Economy / Jobs

The economic crisis has hit Missouri hard, and many families are struggling to make ends meet.  We must reach across party lines to find ways to create jobs and put Missourians back to work.  Since the causes of the current economic crisis are complex, our response must be comprehensive.  Through a combination of small-business loans, strategic tax credits, and other incentives, we can keep good-paying jobs in Missouri and attract the high-quality, high-tech jobs of the future to our state.  Our workforce is one of the most innovative and productive in the country.  By focusing on job training and creation, we’ll make sure that it stays that way.

Fiscal Responsibility

My parents taught me the simple, important value of budgeting and saving.  Now more than ever, Missouri families are making real sacrifices to balance their budgets and are struggling to stay afloat.  We deserve a government that is working for us and being a steward of the dollars we entrust to it.  If elected, I will fight to lessen our tax burden and find ways to get more for each hard earned dollar we entrust to our state.  I will vote against programs that do not have adequate funding for their implementation and fight for more transparency and public participation in tax and spending decisions. Balancing budgets, cutting waste and abuse, and practicing fiscal responsibility are essential to good government.  Missouri families have to balance their budget and plan for the future and so should our government.

Education

Our children are the future of our state, and they must be given every opportunity to succeed.   A strong educational foundation will be even more important in the 21st century global economy.  Missouri families deserve to have strong public schools staffed by well-trained, well-paid teachers.  As your representative, I’ll work to make sure more of our education dollars are spent in the classroom, where they are needed most. We should work to expand programs like the A+ program, which increases the opportunities of all Missourians to pursue a post-secondary education.  Every Missourian should know that the dream of higher education is possible if they choose to pursue it.

Health Care

Every Missourian should have access to quality and affordable health care.  As a result of the health care cuts made in 2005, nearly 700,000 people, including over 120,000 children, are without quality health care in our state.  This results in more emergency room visits and contributes to higher overall health care costs for all Missourians. We must take real steps to reduce the number of uninsured Missourians, ensure that all children have access to medical coverage, and lower the health care cost for our businesses and families. 

Environment

Whether I’m running along the Santa Fe Trail or fishing in Longview Lake, the outdoors and our environment have always been very important to me.  For me, protecting our environment is about protecting our heritage and way of life for our children.  I will fight to make sure that future generations have the same opportunities I had to enjoy great outdoor recreation.  Missouri is a beautiful state, and we have a responsibility to protect our natural resources by working to increase our state’s investment in renewable energies and encouraging market-driven conservation. 

Ethics Reform

Contributions to candidates and elected officials should be publicly disclosed and closely regulated so elected officials are held accountable for the contributions they receive and actions they take.  The recent repeal of limits on campaign contributions has only increased the influence of money in politics and made it more difficult for ordinary Missourians to become involved in the political system.  I will work to reinstate contribution limits and for increased disclosure requirements for public officials.  Our public officials are elected to serve us, and we should hold them to a higher standard.