing and utility bills on behalf of the suspended citizen if they voluntarily enter a drug treatment program. The change would have insured that no tax dollars would be used to purchase illegal drugs while protecting the necessary minimum resources for independent survival. The amendment failed along party lines and prevented me from supporting the bill. I am hopeful that the Senate will consider the sensible compromise and send us legislation I can support.

Resolution Asks Attorney General Koster to Join Healthcare Reform Lawsuit

The Missouri House of Representatives adopted a resolution that calls on Missouri's attorney general to file an independent or group lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the federal health care legislation.

During discussion on the House floor, Rep. Keith Frederick, R-Rolla, added an amendment to HR 39 that calls on Gov. Jay Nixon to urge Attorney General Chris Koster to join the lawsuit. Rep. Paul Curtman, R-Pacific, also added an amendment that urges the members of Missouri's congressional delegation to repeal and defund the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Curtman's amendment also requires that copies of the resolution be provided to the governor, attorney general and each member of Missouri's congressional delegation. The House approved the resolution Tuesday by a vote of 115-46.

If the Affordable Healthcare Act is repealed many citizens who have pre-existing conditions will once again find themselves locked out of coverage.

Stay Informed

I encourage everyone who reads this publication to also visit the following sites.

For corporate media's take on Missouri Politics
www.johncombest.com

Newsletters from the General Assembly
http://missivesfrommo.blogspot.com/

Mayer: Taking an In Depth Look at Missouri Government

In my opening day speech, I made several commitments and I want to discuss two of them in further detail with you this week. The first is a new Senate committee I created that is charged with investigating questionable practices in state government to ensure every dollar spent is held accountable to you, the taxpayer. The second is our continuing effort to Reboot State Government through more control, alterations or deletions. These two efforts are related in the fact that the new committee will look more in depth into areas and practices across state government, including some that were identified in our Rebooting Government recommendations.

Since we announced our 2011 Rebooting Government efforts, we have received more than 1,000 ideas submitted by Missourians on how to improve services and cut costs in state government. These ideas were considered by working groups of senators who then made recommendations. Several of those recommendations could become reality with action by the governor, while others will require the legislature to change the law. Then there are other recommendations that require more research before we can take action.

That is where the Senate Governmental Accountability Committee comes into play. This new panel will delve into some of the recommendations, such as whether or not it is practical and feasible to consider options such as opening the door to allow businesses outside of government to manage and maintain maintenance of state buildings, or even Missouri’s Lottery. These are ideas that merit further investigation.

The Senate Governmental Accountability Committee will also have the job of asking tough questions when it comes to investigating questionable practices or actions that occur in state government. One of the first events I have asked the committee to investigate involves a Cape Girardeau business’s dealings with the Department of Economic Development. Press accounts and charges filed by the local prosecutor show that the Department of Economic Development approved the application of a man, who was on probation for writing more than $90,000 in bad checks in 2007, for state aid totaling $2 million. The man represented a business that applied for the money to develop a dental and vision cooperative in downtown Cape Girardeau called “Watch Me Smile.” Fortunately, the state had not released any of the startup money, but we need to find out how his application was even approved in the first place. Safeguards must be in place and followed to protect taxpayer dollars from unfortunate events such as the one in this instance.

Every dollar spent should be held accountable to the taxpayers. Plus, by knowing how every dollar is spent, we can make sure that we eliminate waste, fraud and abuse and redirect those funds to our top priorities, namely K-12 classroom education. As we all know, every dollar counts when your budget is tight, and with the state facing a $300 to $500 million revenue shortfall the work of this committee is even more important. The committee will look into spending habits of all state departments and my hope is the panel will be able to recommend cost-saving ideas by indentifying inefficiencies and improving accountability.

This week I also had the honor of sponsoring Dorothy Rowland for reappointment to the Child Abuse and Neglect Review Board. Dorothy is a licensed practical nurse from Dexter and was first appointed to serve on the Child Abuse and Neglect Review Board in October 2010. Members of this board are responsible for providing an independent review of child abuse and neglect determinations in instances where the alleged perpetrator is not satisfied with the decision by the Children’s Division, located within the Department of Social Services. I believe Dorothy’s experience as a mother, grandmother and nurse will enable her to recognize signs and symptoms of abuse, helping ensure our children grow up in a safe and nurturing environment free from neglect and abuse.

Please feel free to contact me throughout the year with any comments, questions, or issues at the contact information listed below and on my website at www.senate.mo.gov/mayer.

Dugger: Prop B Battle Continues, Constituent Survey

“I know in my heart that Man is good. And that right will always eventually triumph. And there’s purpose and worth to each and every one” –Ronald Reagan

The Prop. B battle continues

It is my pleasure to report to you that my house bill # 94 was heard in the Agricultural Policies Committee this week. HB94 is a total repeal of Proposition B. Thank you for the support of all those that have called or e-mailed my office as well as those of you who came to the hearings. I appreciate all the feed-back. It will be a long road but I think we will get this Proposition altered, so it won’t be a detriment to our local economy. Please follow our Committee meetings on the internet (house.mo.gov), and I invite you to come to the Capitol and witness and even testify your views and opinions.

The Senate is taking this issue head-on as we are. Senator Mike Parson is sponsoring SB 113 and SB95, that make several changes to Prop. B. This bill had a hearing and was voted out of committee this week.

HB 73

HB 73 allows for the drug testing of welfare (TANF) recipients suspected of using a controlled substance. Despite attempts from some House Democrats to continue subsidizing the illegal drug use of some TANF benefit recipients, HB 73 overwhelmingly received first round passage, was ordered printed and perfected, and was placed on the House calendar for third reading. It is unconscionable to think the right decision is to continue to provide taxpayer funding for anyone’s drug use.

Survey

I am proud to say that we have the ability to get a survey out that is fast and easy for you and me. It is internet based instead of the paper surveys that have been used in the past. This is also very effective and beneficial to me because I have an opportunity to know sooner how you feel about a topic. With faster information sharing, I can be more properly informed on how you stand on many issues. Please take a few minutes, click on the link below, and fill out this survey.

http://www.house.mo.gov/district/144

Lant: Citizen Participation Shapes Legislation

The past week was a busy one for citizen involvement in our Legislative process. As the speakers office assigns bills to the various committees, hearings are held to take testimony for and against the various bills as well as information pertaining to the bills. The hallways were full of citizens from the four corners of our state who were wishing to have their opinions heard. The committee work will become more and more demanding as time goes on, as there are now close to 400 bills filed.

We engaged in a spirited debate on Wednesday where philosophical differences were presented on requiring adult welfare recipients to take a drug test if they are suspected of using a controlled substance. I was pleased to see the bill [HB73] get an overwhelming bi-partisan approval. We cannot continue to subsidize drug use with taxpayer dollars.

On Thursday the rules for the House Ethics Committee [HR274] were submitted and received unanimous support from every single Democrat and Republican present. The House Leadership team has pledged to maintain the decorum and ethics that our constituents demand of us and fully deserve.

A little known fact for most Missourians is that our Capitol Building is considered the most beautiful in the United States. The building we are currently in is actually our third Capitol building. The first was only temporary while the location for the Capitol of our brand new state in 1821 was pondered. When our present site was selected there was only a river, and rolling hills where Jefferson City is now located. The site was selected and work begun on a capitol building and shortly thereafter, the Supreme Court Building. In 1911, during a particularly strong thunderstorm, the Capitol Dome was struck by lightning and set afire. While there was time to save most of the records, the entire Capitol was destroyed. There is a wonderful collection of pictures on the walls of the Capitol basement showing the fire, the ruins and the reconstruction of the building which was completed in 1918. The 100th.anniversary of the Capitol fire is next month and I plan to use a few lines of my Capitol Report from now on telling you some of the more interesting history of our Capitol.

You can reach me at bill{dot}lant{at}house{dot}mo{dot}gov or by phone at (573) 751-9801. Until my next report, I am and remain in your service.

Sater: This Week In The Missouri House, Issue 4

FYI…

[Click here to read]

Davis: Accountability!!

It has been a long but productive week in the Missouri House. We continue to strive to create jobs and pass legislation to make Missouri more fiscally responsible. This week HB73 was ordered printed and perfected, and was placed on the House calendar for third reading. This bi-partisan effort was overwhelmingly passed by the General Assembly.

The Missouri House of Representatives gave initial approval to legislation that would implement a system of drug testing for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families recipients suspected of using illegal controlled substances. The House perfected HB 73, sponsored by Rep. Ellen Brandom, R-Sikeston, by a vote of 121-37.

HB 73 would require the Department of Social Services to develop a drug testing program for applicants and recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program benefits. Tests would be given to individuals who the department has reasonable suspicion to believe engage in the illegal use of controlled substances. An applicant or recipient who tests positive would be ineligible for benefits for one year. Household members of an individual who tests positive could continue to receive benefits as protective or vendor payments to a third-party payee.

As the appropriations and budget process continues, the Missouri House has decided to put the cuts to education on the back burner. As we all know, education is very important to the State of Missouri and the people of the 128^th district. The Missouri House and I want to protect education as much as possible. We will continue to fight for our children in Missouri.

As vice chairman of the Veterans committee, we, as a committee, voted do-pass on two bills this week. HB204 deals with the renewal of driver’s licenses for military personnel, and HB149 which deals with the Missouri military family relief fund. As a veteran, I believe this committee and the work we have, and will do, is very important.

I had a wonderful meeting with R-7 superintendant Tony Rossetti and DESE’s deputy commissioner for fiscal and administrative services Ron Lankford this week. After discussing the education formula, the way schools receive their funding, I realize how complicated education funding is. I want to thank them both for taking time to come to Jefferson City and do what they do best….EDUICATE. This time it was educating their 45 yr old representative.

I pray you all have a great week. Please come to the capitol and visit, the history of our great state and our capitol is so wonderful. Until next week, May God richly bless you all.

Denison: Summary of Recent Transportation Conference

As Transportation Chair, I was invited to participate at the Annual Missouri Transportation Conference that was held at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City on Thursday, January 27^th. The Conference was hosted by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Missouri Farm Bureau Federation, the Missouri Department of Transportation, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. A panel of Transportation Committee Chairs; Senator Stouffer, Senate Transportation Committee; Representative Sally Faith, Transportation Funding & Public Institutions; and myself, discussed the importance of transportation issues. I was very honored to be a part of this panel.

I have the opportunity to work with wonderful people, and this week I would like to mention Lisa LeMaster. Lisa is a Senior Governmental Relations Specialist, with the Missouri Department of Transportation. Lisa confers with my office each day to keep us abreast of legislation, and we appreciate her.

We were fortunate to have so many visitors at the Capitol this week:

On Tuesday, January 25th, Gary Wilson, Springfield, with A.R. Wilson Realtors, and President of the Missouri Apartment Association visited the Capitol. I appreciate Gary’s visit.

At right: Rayanna Anderson, Rep. Denison, Darrell Hampsten, Tara Horton

Also on Tuesday, January 25^th, visitors with the Missouri State University Small Business & Technology Development Centers, Rayanna Anderson, Director, Springfield; Tara Horton, Training Coordinator, Springfield; and Darrell Hampsten, Coordinator of Small Business Programs, West Plains, visited the Capitol.

On Wednesday, January 26th, we were fortunate to have Mayor Jack Cole, Rogersville, and Board members of Rogersville, Jon Hill, Leon Roderick, and Dale Reaves. We discussed road improvements in their area.

The 2011 Salute to Missouri Legislators Reception was held this week on Wednesday, January 26^th. There were several people in Jefferson City with the Springfield delegation. Those from Springfield among others that were in our office, but not limited to: Jim Viebrock, Presiding Commissioner, Greene County; Jeff Reinold, Budget Officer, Greene County; Sandy Jones, Legislative Liaison, Ozarks Technical College.

If you will be in or around Jefferson City at any time, please stop by my office for a visit.

Rupp: Providing Scholarships for Early High School Graduates

Education is and always has been at the top of my priority list. I believe with an educated population, our state will have a bright future for generations to come. However, the rising costs of higher education is deterring students from enrolling in college, while educating K-12 students is become an increasingly expensive venture. To help address these issues, I have proposed Senate Bill 130, which if passed, would create the “Early High School Graduation Scholarship Program.”

This bill would create a scholarship program for high school students who graduate early. If a high school student can graduate in three years, then the amount of dollars taxpayers would have spent on their fourth year of high school will be provided to the student as a scholarship for their first year of college. This benefits both the students and the state by making college more affordable for talented, young people in Missouri, and encourages students to reach their highest potential at institutions that best serve their needs.

With the scholarship offered through this legislation, I believe more high school students will be able to attend college, which would make these young adults more competitive in an increasingly educated workforce. As parents, we want our children to have the best education and future possible, and we dream of the day when we can watch them accept their diploma. We live in a great country where our children can grow up to be whatever they would like to be, and with a good education, this American Dream can be achieved for our students in Missouri.

I also introduced this legislation to provide opportunities of higher learning to students in Missouri, and to encourage students from dropping out of school. I believe the answer to a better economy and better quality of life for citizens of Missouri is education. Through the opportunities that this legislation provides, we will see our state’s economic viability increase and greater social prosperity for us all.

It is my pleasure to carry out these responsibilities for the citizens of Missouri. My job is to serve you, and as our session progresses, I will keep you up to date with all my legislative matters and happenings.

As always, if you have any questions regarding this issue or any other matter within state government, please visit my website at www.senate.mo.gov/rupp. Here, you can also subscribe to my RSS feed on the main page of my website; it will keep you up to date on all my columns, press releases, and multimedia postings. Please feel free to e-mail me or call my office toll-free at (866) 271-2844.

Munzlinger: Listening to the Voters

When those in my district elected me to office, it was with the understanding that I would work to protect their way of life. This means their right to practice agriculture in many different venues.

It is with this goal in mind that I, along with Senator Parson and Senator Stouffer, have sponsored legislation to protect Missouri’s dog breeders and owners. Their profession is a respected segment of our state’s agricultural industry. Majority of my voters, as well as many other counties with rural population bases, voted “No” on Proposition B. The counties with large cities within their bounds carried this issue into law.

We want to be clear that the will of these voters is being respected in the proposed legislation. Our concern is that their good intentions were preyed upon by groups based outside our state lines. The majority of the funding for the proposition, as well as its wording, came from organizations whose agenda appears larger than protecting dogs. While Proposition B is portrayed as only applying to dog breeders, we want to ensure the protection of other sectors of agriculture.

We have combined my bill, Senate Bill 95 to the bill sponsored by Senator Parson, Senate Bill 113. These revisions would remove the fifty dog limit, as we believe that this is an unfair limitation on the amount of business a respectable breeder could do. Our new legislation would also give licensed breeders a grace period of 30 and 180 days to correct serious violations before they are charged with a crime. This is a change from the charge of a Class C misdemeanor for a first time offense. Our combined bill would also require the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) to conduct two follow-up inspections of any licensed breeder who is found to have committed a serious violation of the act. The MDA would also have the power to revoke a breeder’s license if they do not correct a serious violation after a second inspection. We still have abuse and neglect crimes which are serious offenses.

Agriculture is Missouri’s largest industry. It is vital that we protect this portion of our state’s industry. Senate Bill 95 and 113 are designed to uphold the will of the people by taking the idea of Proposition B and turning it into a usable and enforceable policy while keeping burdensome regulations from hampering the dog breeders of our state. This bill will save us money and promote economic development by allowing a respectable industry to continue, but most of all, this will help us protect the dogs and dog breeders of our state.

I understand that some of you may be concerned about my vote this past week that referred to Prop C from the 2008 election. Prop C did not include geographic sourcing which allowed the Public Service Commission (PSC) to inappropriately legislate and this is not within their authority. This task should be left to the legislature and the citizens of Missouri. So I voted no, along with the citizens of Missouri who passed Prop C in 2008.

My Missouri Senate webpage now offers an RSS feed. You can get the latest updates from our office anytime. We are putting out a weekly column, press releases and audio features. Please visit me at www.senate.mo.gov/munzlinger and click on the orange icon at the top of the page to sign up for these updates.

Mayer: Sponsorship of 25th District Reappointment to Governor’s Board

JEFFERSON CITY – Senate Leader Robert N. Mayer, R-Dexter, recently sponsored the reappointment of Dorothy Rowland to the Child Abuse and Neglect Review Board. Rowland, a licensed practical nurse from Dexter, was first appointed to serve on the Child Abuse and Neglect Review Board in October 2010. As a member of this nine-member board, Rowland will serve a term of three years in length with the full consent of the General Assembly, which she received on Thursday, Jan. 27.

“It was my honor to sit before the Senate Gubernatorial Appointments Committee and sponsor Ms. Rowland’s reappointment to this important board,” said Sen. Mayer. “As a mother of four, grandmother of eight, Sunday School teacher, and nurse, Ms. Rowland brings a vast understanding of children’s issues to the board along with her years of experience as a licensed nurse.”

Members of this board are responsible for providing an independent review of child abuse and neglect determinations in instances in which the alleged perpetrator is not satisfied with the decision by the Children’s Division, located within the Department of Social Services.

“Ms. Rowland will use her nursing degree to recognize the signs and symptoms of abuse,” said Sen. Mayer. “In addition, her experience as a nurse can show others on the board what abuse can do both physically and mentally to a child — a child who deserves to grow up in a safe and nurturing environment free from neglect and abuse.”

There are more than 200 governor boards and commissions, and each one provides Missourians the opportunity to serve the state in specific areas in need of their experience and expertise. To learn more about these panels or to apply to serve on a board or commission, visit governor.mo.gov/boards.

Lichtenegger: An Introduction, Congratulations to Constituents

Rep. Donna Lichtenegger took office in the Missouri House of Representatives after the January 5 swear-in ceremony at the State Capitol. She replaces former Representative Scott Lipke who served Dist 157 constituents from 2002 to 2010.

Her many years of public service include: 20 years as a member of the Republican Central Committee -ten of which she served as the Vice-chair; the Republican State Committeewoman from 1998 to 2010 for the 25th Senatorial District; Chair of the 32nd Judicial District for six years; ten years Chair for the Eighth Congressional District.

Highlights of her life include meeting President and First Lady George W. Bush during the 2000 National Convention; attending the White House 2004 Christmas Party; and in 2007 she received the Bill Emerson Public Service Award for Leadership.

Rep. Lichtenegger has 37 years of experience as a dental hygienist. Her dental career includes membership with the Missouri Dental Hygiene Association; a 30-year membership with the American Dental Hygienist Association; four years Vice-Chair of the Southeast Missouri Dental Hygienist Association.

For more biographical information link here: House Member Biography

Congratulations!

• Roy & Iverne Glass of Jackson will celebrate their 60th Wedding Anniversary.
  
  
• Maria Bleckler, 6, of Jackson donated her hair to the Locks of Love organization which provides hairpieces to those in need. Link here for more information on this worthy cause: Locks of Love

Nieves: Recommendations for Improving our State’s Budget and Education

On Jan. 19, Gov. Jay Nixon delivered his State of the State speech and presented his budget recommendations to the General Assembly. Based on the governor’s speech and his submitted budget, it looks like the House and Senate will need to be the ones who will need to look more closely at this year’s budget, as the governor continues to rely on one-time federal funds and phantom savings to balance his budget.

Many families in the 26^th District have had to tighten their belts over the last few years. We need to make our state government do the same. Many of the difficult decisions were made in the last few years; however, there are many more tough choices that must be made within our government. Using federal funds as “overdraft protection” is not the way to get there. It wouldn’t work in your house, and it won’t work in Jefferson City.

I do agree with the governor on one point: we cannot ask taxpayers to shoulder any more of the burden! Any tax increase would fall heavily on those who can least afford to pay, and would negatively impact the small businesses that we need to help drive us out of these tough economic times.

The governor also talked about job creation in his address. Missouri’s unemployment rate has not significantly improved over the last year. More than 280,000 Missourians have been out of work for a year and a half. While the governor hops around the state taking credit for new jobs, Missouri has actually lost more than 103,940 jobs since June of 2008. It is time we focus on getting government out of the way so our great Missouri entrepreneurs can do what they do best — tackle opportunities and create jobs!

Of course, while we protect taxpayers today, we must also focus on our future. As vice-chair of the Senate Education Committee and father of three public school kids, I look at the education of our children as a top priority. Using education funds as a political hammer is unacceptable — our children matter too much. Our public education system must be adequately funded, but perhaps even more important is HOW we educate our kids! I will be working closely with educators who teach in public school classrooms, as well as those who educate their children at home so, together, we can figure out the difficult question, “How do we best educate our children?”

With the governor’s State of the State speech behind us and the Legislature moving in to full swing, it’s about to get exciting at our State Capitol! I hope many of you will come visit us, and if and when you do, please come by my office in Room 433 on the third floor of the Capitol. I would be pleased to speak with you, and as always, my legislative staff and I are happy to assist you.