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Libla: a user tax for Missouri transportation is still a conservative position (AUDIO)

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The chairman of the Missouri Senate Transportation Committee supports a gasoline tax increase, saying that our roads and bridges must be funded adequately.

State Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, speaks on the Missouri Senate floor on January 10, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Senate photographer Harrison Sweazea)

State Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, chairs the Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety committee. He tells Missourinet we’ve funded roads and bridges for 95 years in Missouri with a gas tax.

“Back in the day when I first became a Republican, a user tax was a conservative Republican position,” Libla says. “And I still believe so today. I think those who use the roads should help pay for them.”

Missouri’s 17-cent per gallon gas tax has remained the same since 1996. Voters rejected a proposed ten-cent gas tax increase in November.

Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe (R) notes Missouri has the seventh-largest infrastructure system, but ranks 49th in funding.

Libla, who represents eight southeast Missouri counties, emphasizes that local officials help to decide key projects.

“We have planning commissions all over this state, so it’s not just a few people deciding where a new road or a new intersection goes in or a new four-lane or whatever,” says Libla.

He says transportation is critical for both urban and rural residents, noting Missouri’s $88 billion agricultural industry is the state’s top industry.

Meantime, Chairman Libla says the heavily-traveled stretch of Highway 50 between California and Sedalia in mid-Missouri needs to be four-laned. He says it’s similar to some highways in his sprawling district.

“It’s two-lane, you have some people wanting to drive the speed limit, you have some who want to drive 15 mile (per hour) under it. And you get a lot of backup, people get impatient, so on and so forth,” Libla says.

The state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) included the Highway 50 project from California to Sedalia in the August 2014 ballot measure known as Amendment 7, which was defeated at the polls. At that time, MoDOT estimated it would cost $122 million to four-lane that stretch.

MoDOT also notes that the central district planning partners have identified the next segment of Highway 50 as an unfunded priority. The segment, which is from California to Tipton, would cost about $44 million.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, which was recorded at the State Fair in Sedalia on August 15, 2019:

Copyright © 2019 · Missourinet

Missouri Supreme Court ponders whether voter ID law’s sworn statement should stay or go

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The State Supreme Court is deciding whether voters without a photo ID must sign a statement at the polls swearing they are who they say they are.

The Missouri Supreme Court

Last year, Cole County Circuit Judge Richard Callahan called the statement language contradictory and misleading and ruled to get rid of it in Missouri’s controversial 2016 voter ID law. The state appealed the ruling, leading to Thursday’s hearing before Missouri’s high court.

Missouri Solicitor General D. John Sauer said the court should let the Secretary of State change the writing, instead of scrapping the affidavit altogether.

“There was no evidence at trial of any individual voter who claimed that they were confused by the option 2 affidavit or found it contradictory,” said Sauer.

During the trial, two voters testified that they would not have signed the affidavit again because the language was confusing. Sauer said they still voted.

Attorney Mark Elias, for the left-leaning voter advocacy organization called Priorities USA, said expert testimony in the trial confirmed that voters would need a graduate level degree to understand the language.

“The Secretary of State promulgated this affidavit because this is what’s in the statute,” he says. “There is no affidavit the Secretary of State would be able to write under its limited grant authority that would not suffer the same problems.”

Sauer said if the court rules in favor of having the language rewritten, the issue will probably face another lawsuit anyways.

Under state law, Missourians can vote if they show a photo ID at their polling place. They can show another form of identification, including a utility bill, but must sign the affidavit. They can also cast a provisional ballot. Their vote would only count if they return to show ID or if poll workers can match their signatures on a past ballot.

The court could rule at any time.

Copyright © 2019 · Missourinet

Kehoe: “We’ll see what Missourians think is the appropriate response” on transportation (AUDIO)

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The state’s lieutenant governor says Missourians will have to decide whether a gasoline tax increase is needed.

Missouri Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe (left) and Governor Mike Parson wave to supporters at Jefferson City’s Memorial Park on September 23, 2019 (photo courtesy of Kehoe campaign)

Missouri’s 17-cent gasoline tax has remained the same since 1996. Last November, voters rejected a proposed ten-cent gas tax increase.

At his campaign announcement last week at Jefferson City’s Memorial Park, Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe (R) told the audience that a long-term solution is needed for transportation. Missourinet asked him that night if a gas tax increase is on the table. Kehoe says Missourians will have to decide that.

“As you know, our Hancock Amendment prohibits the Legislature from coming up with that solution, that’s probably a good thing most days,” Kehoe says. “So we’ll see what Missourians think is the appropriate response.”

Missourians approved the Hancock Amendment in 1980. It’s named after the late Springfield businessman Mel Hancock, who was elected to Congress several years later. The Hancock Amendment essentially requires voter approval before taxes can be increased by lawmakers, beyond a certain annual limit.

Kehoe says a long-term solution is needed, for the safety of Missouri families and for the reliability of our businesses.

“When you have the (nation’s) seventh-largest infrastructure system and you’re 49th in funding, it doesn’t take long to figure out you need a long-term solution. We’re all willing to listen to what Missourians think is the most reasonable approach to that, and then we’ll figure it out,” says Kehoe.

Lieutenant Governor Kehoe campaigned for Proposition D, the proposed gas tax increase, last fall. He spoke in September 2018 at the 84th annual Missouri Municipal League (MML) conference in Branson.

“What the mayors here (at the Branson conference) understand is they couldn’t run their city budgets and Missourians couldn’t run their household budgets if they didn’t have any extra income for 22 years straight,” Kehoe said that day.

The state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has said that if voters had approved Proposition D, it would have generated about $288 million annually in new road and bridge funding.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe, which was recorded on September 23, 2019 at Jefferson City’s Memorial Park:

Copyright © 2019 · Missourinet

Kehoe focuses on Missouri transportation and agriculture in 2020 race (AUDIO)

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Missouri’s lieutenant governor has made it official, announcing Monday evening in Jefferson City that he’s seeking a four-year term in November 2020. Mike Kehoe (R) made the announcement before a few hundred people at Memorial Park.

Missouri Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe (left) and Governor Mike Parson wave to supporters at Jefferson City’s Memorial Park on September 23, 2019 (photo courtesy of Kehoe campaign)

“Tonight, I stand before you knowing that more work remains,” Kehoe says. “After careful thought and prayer, Claudia (Kehoe’s wife) and our family have decided that we are going to run for lieutenant governor in 2020.”

Kehoe was appointed to the post last June by Governor Mike Parson (R), after Parson was sworn-in as governor following Eric Greitens’ resignation. Kehoe served in the Missouri Senate from 2010-2018, representing a mid-Missouri district. He was the Senate Majority Leader from 2016-2018.

Kehoe says his campaign is about leadership, values and common sense. He says one of his top priorities is veterans’ issues. He notes Missouri has 450,000 veterans, the fifth-highest in the nation.

He’s also pledging to focus on transportation and agriculture, if he’s elected in 2020. Kehoe tells the audience that there are obstacles in Missouri transportation.

“Great strides were made this year with the leadership of Governor Parson and the members of the (Missouri) House and Senate,” says Kehoe. “But a long-term solution needs to be found that’s acceptable to all Missourians, for the safety of our families and the reliability of our businesses.”

State lawmakers approved the governor’s $350 million bridge bonding plan this year, which is aimed at repairing or replacing 250 deteriorating bridges.

However, Missouri’s 17-cent gasoline tax has remained the same since 1996. Voters rejected a proposed ten-cent gasoline tax increase in November.

Kehoe notes Missouri’s $88 billion agricultural industry is the state’s top industry.

He also emphasizes life issues.

“And what greater opportunity is in this world than the promise that exists with every newborn child. That’s why protecting innocent life is my number one priority. Every child, born and unborn,” Kehoe says, to loud applause from the audience.

Kehoe is emphasizing family and Christian values. Governor Parson joined the lieutenant governor on-stage. Parson predicts victory for Missouri Republicans in 2020.

No Democrats have announced that they’re running for lieutenant governor, at this time.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with Missouri Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe, which was recorded on September 23, 2019 at Jefferson City’s Memorial Park:

Copyright © 2019 · Missourinet

Ashcroft defends handling of referendum request attempting to overturn abortion ban

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Pro-choice supporters say Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft “manipulated” an effort to overturn new abortion regulations through “obstructionist behavior”. Ashcroft approved a referendum effort on Wednesday to gather signatures for a public vote. The move makes it extremely difficult for abortion rights collectors to gather signatures before most of the new restrictions take effect on August 28. Ashcroft defends his office’s work on the request.

The Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City

“The ACLU, frankly didn’t file the referendum in a timely manner. They had ten days to file it before the law went into effect, which would have changed how we approached that referendum,” says Ashcroft tells Missourinet at the State Fair in Sedalia. “But they waited until after the governor had signed it – until after the emergency clause had gone into effect.”

Ashcroft, a Republican, goes on to say the petition took more investigation to make sure his office was following the law.

“The same organization (the ACLU) that was saying that I wasn’t listening to the voice of the people, was trying to stop me from having the statutorily-mandated 15 day comment period for the people of Missouri to comment on the referendums. By the end of that 15 day period, we had over 1,100 comments,” says Ashcroft.

In a statement from Robin Utz, treasurer of the No Bans On Choice Committee, she says the crusade will continue.

“Our commitment to protecting Missourians’ right to legal abortion is unwavering. The referendum is one tool to protect the rights of the people. There are others, and we will evaluate the best route forward to ensure Missourians retain control over their bodies, their decisions, and their democracy,” says Utz. “We are reviewing the ballot language released by Secretary Ashcroft today. He dragged his feet for 78 days before providing this ballot language, leaving Missourians with the impossible task of collecting 100,000 signatures in 14 days. He has effectively prevented voters from defeating the extreme eight-week abortion ban at the ballot box. It is outrageous that Secretary Ashcroft, Missouri’s chief elections officer, ran out the clock.”

Under House Bill 126, it would ban abortions around eight weeks of pregnancy. Medical emergencies are exceptions but not rape or incest.

Physicians who violate the law would face five to fifteen years in prison. It would also forbid doctors from doing abortions if the baby would have Down syndrome or for sex or race-selective abortions.

Additionally, the legislation requires both parents to be notified if a minor child wants an abortion.

Copyright © 2019 · Missourinet

For 67th year, ham and eggs bring together thousands of Missouri politicians and constituents

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In 1953, the first Governor’s Ham Breakfast was held at the State Fair in west-central Missouri’s Sedalia. That would have been around the time when Democratic Governor Phil Donnelly was in office.

For 67th year, ham and eggs bring together thousands of Missouri politicians and constituents

The finishing touches are being put on Thursday’s 67th annual breakfast – an event where you can find hundreds of Missouri political figures and thousands of Missourians there to rub elbows with them. State Fair Marketing Director Kari Mergen tells Missourinet all 1,000 meal tickets have been sold.

“Some of our State Fair arena events will go into the thousands,” Mergen says. “Our office helps to coordinate the Ham Breakfast event and we coordinate a lot of the other special events that happen on the fairgrounds. This is one of the top events.”

Plenty of standing room only tickets for spectators are still available for $10.

The breakfast is especially popular during a presidential election year when so many candidates are running.

“We kind of joke about that internally sometimes ‘It’s a presidential election year – it’s probably going to sell out.’ This year is not a presidential election year but it did sell out,” Mergen says. “It doesn’t always sell out but it sells really well. I can safely say I think in the 900s even on a slow year. I think that’s just a fact that Missouri agriculture is a great group of people that want to come together and the State Fair is certainly a great place for that. The governor is a great advocate of agriculture. I think people want him to come to the breakfast to support him and support Missouri agriculture is definitely evident in the fact that the event is so well attended.”

What does it take to serve breakfast to 1,000 people? It’s not a small task for the catering service. About 2,000 eggs, 5,000 ounces of ham, 200 pounds of hash browns and 100 gallons of coffee will be used for what some consider to be the most important meal of the day. Several Missouri partners provide some of the food.

Some of the proceeds go to the State Fair Foundation and agriculture scholarships. Mergen says the auction portion brings in big bucks.

“Actually last year, all three of those set a record, she says. “Last year’s Grand Champion ham sold for $16,000. The reserve sold for $10,000 and the bacon sold for $9,000.”

The tickets for the breakfast do include fair admission for the day. Mergen says she thinks the event helps to boost fair attendance for the day.

The breakfast starts at 8 a.m. Thursday at the Fair Director’s tent.

Copyright © 2019 · Missourinet

Speculation is over. Galloway enters Missouri governor’s race

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State Auditor Nicole Galloway wants to be Missouri’s next governor. In a video released today entitled “Every Dollar”, she announced her 2020 bid for the state’s highest office.

State Auditor Nicole Galloway

“Government isn’t doing much to make a difference for you and your family unless you are a well-connected insider. Health care costs are going through the roof and parents are worried about their kids being able to make a good life close to home. I’m one of them,” Galloway says in the video. “It’s hard to trust Jefferson City with our tax dollars. I’ve never settled for things just being the way they are and neither should Missourians. Dark money and insider deals have rigged the system against working families. As Auditor, I’ve fought it. As Governor, I’ll end it.”

The move ends speculation swirling about the Columbia Democrat’s future plans, especially since she started weighing in on the GOP-controlled Missouri Legislature’s passing in May of a bill banning abortions at eight weeks.

Galloway touts her record of exposing fraud at all levels of local and state government.

Her office’s audits have identified more than $350 million in government waste, fraud, and mismanagement. Partnering with law enforcement, her audits have led to 40 criminal counts brought against corrupt public officials, both Democrats and Republicans. In the past year, she uncovered a nationwide medical billing scheme operating through a small rural Missouri hospital that is now the subject of a Department of Justice criminal investigation.

Galloway was appointed to her current position in 2015 by former governor and fellow Democrat Jay Nixon. Before becoming auditor, she worked as the elected treasurer of Central Missouri’s Boone County.

Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, is expected to announce soon that he’s running for the position.

Copyright © 2019 · Missourinet

Galloway files for 2020 Missouri governor’s run

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State Auditor Nicole Galloway

State Auditor Nicole Galloway has filed paperwork with the Missouri Ethics Commission to run for governor in 2020. Galloway, a Democrat from central Missouri’s Columbia, has not made a formal announcement yet.

She was appointed to her position in 2015 by former Governor and fellow Democrat Jay Nixon. Last November, Galloway won a four-year term as auditor.

Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, is expected to make an official announcement soon that he plans to run for the state’s highest office. He has already named Steele Shippy as his campaign manager.

Copyright © 2019 · Missourinet

Southwest Missouri voters oppose tax increase to help fund hospital

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Voters in southwestern Missouri’s Cedar County have decided not to raise property taxes to help fund an area hospital.

Southwest Missouri voters oppose tax increase to help fund hospital

Missourinet affiliate KSGF in Springfield reports Cedar County Memorial Hospital in El Dorado Springs has been operating on the same $1.15 tax levy since it opened in 1960. Tuesday’s special election ballot proposal would have raised the tax levy for the average house by around 22 cents a day, or around $80 a year.

The hospital says it’s doing its best to keep things running. It ran a deficit of $1.5 million last year.

Springfield television station KYTV reports the vice president of the Cedar County Memorial Hospital board in El Dorado Springs, Carla Griffin, says the hospital “is not in IMMINENT danger of closing,” but employee cutbacks will need to be made.

The 25-bed hospital has more than 120 employees and is the second largest employer in the county. It includes a surgery center, sleep lab and wound care clinic.

Hundreds of rural health care centers have closed nationwide over the last 5 years, including seven in Missouri.

Copyright © 2019 · Missourinet

Kansas City leaders sworn into office

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Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas (Photo courtesy of his Twitter page)

Kansas City has a new mayor. Quinton Lucas, 34, has been sworn into office as the western Missouri city’s 55th mayor. He defeated outgoing City Councilwoman Jolie Justus by 17 points in June.

Lucas, who succeeds two-term Mayor Sly James, was elected to the City Council as a 3rd District at-large councilman in 2015. He grew up in poverty in Kansas City. Lucas went on to attend Washington University in St. Louis and Cornell Law School – an Ivy League university in New York.

During today’s inaugural address, Lucas promised to lower violent crime, including the city’s high murder rate.

“I ask my colleagues to stand with me as we commit by the end of this term to getting our city off the FBI top 10 most dangerous cities list,” Lucas said.

Six new and six returning City Council members, including former state Representative Brandon Ellington, were also sworn into office today. Ellington, the former House Minority Whip, resigned yesterday from his state position.

Lucas has appointed Councilman Kevin McManus to serve as Mayor Pro Tem. McManus is a former state Representative from Kansas City.

Copyright © 2019 · Missourinet