Jay Nixon: Latest News

Missourians Overwhelmingly Elect Jay Nixon Governor

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

SAINT LOUIS -- Today, the people of Missouri overwhelmingly elected Jay Nixon to be the state's 55th Governor and to bring about the change we need.

Tonight, Governor-elect Nixon addressed 1,500 supporters at the Pageant Theater in St. Louis. The following are excerpts from the Governor-elect's speech. Complete Speech

"It's been a great day. Today, millions of Missourians went to the polls, and they spoke loudly and clearly. Missourians voted for change, and with me as their Governor, change is what they'll get.

"I've traveled all across this state over the past few years, but today, Election Day, I took some time and went home to where it all began. Back to DeSoto. My hometown.

"I stopped by my old high school. I walked down Main Street. I said hello to some old friends and I made some new ones. I saw in DeSoto many of the same challenges that I have seen throughout our great state over the past few years. But I also saw the same hope. The same belief in our common opportunity. The same strength of our people.

"Because whether you live in DeSoto or St. Louis. Kansas City or Cape Girardeau. St. Joe, Hannibal or Springfield and everywhere in between. We all know that Missouri's best days are ahead of us. We share a common belief that we can protect our unique way of life here in Missouri, while at the same time moving boldly to embrace the future. I've seen that hope and that optimism everywhere. On family farms and in our factories, in our biggest cities and our smallest towns.

"It's the hope of hardworking families who want steady jobs and good health care, and a chance to get ahead. Most importantly, I see the basic hope that unites us all: the hope that our kids will do better than we did. The hope that the next generation will be able to seize opportunities that we cannot even imagine today.

"Together, we need to see that future, and boldly move forward to meet it. We'll embrace science, not fear it. We'll build a climate in Missouri that encourages more research, more technology and more innovation. A place where employers want to create the jobs of tomorrow. . . .

"Loudly and clearly, today the people of Missouri have called for change. And make no mistake, change is what you'll get.

"Now, let's talk about what that change means.

"Change means creating new jobs, training new workers, and seizing the new economy. We're in the midst of an economic crisis, and we can't wait for Washington to fix it. Here in Missouri, we must take matters into our own hands and get folks back to work. That's the kind of change we'll fight for.

"Change means restoring the 2005 health care cuts. Making our health care system more efficient. And access to affordable health care for every child in our state.

"And change means helping more Missouri families realize the dream of a college education. Too many middle-class families are unable to afford college for their children ... and too many students who make it to college are graduating with tens of thousands of dollars in debt. So we'll create a pathway for middle-class students to get a four-year degree and graduate debt free.

"Some will stand against us. Some will say change is impossible. They'll fight to keep things just the way they are. But the status quo is unacceptable. It's unacceptable to me, and it's unacceptable to the people of Missouri. With your help, we will succeed in bringing about the change our state needs, and succeed in building a better future.

"It has been a long campaign. But now is the time to put the politics behind us. It's time to put aside our party labels, and to come together as Missourians.

"If you supported me in this campaign, I still need your help. If you voted for someone else, join us now. We must end the partisanship that has divided us for so long.

"To bring about real change, we'll need every voice and every idea. Everyone will have a seat at the table. We won't solve every problem overnight. But I make you this promise: With your help, we'll make progress again.

"As I was driving through DeSoto today, I recalled how I spent my summers as a young man. For seven years -- all through college and law school -- I worked in construction. I was part of a hard-working team, and we built things. Everyone came to work early, and nobody left until the job was done.

"I learned a lot from those guys. And on my last day as a part of that team, my fellow workers gave me a gift -- a beat up old shovel that I had used every day for those seven long summers. They knew I was moving on, but they didn't want me to forget where I had come from. I treasure that old shovel. And throughout my time in the State Senate and as Attorney General, it's been in my office. Right where I could see it.

"Now, in a few short months, I'll move that old shovel into the Governor's office. And when important decisions must be made, it will be in the corner of my eye. That old shovel symbolizes the millions of hardworking Missourians who wake up early everyday and build this great state. And it helps me never forget who I am, where I'm from, or who sent me.

"So tonight, I say to the people of Missouri, thank you. But more importantly, I say join me. Our job is just beginning. Now comes the real challenge.

"But working together, we can achieve anything. Working together, we will move Missouri forward."

All Signs Point to Jay Nixon for Governor

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

New Post-Dispatch Poll Gives Jay Nixon 55- 41 Lead; Major Newspapers Across the State Know Nixon Will Bring the Change We Need

SAINT LOUIS, Mo. -- Eight days before Missourians go to the polls, all signs are pointing to Jay Nixon for Governor. Today’s Saint Louis Post-Dispatch poll showed Jay Nixon to have a 55% - 41% lead, and over the weekend, Nixon picked up key endorsements from the Kansas City Star, the Independence Examiner and the Joplin Globe.  

Nixon had already earned the endorsements of the Saint Louis Post-Dispatch and the Columbia Daily Tribune.

“As the election nears, the desire to take Missouri in a new direction continues to grow. That’s why Missourians from all political parties and all regions of the state are uniting behind Jay Nixon,” said Oren Shur, Nixon’s campaign spokesman. “During these tough economic times, the last thing Missouri families need is a Congressman who has been out in Washington creating this mess. Missourians know Jay Nixon, and they know he’ll fight every day to turn this economy around and get our state moving forward again. There’s a tremendous amount of energy around this campaign that will carry right through Election Day.”

Today’s Post-Dispatch poll also showed Attorney General Nixon’s favorable rating to be at 60 % heading into the election, while just 33% of Missourians view him unfavorably.

Virtually all of the state’s major newspapers have endorsed Jay Nixon for Governor:

Kansas City Star: “[Nixon’s] ready -- and Missouri is definitely ready -- for the kind of sustained leadership and well-considered ideas that he offers . . . [B]y championing concerns for middle- and low-income families and children, Nixon would move Missouri forward.”  http://www.kansascity.com/340/story/858281.html

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: “Jay Nixon has the talent, experience and deep-rooted progressive principles to be an excellent governor. He offers Missouri a chance for bold, transformative leadership.” http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/editorialcommentary/story/4DE8AE5D6A7C97BA862574E50081528E?OpenDocument

Columbia Daily Tribune: “Jay Nixon is the best choice for Governor of Missouri, mainly because of his passion for running the office in an accountable, effective way . . . He knows the territory and has the energy to dig in. Jay Nixon could be one of Missouri’s best governors.”
http://www.columbiatribune.com/2008/Oct/20081017Comm001.asp

Joplin Globe: “His service to Southwest Missouri, experience in state government and his attention to local issues make him our choice for governor . . . We think Nixon is the best-qualified to move Missouri forward.”  http://www.joplinglobe.com/editorial/local_story_298110221.html/resources_printstory

Independence Examiner: “His stated priorities -- jobs, education, health care -- are in line with Missouri’s current pressing needs. . . It’s also worth noting that Nixon has been in the area, making his pitch and listening to people. Hulshof just hasn’t been visible around here.”
http://www.examiner.net/opinions/x1157496103/Our-Opinion-Govenor-Nixon

Jay Nixon Wins Final Debate; Outlines Agenda to Bring Change and Highlights Fiscally Conservative Record

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Congressman Hulshof unable to defend his record of reckless spending in Washington: 11,000 earmarks and record deficits

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- In tonight's final gubernatorial debate, Attorney General Jay Nixon outlined his agenda to bring about the change that Missouri families need, and highlighted his long record of running a fiscally responsible government agency. Congressman Kenny Hulshof, meanwhile, was unable to defend his Washington record of wasteful spending and gave Missourians no reason to believe he is capable of managing the state's budget.

"There is only one fiscally responsible candidate in this race, and that's Jay Nixon," said Oren Shur, Nixon's campaign spokesman. "While Congressman Hulshof has been in Washington voting for 11,000 earmarks and record deficits, Jay Nixon has balanced budgets and saved the taxpayers money. The Congressman was asked to defend his votes for reckless earmarks, and he was unable to, because those votes are indefensible. If Congressman Hulshof can't explain why he voted for hundreds of millions in wasteful earmarks, why should Missourians trust him to oversee our state's budget? Here in Missouri, we don't print money like Congressman Hulshof is used to doing out in Washington."

When Congressman Hulshof was asked to specifically defend his up-or-down votes for wasteful earmarks, he dodged the issue and failed to account for his Washington record. The Congressman did, however, remind Missourians that he voted for the Bridge for Nowhere.

See the attached document for a comparison of the candidates' records on fiscal responsibility.

Missouri's Major Newspapers Endorse Jay

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Missouri’s newspapers know Jay Nixon will bring about the change we need.

Jay has picked up the following major newspaper endorsements:

Click here to read the endorsement

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Attorney General Nixon Discusses Economy, Next-Generation Jobs with Boeing Aerospace Workers

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

In Final Weeks of Campaign, Nixon Will Host Economic Discussions with Innovators, Workers Across Missouri

HAZELWOOD, Mo. – Moving into the final weeks of the gubernatorial campaign, Attorney General Jay Nixon today held an economic townhall meeting with aerospace workers and machinists from Boeing, its subsidiaries and related industries to kick off a series of discussions about creating next-generation jobs in Missouri. Over the next two weeks, Attorney General Nixon will meet with innovators across Missouri to discuss his priorities for attracting the jobs of the future to the state.

"Missouri is home to the best-trained, most productive workers in the world. Period. But during these difficult economic times, too many jobs are leaving our state," Attorney General Nixon said. "The failed policies of Washington, D.C., have made it easier big companies to move jobs overseas, and too many of our hardworking neighbors are getting squeezed. Missourians deserve a Governor who will fight to keep their jobs here and attract the jobs of the future. We've got to focus on job training and workforce development to prepare Missourians for next-generation jobs, and we must use tax credits and financial incentives strategically and efficiently to attract new investments. The failed policies of Washington won't solve this economic crisis. But with new ideas and bold leadership, the people of Missouri will."

To attract the jobs of the future to Missouri, Attorney General Jay Nixon today proposed:

To implement a Job Retention and Creation Tax Credit to retain and expand high-wage, next-generation jobs.

To study which infrastructure modifications must be made to make Missouri the most attractive location for the industries and jobs of the future. This includes implementing a Missouri Green Conversion Tax Credit to retool existing manufacturing plants with the technological innovations required to build the next generation of green products – from aircraft to automobiles to windmills.

To implement job-training programs to ensure that Missouri's workers are prepared to compete for these high-tech jobs. A well-educated workforce is the key to attracting employers.

To create an Advanced Technological Green Manufacturing Fund to provide funding for joint venture public-private research related to the design and manufacturing of next-generation products.

The downturn in the nation's economy has hit Missouri hard. According to data released this week by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Missouri's unemployment rate was 6.4 percent in September. Excluding the past few months, the last time Missouri's unemployment rate was this high was October 1991. Missouri's unemployment rate is higher than the national average, which is 6.1 percent. In addition, Missouri has lost more jobs in the past year than all eight of its bordering states combined. The average unemployment rate in Missouri's eight bordering states is 5.3 percent. [Analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Data, 10/21/08]

Today's economic townhall with Boeing aerospace workers and machinists comes on the heels of several similar meetings Attorney General Nixon has hosted recently with autoworkers from both St. Louis and Kansas City. At the end of the month, 2,400 Chrysler employees in Fenton will lose their jobs, and the Ford autoworkers in Kansas City have seen a significant decrease in truck sales in recent years.

Meanwhile, after a prolonged protest by the Boeing Corporation, the U.S. Department of Defense has halted the process of awarding a contract for next-generation Air Force tankers to a manufacturer from Europe. Had the contract gone to Boeing, the tankers would likely have been built in St. Louis. Under a decision by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, the contracting process will resume in 2009.

Additional discussions and tours relating to Attorney General Nixon's economic priorities will be scheduled over the next two weeks.

Missouri Firefighters Endorse Jay Nixon for Governor

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Firefighters, Police Officers and Other First Responders Supporting Jay Nixon for Governor

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Today, the members of the Missouri State Council of Firefighters officially announced their endorsement of Jay Nixon for Governor. The firefighters cited Attorney General Nixon's long-standing support for the public safety community as the key reason for their endorsement.

Members of the Missouri State Council of Firefighters joined with the Missouri State Fraternal Order of Police and other first responders to announce their endorsement this afternoon in Kansas City. The State FOP endorsed Attorney General Nixon earlier this year.

"When firefighters put our lives on the line to keep Missourians safe, we need to know that our Governor will stand with us and support our work," said Sherwood Smith, president of the Missouri State Council of Firefighters. "Over the years, Jay Nixon has always been there for us. He's been a firm supporter of firefighters and all those who work in public safety. Jay has pushed for legislation to help us do our jobs, and he's earned our trust and respect. For firefighters and everyone concerned about public safety, the choice for Governor is clear. Jay Nixon will bring about the change we need."

Jay Nixon, who was first elected Attorney General in 1992, has received the endorsement of numerous law enforcement agencies and leaders. Earlier this year, both the Missouri State Fraternal Order of Police and the St. Louis Police Officers Association endorsed his candidacy for Governor. These organizations endorsed Matt Blunt for Governor in 2004. Last week, Lt. Colonel Ron Neubauer (U.S. Marine Corps, Ret.), the former police chief of St. Peters, Mo., also endorsed Jay Nixon.

Senior Republican Legislator Endorses Jay Nixon for Governor

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Springfield Rep. B.J. Marsh: "Jay Nixon will work across the aisle to get things done for Missouri families."

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Republican Rep. B.J. Marsh (R, Greene County - 136), a senior Member of the Missouri House of Representatives, today endorsed Attorney General Jay Nixon for Governor. Rep. Marsh, who represents the Springfield area, cited Attorney General Nixon's commitment to making college more affordable and his record of working across the aisle to deliver for Missouri families as the key reasons for his endorsement.

Rep. Marsh released the following statement today:

"Times are tough, and families in Missouri are hurting. Now more than ever before, we need a Governor who can bring this state together and get us moving forward again. I've known Jay Nixon for 20 years, and I know that he'll roll up his sleeves and get the job done, like he always has. I'm supporting Jay Nixon for Governor because I know, without a doubt, that he will bring about the change our state needs.

"As someone who is heavily involved at Missouri State University, I am particularly concerned about the ability of Missouri families to afford a college education. Tuition is skyrocketing, and too many students are graduating with tens of thousands of dollars of debt. Jay Nixon has put forward a plan, called the Missouri Promise, to create a pathway for middle-class students to get a four-year degree and graduate debt free. Jay Nixon knows we must help prepare our young people to compete in the new economy.

"Jay Nixon also understands that in order to turn this economy around, we must get serious about embracing science and technology. From life science to plant science to new energy solutions, Jay will fight to bring next generation jobs here to Missouri. That's the kind of leadership we need right now.

"For me, this election isn't about whether someone is a Democrat or a Republican. It's about electing the best candidate to move Missouri forward, and that's Jay Nixon. People know that I tell it like it is. Here's the deal: Jay Nixon will work across the aisle to get things done for Missouri families. Enough said."

Rep. B.J. Marsh was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1988 and serves as the Chairman of the Special Committee on Tourism.

Rep. Marsh is the latest in a series of Republicans and law enforcement leaders to endorse Jay Nixon for Governor. Other Republican leaders include: former Rep. Chuck Wooten of Springfield, Mayor Len Pagano of St. Peters and Lt. Colonel Ron Neubauer -- the former police chief of St. Peters. Attorney General Nixon also has received the endorsement of two organizations that endorsed Gov. Matt Blunt in 2004: the Missouri State Fraternal Order of Police and the St. Louis Police Officers Association.

New Nixon Campaign Ad: Congressman Hulshof Helped Create Economic Crisis, Yet Insists Missouri's Economy is Good

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Congressman Refuses to Defend Washington Record, Missouri Families Pay the Price

SAINT LOUIS, Mo. -- Attorney General Jay Nixon’s campaign has launched a new TV ad to contrast Congressman Kenny Hulshof’s failed economic record with Nixon’s agenda to turn this economy around and reduce government waste. After voting for the policies in Washington that helped create this economic crisis, Congressman Hulshof has come back to Missouri and continues to say that our state’s economy is in a “good place” -- an out-of-touch sentiment that he reiterated in Saturday night’s debate.

“Congressman Hulshof must be the only person in Missouri who thinks that our economy is better today than it was four years ago. Families in Missouri are hurting now more than ever,” said Oren Shur, Nixon’s campaign spokesman. “The election is just two weeks away. Is Congressman Hulshof really going to let Missourians go to the polls before they’ve heard an explanation for his votes that helped create this economic crisis? Congressman Hulshof helped create this economic crisis by voting to help companies ship Missouri jobs overseas, by voting for 11,000 earmarks and by voting to let Wall Street run wild. The Congressman clearly doesn’t want to talk about his Washington record, but the people of Missouri are waiting for answers.”

The Nixon campaign released the following ad on television stations statewide: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zZuMsYgBHM

n Saturday’s debate, Congressman Hulshof said that our economy is “better today than it was four years ago.” Several weeks ago, the Congressman said Missouri’s economy is in a “good place.”

In the past year, Missouri has lost more jobs than all of our bordering states combined, and the state’s unemployment rate is at a 17-year high.

Setting the Record Straight: Nixon Campaign Releases Facts to Debunk Hulshof Whoppers

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

SAINT LOUIS, Mo. -- Attorney General Jay Nixon’s campaign today released a fact sheet to debunk Congressman Kenny Hulshof’s recent string of whoppers. Unable to defend his Washington record on economic issues, Congressman Hulshof has resorted to attacks that media organizations have called “misleading,” “unfair” and “untrue.” [St. Louis Post-Dispatch Political Fix Blog, 09/15/08; St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 10/05/08]

After Congressman Hulshof wildly asserted in Saturday’s debate that Attorney General Nixon’s plans would cost the state $2.6 billion, the Congressman’s own campaign staff admitted in a press release that Nixon’s plans would cost just $326 million in new state funding. Throughout the debate, the Congressman went on to tell additional whoppers about his own record and his health care plan.

“Down in the polls and unable to defend his Washington record, Congressman Hulshof has resorted to telling whoppers and pulling numbers out of thin air,” said Oren Shur, Nixon’s campaign spokesman. “Congressman Hulshof can’t talk about the economic crisis, the issue most important to Missouri voters, because he voted for the failed Washington policies that caused it. So with just two weeks before the election, Congressman Hulshof has begun to panic. The Congressman’s Washington-style attacks and fuzzy math will only serve to remind voters why they can’t trust a Washington politician to run our state.”

CONGRESSMAN HULSHOF’S DEBATE WHOPPERS: FACT VS. FICTION

Spending

FICTION: Kenny Hulshof Claims Jay Nixon’s Plans Would Cost $2.6 Billion. During the Fox 2 debate, Kenny Hulshof claimed that Jay Nixon has proposed “$2.6 billion in additional spending.” [Fox 2 Gubernatorial Debate, 10/18/08]

FACT: Kenny Hulshof’s Claim Is So Wrong That It Has Already Been Debunked … By Kenny Hulshof’s Campaign. While Kenny Hulshof continues to incorrectly claim that Jay Nixon’s proposed plans would cost the state $2.6 billion, Kenny Hulshof’s campaign issued a press release on October 18, 2008, that acknowledged that Jay Nixon has only “proposed $326 million in new spending from state general revenues.” [Hulshof for Governor, Press Release, 10/18/08]

Health Care

FICTION: Kenny Hulshof Claims The Jay Nixon’s Health Care Plan Will Cost the State of Missouri $1.6 Billion. During the last two debates, Kenny Hulshof claimed that Jay Nixon’s health care plan will cost the state of Missouri $1.6 billion. [Fox 2 Gubernatorial Debate, 10/18/08; KCUR Gubernatorial Debate, 10/9/08]

FACT: Jay Nixon’s Health Care Plan Will Cost $265 Million In General Revenue. Jay Nixon’s health care plan costs $265.4 million in general revenue. This figure was provided by the Blunt administration’s Department of Social Services. According to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial, the $1.6 billion claim “Mr. Hulshof used is inflated and misleading because it combines the federal and state shares of Medicaid costs. In fact, the federal government pays more than 60 percent of the cost of Medicaid. When Missouri cut more than 100,000 people from those programs, it also lost hundreds of millions of dollars in federal money.” Even Kenny Hulshof acknowledged this when he said during the Fox 2 debate that Jay Nixon’s health care plan was a “$265 million hit to general revenue.” In an earlier press release about his plan to use money from the rainy day fund, Congressman Hulshof also said “…instead of spending $265 million to put people back [on Medicaid], as Jay Nixon has proposed,” the $265 million should be used for a job-creation program. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 10/13/08; Fox 2 Gubernatorial Debate, 10/18/08; Hulshof for Governor, Press Release, 10/16/08]

Cost To Missouri

FICTION: Kenny Hulshof Claims His Health Care Plan Will Cost the State of Missouri $50 Million. At the Fox 2 debate Kenny Hulshof claimed his health care plan will cost “$50 million to general revenue.” [Fox 2 Gubernatorial Debate, 10/18/08]

FACT: Kenny Hulshof’s Campaign Has Already Admitted His Plan Will Cost the State of Missouri $508 Million. Implementing Kenny Hulshof’s plan would cost the state of Missouri $508 million. On the day the Congressman announced his plan, he first said it would cost $50 million. Then, later that day, the campaign said it would be closer to $70 million. Finally, by the end of the day, the Congressman’s campaign admitted that the plan would cost $590 million in total ($508 in state funds and $82 million in matching funds). The Hulshof campaign later was forced to say that “there was no attempt to pull the wool over anybody’s eyes.” [St. Louis Post-Dispatch Political Fix, 8/26/08; AP, 8/31/2008]

Drawing Down Federal Funds

FICTION: Kenny Hulshof Is Distorting The Facts Comparing His Health Care Plan’s Ability To Draw Down Federal Funds To Jay Nixon’s Plan. At the Fox 2 debate Kenny Hulshof claimed that his plan “access[es] federal dollars just as [Jay Nixon’s] does.” [Fox 2 Gubernatorial Debate, 10/18/08]

FACT: Jay Nixon’s Plan Draws Down $431 Million In Federal Funds Compared To Kenny Hulshof’s $82 Million. Kenny Hulshof misleadingly compared his plan’s federal matching funds to Jay Nixon’s plan. Kenny Hulshof’s plan would draw down would just $82 million in new federal health care matching dollars. Jay Nixon’s health care plan, on the other hand, would draw drown $431 million in federal funds. [Associated Press, 8/31/08]

State Children’s Health Insurance Program

FICTION: Kenny Hulshof Claims He Helped Write SCHIP. Fox 2 Debate: “I helped write the Children’s Health Insurance Program out of the federal government in 1997.” KCUR Debate: “On children, I helped write the bill. I’m going to get blamed for all the sins of Washington; I should get some of the credit too. Back in 1997 when Bill Clinton was in office, we passed the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, SCHIP.” [Fox 2 Gubernatorial Debate, 10/18/08; KCUR Gubernatorial Debate, 10/9/08]

FACT: There Is No Evidence To Support Hulshof’s Claim That He Helped Write SCHIP. SCHIP, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, was created in 1997 as part of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. While Hulshof did vote for this huge budget bill, there is no evidence that he “helped write it.” Hulshof did not sponsor or co-sponsor the bill or other SCHIP-related legislation in 1997. [HR 2015, 1997]

Taxes

FICTION: Kenny Hulshof Claims He Has Never Voted For A Tax Increase. During the last two debates, Kenny Hulshof claimed he never voted for a tax increase. [Fox 2 Gubernatorial Debate, 10/18/08; KCUR Gubernatorial Debate, 10/9/08]

FACT: Kenny Hulshof Has Voted For Tax Increases. For example, Kenny Hulshof, in 1997, voted to tax airline tickets and air cargo. In another example, Hulshof, on November 9, 2007, voted against a bill “to shield more than 23 million Americans from a tax hike … under the alternative minimum tax – and hit up wealthy managers of private equity firms and hedge funds to make up the difference.” This was “a $73.8 billion measure to protect millions of families from the alternative minimum tax and offer new tax breaks to middle-income homeowners and low-income parents.” It offered “a mortgage interest deduction to families that do not itemize their deductions and expanded tax rebates to working parents too poor to pay the income tax.” [House of Representatives Vote 27, 1997; House of Representatives Vote 1081, 2007; The Associated Press, 02/26/97; The Washington Post, 11/10/07; Los Angeles Times, 11/10/07]

FICTION: Kenny Hulshof Claims Jay Nixon Always Voted For Tax Increases. During the KCUR debate Kenny Hulshof claimed Jay Nixon, while he was a legislator, “always voted for a tax increase” and “voted for every single [tax increase].” [KCUR Gubernatorial Debate, 10/9/08]

FACT: Jay Nixon Voted To Cut Taxes and Against Tax Increases. When Jay Nixon was in the state legislature, he voted to cut taxes, including taxes paid into the Second Injury Fund, taxes on groceries, and taxes on investors in small businesses. Jay Nixon also voted against increasing taxes numerous times, including sales taxes, taxes on insurance policies and aviation fuel taxes. [House Bill 1244, 1988; Senate Bill 204, 1987; Senate Bill 620, 1992; House Joint Resolution 58, 1988; House Bill 423, 1991; House Bill 279, 1989; Senate Bill 473, 1992]

Legislative Committee Contributions

FICTION: Kenny Hulshof Claimed He Was Not Accepting Legislative Committee Contributions. At the KCUR debate, when asked if he had accepted any legislative committee money since the repeal of contribution limits, Kenny Hulshof replied, “Not to my knowledge.” [KCUR Gubernatorial Debate, 10/9/08]

FACT: Kenny Hulshof Has Accepted More Than $270,000 In Legislative Committee Contributions Since The Repeal Of Contribution Limits. Kenny Hulshof has accepted $271,431 in legislative committee contributions since the repeal of contribution limits. He even reported contributions the day before and the day after his debate denial. [Missouri Ethics Commission Data]

Another Republican Leader Endorses Jay Nixon for Governor

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Former St. Peters Police Chief, Marine Corps Colonel Says Nixon Will Keep Families Safe, Move Missouri Forward

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – Lt. Colonel Ron Neubauer (USMC, Ret.), a Republican who was chief of police in St. Peters, Mo., for 14 years, today announced his strong endorsement of Attorney General Jay Nixon for Governor. Colonel Neubauer cited Attorney General Nixon's integrity, independence and support for law enforcement as the reasons for his endorsement.

"I've been a Republican all my life, but this year's election is more important than a political party. I'm absolutely certain Jay Nixon is the right person to bring about the change Missouri needs," Lt. Colonel Neubauer said. "During my 14 years as chief of police in St. Peters, I worked closely with Jay to keep our community safe and secure, and I was always impressed by Jay's unwavering support for our law enforcement officers. Jay is one of the most ethical people I've ever known. Jay is a man of his word, and he has the experience and knowledge to move our state forward. We need a leader who will manage our state with fiscal responsibility, support law enforcement and reach across party lines to turn things around. Without a doubt, that leader is Jay Nixon."

Lt. Colonel Neubauer served in the U.S. Marine Corps for 21 years and retired as the Corps' director of law enforcement and corrections. After his military career, he served as a chief of police for 17 years; for 14 of those years, he led the police department in St. Peters. During his tenure in St. Peters, he served in various leadership positions of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, including a term as the organization's President from 1998 to 1999. After retiring from the St. Peters Police Department in 2002, Lt. Colonel Neubauer joined the U.S. Transportation Security Administration in Washington, D.C., and faced the challenge of increasing security at airports across the United States. In June 2004, Lt. Colonel Neubauer returned to Missouri to become the executive director of the Eastern Missouri Police Academy.

Lt. Colonel Neubauer is the latest in a series of Republican and law enforcement leaders to endorse Jay Nixon for Governor. Other Republican leaders who have endorsed Jay Nixon include Mayor Len Pagano of St. Peters and former State Rep. Chuck Wooten of Springfield. Attorney General Nixon also has received the endorsement of the Missouri State Fraternal Order of Police and the St. Louis Police Officers Association.

Nixon for Governor Reports $3.1 Million in Bank

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

SAINT LOUIS, Mo. -- Today, Jay Nixon for Governor will report $3.1 million on-hand on its third-quarter finance report.

The Nixon campaign raised nearly $3.8 million in September and more than $5.25 million in the third quarter of 2008. The campaign has now received nearly 25,000 individual contributions, the majority of which were of $100 or less.

"As Missourians struggle to make ends meet during this economic crisis, they’re looking for a Governor who will take the state in a new direction. And that’s why so many Missourians are uniting behind Jay Nixon in this race. Missourians know that Jay Nixon is the only candidate who can turn this economy around and bring about the change we need," said Oren Shur, Nixon’s campaign spokesman. "In Washington, Congressman Hulshof helped create this economic crisis, which has hit families in our state so hard. Nobody wants to bring those failed Washington policies back here to Missouri."

The finance report summary page can be downloaded here.

Jay Nixon's Campaign Airs Two New TV Ads to Stress Differences with Congressman Hulshof on Economy

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Attorney General Jay Nixon’s campaign has launched two new TV ads to stress the key differences on economic issues between Nixon and Congressman Kenny Hulshof. One ad highlights Attorney General Nixon’s hometown values when it comes to protecting Missouri jobs, and the other new ad exposes Congressman Hulshof’s record in Washington, which contributed to the current economic crisis.

“Jay Nixon grew up in a small town, and he understands that regular Missouri families are hurting,” said Oren Shur, Nixon’s campaign spokesman. “That’s why he has put forward a plan to get our economy back on the right track by creating next-generation jobs and helping families afford college. In Washington, Congressman Hulshof helped create this economic crisis by voting for one failed economic policy after another. Here in Missouri, he turns a blind eye and continues to say that the state’s economic climate is strong. Clearly, Congressman Hulshof has been in Washington too long and just doesn’t get it. By voting to help big corporations ship Missouri jobs overseas and to let the big shots on Wall Street run wild, Congressman Hulshof has made it clear who’s side he’s really on. That’s not the kind of change we need here in Missouri.”

The first ad, “Hometown” can be viewed on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiQCC2zrK2w

The second ad, “Stick,” can be viewed on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGytwcAEeK0

Both ads are airing on network television stations in markets across the state. Yesterday’s Kansas City Star reported that the Nixon campaign is outspending Congressman Hulshof on television by nearly a 3-1 margin.

KennyCare v. JayCare

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Backs Jay Nixon's Health Care Plan Over Congressman Hulshof's

When pollsters asked Missouri voters to name the most important issues last month, the economy was first, with health care right behind it.

In fact, the two issues are one and the same.

Skyrocketing health costs and the lack of affordable health insurance are leading contributors to the economic insecurity that plagues many middle-class families.

That makes the health care proposals of Republican Kenny Hulshof and Democrat Jay Nixon, both of whom want to be governor, of crucial importance. A close analysis of both illustrates stark differences in the candidates’ philosophies:

— Mr. Nixon would restore insurance coverage to tens of thousands of Missourians who lost it as a result of Gov. Matt Blunt’s Medicaid cuts in 2005. He believes government has a responsibility to provide coverage to people who, because of ill health and poverty, never have been well-served by commercial market forces.

— Mr. Hulshof, in contrast, would create what he describes as a "new marketplace" in which people could buy coverage for themselves and their families. Those who couldn’t afford to buy insurance would receive policies paid for by the state. Although his plan also relies on government to pay, Mr. Hulshof would use private insurance to cover people those companies typically have worked hard to avoid insuring.

There are two other important differences between the candidates’ proposals: what insurance actually would cover and how much it would cost state taxpayers.

What would it cover?

Mr. Nixon would restore comprehensive Medicaid coverage to thousands of working poor families. Under Medicaid, anyone who meets income qualifications is entitled to receive the medical care they need. That approach has proven to be better at controlling chronic illnesses.

Mr. Nixon says that Missourians who get health coverage through their jobs — the overwhelming majority of state residents — also would benefit from his plan. Extending coverage to some of the uninsured would drive down costs for everyone else, he maintains.

That’s because it would reduce the so-called cost-shift: the higher prices hospitals and doctors charge privately insured patients to make up the costs of caring for the uninsured.

Health economists generally accept that the cost shift adds to insurance premiums, but they disagree over how large a factor it is.

Mr. Hulshof would rely on Health Savings Accounts, plans with high deductibles. These policies don’t start paying for care until after the insured person has paid substantial amounts out of pocket.

Under Mr. Hulshof’s plan, participants would be expected to pay 5 percent of their incomes as their share of the plan’s expenses. They would receive up to $500 per year in preventive care.

People in ill health and with few financial resources, a common combination among low-income working people, often find it hard to come up with cash for out-of-pocket health expenses. Faced with such circumstances, they often put off getting care until their condition is more advanced and difficult — not to mention more expensive — to treat.

What would it cost?

The theory behind HSAs is that health costs are rising rapidly because comprehensive insurance coverage leads people to get medical care they don’t really need. Making them pay a greater share of the costs would cut down on unnecessary care and make people shop for better prices.

But most health care economists say that other factors play a much bigger role in driving up health spending. Chief among them is the rapid embrace of new technologies that often are only marginally better than what they replace — but are much more expensive.

Neither candidate’s approach matters very much if there’s no way to pay for it. The candidates make this point themselves.

Mr. Hulshof, for example, repeatedly has said that his opponent’s plan is too expensive. He charged during a debate last week that it would have cost state taxpayers $1.6 billion this year if Gov. Matt Blunt’s Medicaid cuts had not been made. Mr. Nixon, of course, wants to reverse those cuts.

But the number Mr. Hulshof used is inflated and misleading because it combines the federal and state shares of Medicaid costs. In fact, the federal government pays more than 60 percent of the cost of Medicaid. When Missouri cut more than 100,000 people from those programs, it also lost hundreds of millions of dollars in federal money.

Federal funds come from taxpayers, too. But Missourians didn’t benefit when the Blunt administration turned down those federal funds. Instead, the money went to other states.

Mr. Nixon says the real cost of restoring Medicaid would be $265 million in state tax revenue, most of which would come from so-called provider taxes, not those paid by ordinary taxpayers. That $265 million in state funds would generate $431 million in federal funds — money that would be spent providing health care and creating, according to Mr. Nixon, an estimated 11,500 new jobs.

Mr. Hulshof says his plan would cost state taxpayers much less — just $50 million in direct costs and another $10 million to $20 million in tax incentives. But those figures come with a big caveat.

Mr. Hulshof proposes to take as much as $1.8 billion from a private organization: the Missouri Foundation For Health. It’s questionable whether that would be legal. If nothing else, any state attempt to take the foundation’s assets would provoke an extended legal fight.

The Missouri Foundation For Health was created after Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Missouri, a nonprofit corporation, was transformed into a for-profit company called Right Choice. At the time, Attorney General Nixon said that the change amounted to an illegal transfer of funds that had been accumulated by a nonprofit entity. He sued to recover the money and won, and, in 2000, the Missouri Foundation for Health was created.

The Missouri Foundation is not unique — similar stories lie behind the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City, the Deaconess Foundation and the Incarnate Word Foundation.

It underwrites the cost of health programs all across Missouri to the tune of millions of dollars every year. It pays to provide cervical cancer vaccine to low-income and uninsured women. It pays for dental, primary care, tobacco-education and health-literacy programs. Its grants pay for invaluable professional research on health matters used to guide policymakers’ decisions.

Mr. Hulshof’s health care plan is entirely dependent on getting hold of the Missouri Foundation’s assets. Absent any clear legal authority to do so — and having firmly pledged not to raise taxes — Mr. Hulshof’s health care plan probably would be dead on arrival.

What’s realistic?

Even under optimal conditions, neither candidate’s proposal could be implemented immediately. Both would require approval from — and almost certainly would be altered by — the Legislature.

Even so, both proposals provide insight into how the candidates would approach the job of governing. By that standard, Mr. Hulshof is proposing a fig leaf of a plan. He claims that it would cover more people, but there is scant evidence of that. Even if it did, the extent of the coverage would be limited.

Mr. Hulshof says his plan would cost less. But little of the spending he outlines would qualify for matching federal funds, which are the most efficient way to get the most bang for state taxpayers’ health care bucks. And his plan relies on a source of funding that probably will not be available.

Mr. Nixon’s plan relies on an older model of providing coverage. But that system has the advantage of having operated in the real world, where, over the years, it has done a better job of holding down health spending than private health insurance plans.

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Springfield Republican Leader Endorses Jay Nixon for Governor

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Former Rep. Chuck Wooten Says Jay Nixon will "get our state back on the right track"

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Former State Rep. Chuck Wooten (R-Greene County) today announced his endorsement of Attorney General Jay Nixon for Governor, citing Nixon’s record of cracking down on crime and commitment to Missouri’s veterans.

"As a veteran and former member of the Missouri House, I'm proud to strongly support Jay Nixon for Governor," Rep. Wooten said. "During his 16 years as Attorney General, Jay has always been tough on crime, and he has always stood up for veterans. I know he’d do the same as Governor. Too often, Washington has let us down when it comes to making sure we have the health care and benefits we deserve. Over the years, I’ve gotten to know Jay Nixon, and I know he’s the right man for the job. He’ll get our state back on the right track."

Former Rep. Wooten, a veteran of the Navy, represented Greene County (District 137) in the Missouri House of Representatives. Prior to that, Rep. Wooten served as the Mayor Pro Tem of Springfield and as a member of the Springfield City Council.

Rep. Wooten is the latest Republican to endorse Attorney General Nixon for Governor. A couple weeks ago, St. Peters Mayor Len Pagano, a Republican, endorsed Nixon. Today, the Kansas City Star reported that Congressman Kenny Hulshof is having problems gaining traction among Republicans. (See the Star article: http://www.kansascity.com/775/v-print/story/838315.html)

As Rep. Wooten noted in his endorsement, Attorney General Nixon has a strong record of standing up for Missouri veterans:

Jay Nixon Obtained $900,000 Judgment For Missouri Veterans Needing Daily Medical And Skilled-Nursing Care. Jay Nixon’s office, in May 2008, representing the Missouri Veterans Commission in court, secured more than $900,000 from the federal government as reimbursement for providing care at the veterans home in Warrensburg. The settlement could help "seven veterans homes operated by the State of Missouri, which provide 24-hour medical care and skilled nursing care for eligible veterans." Although the federal government had denied the state’s claim for seven years, Jay Nixon continued to stand up for Missouri veterans – and finally secured these vital funds. [Missouri Attorney General’s Press Release, 5/21/08, http://ago.mo.gov/newsreleases/2008/Veterans_homes_to_receive_funds_after_court_ruling/]

Jay Nixon Stopped Web Site Operators Who Misrepresented Themselves As A Tax-Exempt Charity To Help Military Veterans; Obtained $20,000 Ruling. Jay Nixon, in March 2008, "obtained a temporary restraining order to stop an organization [RCT Development Association] in Independence from representing that it operates a tax-exempt charity to help military veterans…. Nixon said the defendants made several misrepresentations to potential donors, including claiming that donations would be tax-deductible." A month later, in April 2008, Nixon obtained a court order that would ensure that the organization "permanently stop representing that it operates a tax-exempt charity to help military veterans and its operators will jointly pay $21,851 in restitution, costs and penalties."
[Missouri Attorney General’s Press Release, 3-7-08; http://ago.mo.gov/newsreleases/2008/030708.htm ; Missouri Attorney General’s Press Release, 4-28-08, http://ago.mo.gov/newsreleases/2008/Court_order_against_RCT_Development_Association_Chris_Ann_McPherson_Russell_Rose_Timothy_Divers_Helping_Our_Heroes/]

Jay Nixon Has Helped Educate Veterans And Their Spouses About The Benefits Available From The Federal Government. Jay Nixon, in June 2008, alerted "Missouri veterans or their widows" that they "may be paying fees to help them access veterans benefits, when that assistance is free from several government agencies and non-profit organizations." Nixon said, "Some insurance companies, so-called veterans benefits specialists and others offer assistance for a fee to veterans and their family members with filling out forms, contacting the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and helping determine what level of benefit may be available. While it is not illegal to charge a fee for these services, Nixon reminds veterans and their families that there are a number of government agencies and non-profit organizations whose mission is to provide this assistance at no charge. Nixon says another risk is that the for-profit companies may give faulty advice about which benefits to apply for. That could cause consumers to be overpaid by the VA, which means they might have to repay money in the future." Nixon supplied Missouri veterans and their spouses with reputable organizations that provide free assistance to Missouri veterans and family members. [Missouri Attorney General Press Release, 6-24-08, http://ago.mo.gov/newsreleases/2008/Do_not_pay_for_veterans_benefits_you_can_get_for_free/]

Jay Nixon Wins Debate; Outlines Agenda to Bring the Change Missouri Needs

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Former Rep. Chuck Wooten Says Jay Nixon will "get our state back on the right track"

As Rep. Wooten noted in his endorsement, Attorney General Nixon has a strong record of standing up for Missouri veterans:

Jay Nixon Stopped Web Site Operators Who Misrepresented Themselves As A Tax-Exempt Charity To Help Military Veterans; Obtained $20,000 Ruling. Jay Nixon, in March 2008, "obtained a temporary restraining order to stop an organization [RCT Development Association] in Independence from representing that it operates a tax-exempt charity to help military veterans…. Nixon said the defendants made several misrepresentations to potential donors, including claiming that donations would be tax-deductible." A month later, in April 2008, Nixon obtained a court order that would ensure that the organization "permanently stop representing that it operates a tax-exempt charity to help military veterans and its operators will jointly pay $21,851 in restitution, costs and penalties."
[Missouri Attorney General’s Press Release, 3-7-08; Missouri Attorney General’s Press Release, 4-28-08]

Two New TV Ads Hold Congressman Hulshof Accountable for Failed Economic Record in Washington

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Jay Nixon's campaign for Governor has launched two new television ads: to set the record straight and to hold Congressman Hulshof accountable for helping to create this economic crisis in Washington. Both ads are airing statewide.

"Congressman Hulshof is running a deceitful and misleading campaign because he can't talk about the single most important issue to Missouri families, the economy," said Oren Shur, Nixon's campaign spokesman. "Congressman Hulshof can't talk about the economic crisis because in Washington, he helped create it. Congressman Hulshof has voted to help big companies ship Missouri jobs overseas, voted for thousands of wasteful earmarks and voted to give special breaks to Wall Street executives instead of middle-class Missourians. Families in our state are hurting and they won't be distracted by Congressman Hulshof's Washington-style attacks. That's not the kind of change we need here in Missouri."

Congressman Hulshof has voted for 90% of President Bush's economic policies, and the two campaigned together last week in Missouri.
Down in the polls and running out of time, the Congressman's attack ads have become increasingly desperate and misleading. The first Nixon for Governor ad responds to Congressman Hulshof's attacks and sets the record straight. Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcRKUfHEHJ8

The second Nixon for Governor ad directly holds Congressman Hulshof accountable for his votes in Washington that helped create this economic meltdown. Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuS8g5zidG0

Background information on Congressman Hulshof's Washington record on economic issues:

Congressman Kenny Hulshof Has "Been Supportive Of President Bush's Economic Policies." Republican Rep. Kenny Hulshof has "been supportive of President Bush's economic policies..." [Columbia Missourian, 11/03/2006]

Congressman Kenny Hulshof Has Voted With George W. Bush Nearly 90 Percent Of The Time On "Economic Affairs And Trade" Issues. Congressman Kenny Hulshof, from 2001 through 2007, voted with President George W. Bush 88 percent of the time on "economic affairs and trade" issues. [Congressional Quarterly Vote Studies, 2001-07]

Kenny Hulshof Voted To "Normalize China's Trade Relationship With The United States." Kenny Hulshof, on May 24, 2000, voted to pass H.R. 4444, which was a bill "to normalize China's trade relationship with the United States." This was a vote to set "the stage for the integration of the world's most populous nation into the global trading system." According to the Economic Policy Institute, "unbalanced U.S. trade with China since 2001 has had a devastating effect on U.S. workers. Between 2001 and 2007, 2.3 million jobs were lost or displaced, including 366,000 in 2007 alone." [House of Representatives Vote 228, 2000, The Associated Press, 05/25/00; The Washington Post, 05/25/00; USA Today, 05/25/00; Economic Policy Institute, 07/30/08, http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/webfeatures_snapshots_20080730]

Congressman Kenny Hulshof Has Continued To Defend His Vote To Normalize Trade Relations With China. Kenny Hulshof has continued to defend his vote for normalized trade with China. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 9/8/2008; Kansas City Star, 9/5/2008]

Kenny Hulshof Voted For Tax Breaks That Help Companies Move Job Overseas. Kenny Hulshof, on March 9, 2005, voted in the House Budget Committee against an amendment to H.Con.Res. 95 to "create a reserve fund for revenues to be derived from ending the deferral by companies of income taxes paid on profits earned overseas. That would bring in $4.5 billion in fiscal 2006 and $32.7 billion over five years. The funds would pay for health insurance coverage for the uninsured and to increase coverage under Medicare and the State Children's Health Insurance Program." [CQ Congressional Committee Coverage of the House Budget Committee, 03/09/05]

Kenny Hulshof's Votes Preserved Tax Deferrals For Companies' Overseas Profits. "Profits earned in the United States are subject to the 35% corporate tax. But multinational corporations can defer paying U.S. taxes on their overseas profits until they return them to the USA – transfers that often don't happen for years. General Electric, for example, has $62 billion in ‘undistributed earnings' parked offshore, according to recent Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Drug giant Pfizer boasts $60 billion. ExxonMobil has $56 billion." "American multinationals can defer U.S. taxes indefinitely as long as profits are held in a foreign subsidiary." This "encourages multinationals to invest outside the United States rather than within it." [CQ Congressional Committee Coverage of the House Budget Committee, 03/09/05; USA Today, 03/21/08; James Kvaal, Title, 1 HARV. L. POL'Y REV. (Online) (Sept. 18, 2006),http://www.hlpronline.com/2006/07/kvaal_01.html]

Jay Nixon Outlines Education Agenda

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Nixon: "Every student in Missouri deserves a quality education and an opportunity to achieve his or her dreams."

Nixon pledges to veto any voucher bill that hits his desk

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- In a speech tonight before educators and school administrators, Attorney General Jay Nixon outlined his plan to strengthen Missouri schools and to make sure that every child in the state gets the quality education he or she deserves. As Governor, Jay Nixon will oppose legislation to divert resources from our public schools and will veto any voucher schemes that arrive on his desk.

"I believe all children in Missouri, no matter what town they're from or what their parents do for a living, deserve a first-class education. As a product of Missouri's public schools, I know that a good education is critical to achieving the American dream," Attorney General Nixon said. "Whether a student plans to attend college or is preparing to enter the work force or military, it's our job to make sure he or she has the tools needed to succeed. That means strengthening our public schools from the bottom up -- from expanding early childhood education to reinventing the senior year of high school. I respect the Missouri families who decide that private school is right for them, but public dollars should go towards strengthening our public schools. While Congressman Hulshof has put forward a voucher scheme, as Governor, I will veto any voucher bill that hits my desk. We must strengthen our public schools, not weaken them by pulling money away."

In his speech, Attorney General Nixon focused largely on his plans to (1) expand early childhood education, (2) reinvent the senior year of high school and to (3) veto any voucher legislation that reaches his desk.

Expanding early childhood education: Jay Nixon recognizes the importance of investing in early childhood education programs and of ensuring that parents have the tools to get their children off to a good start in school. He will provide funding incentives to encourage early childhood programs to participate and ensure the highest standards to prepare the next generation of Missouri children to succeed. Jay will implement a model quality-improvement and rating program for early childhood education that will promote achievement through accountability.
Reinventing the senior year of high school: Jay Nixon realizes that to prepare tomorrow's workers, a student's senior year in high school has to be about more than prom and graduation parties. Instead, students should be focused on what comes next. High schools should be helping them do so. College-bound students should be able to earn a full semester's worth of college credit during their senior year, potentially cutting their college costs and time by a full 12.5 percent, and preparing for the rigors of college academics. Students who want to enter the workforce immediately after college should start preparing to do so through valuable co-ops or internships and be eligible to receive credit toward a technical-training program for this experience. Helping students see beyond their senior year will motivate them to complete their high school diplomas and create more prepared college students and workers.
Strict opposition to vouchers: Jay Nixon strongly opposes private school vouchers under any guise. He does not think public tax dollars should be siphoned off to pay for a private education. Parents may choose to send their children to private schools, but taxpayers shouldn't be forced to subsidize that choice. Instead, Missouri should strengthen its public schools and make sure every child has access to a quality public education. As Governor, Jay Nixon will veto any proposals that contain vouchers or private school tax credits.

From kindergarten to law school, Attorney General Nixon is a product of Missouri's public schools, as is his wife, Georganne. Mrs. Nixon's father, Hubert Wheeler, was Missouri's Education Commissioner from 1945 to 1971. Both of Jay and Georganne's sons attend Missouri public schools.

In addition to the three items outlined above, Attorney General Nixon elaborated on the following education plans in his speech today:

Early Childhood Education and Intervention

Assisting school districts in starting and expanding early childhood education programs.
Implementing a model quality rating program to hold early childhood programs accountable.
Supporting and expanding "Parents as Teachers" in the challenged communities that need additional parental involvement most.

Strengthening K-12 Education

Fully funding public education, and working with the districts that have been adversely impacted by recent formula changes to see if common-sense adjustments can be made to accommodate funding disparities.
Developing a consistent measure to determine the state's drop-out rate, and then reduce the drop-out rate.
Reinventing the senior year so that college-bound students can earn at least a semester's worth of college credits through AP courses. And students who plan to enter the workforce directly should be allowed to earn credit toward a technical training program.
Strongly opposing vouches schemes, or backdoor vouchers under the guise of tuition tax credits, because public dollars should not be siphoned off to pay for private schools. As Governor, Nixon will veto any voucher bill that the legislature sends to his desk.

Strengthening Our Challenged School Districts in Urban and Rural Regions

Providing tax deductions for individuals who make donations to non-profits that are committed to improving public schools, and private-public partnerships to help schools in challenged districts.
Reestablishing local control, because local community support is critical to rebuilding the trust needed to make progress for our kids.
Reducing class sizes.
Using MOHELA to provide financial incentives, such as loan forgiveness or bonus pay, to recruit talented teachers and administrators to challenged school districts.

Supporting our Public School Teachers and Recruiting the Next Generation of Great Teachers

Increasing teacher recruitment and reinstating MOHELA-based loan-forgiveness programs for teachers.
Working with the State Board of Education to reduce the amount of paperwork created by failed mandates from Washington, such as No Child Left Behind.
Missouri currently ranks 43rd in the nation in teacher salaries. Jay will work to bring teacher salaries closer to the national average.

Creating a Safe Learning Environment

Reinstating the option of alternative schools to provide individualized attention for students who would otherwise be disrupting the classroom.
Accelerating background checks on school administrators and school staff.
Allowing principals to have access to juvenile criminal history records.

Nixon for Governor Statement on Congressman Hulshof's "Accountability" Plan

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

"If Congressman Hulshof wants to talk about the misuse of taxpayer dollars, he should take a long look in the mirror," Oren Shur, Nixon's campaign spokesman said. "In Washington, Congressman Hulshof voted for thousands of wasteful pork barrel projects like the ‘bridge to nowhere.' The Congressman even voted against measures to make those earmarks open and transparent, so at least the public could see which Congressman sponsored them. Here in Missouri, Congressman Hulshof refuses to say that he would turn over the public documents that Gov. Blunt has withheld from the people of Missouri.

"Let's not lose sight of what all these attacks are really about. Congressman Hulshof is down in the polls and running out of time, so he's beginning to panic and make desperate character attacks. Everyone is sick of the Washington-style politics that Congressman Hulshof is trying to bring back here to Missouri. That's not the change we need."

Several months ago Jay Nixon put forward his plan for widespread performance reviews to root out government waste and make government more efficient. Read more here: http://www.jaynixon.com/news/press_releases?id=0109

Setting the Facts Straight:

Jay Nixon sued the major tobacco companies on behalf of the people of the State of Missouri and won. Jay Nixon, in November 1998, announced a settlement of his lawsuit against major tobacco companies that will "bring $6.7 billion into the state over…25 years. Nixon said the record settlement amount and unprecedented concessions from cigarette manufacturers produced a package that was better than what the state could win from a jury or a court." "Besides paying the money, the tobacco companies… agreed to prohibitions against targeting youth with advertising, including the use of cartoon characters in ads and advertising on billboards." [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 10/20/98]

As a result of Jay Nixon's victory over the tobacco companies, Missouri has already received $1.4 billion from tobacco companies while paying no legal fees or expenses. "The Show Me State has received nearly $1.4 billion in the past 10 years" from tobacco companies from the abovementioned settlement. The tobacco companies, as part of the settlement, paid all of the legal bills and expenses related to this case. The taxpayers were not left to foot the bill for any of the legal bills or expenses. [St. Louis Business Journal, 04/16/08; St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 10/20/98]

Jay Nixon restored public confidence in the attorney general's office. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Jay Nixon "helped restore public confidence in an office badly tarnished by the activities of his predecessor, Republican William Webster, who ended up in federal prison." [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 10/22/96]

Jay Nixon's Statement on Bush-Hulshof Fundraiser Amidst Economic Crisis

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Following news reports that Congressman Kenny Hulshof's will hold a fundraiser with President Bush this evening in St. Louis, Attorney General Jay Nixon issued the following statement:

"The failed economic policies of President Bush, supported by Congressman Hulshof, have created what looks to be the worst economic crisis in more than a generation. While Washington is focused on bailing out Wall Street, the people of Missouri continue to feel the real pain of this broken economy. Families are struggling to pay the bills, jobs are leaving our state and everyone is worried about what the future will bring.

"We have an election around the corner and everyone is campaigning aggressively, but by embracing President Bush in the midst of this economic meltdown, Congressman Hulshof is reminding the people of Missouri why it's so important that we take our state in a new direction. After voting lockstep with President Bush to create this economic crisis, Congressman Hulshof is not the change we need here in Missouri. We simply can't afford it."

AP: Nixon says state's auto industry can revive

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Fenton -- Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jay Nixon outlined his plans for bolstering the state's auto industry Wednesday, meeting with auto workers in a St. Louis suburb hit hard by industry layoffs.  Nixon, currently the state attorney general, told Chrysler workers in Fenton that Missouri is a prime location for the auto industry to launch production of electric and other energy-efficient vehicles.  

"A whole new generation of vehicles is going to be made in this country, a whole new product line of demand," he told dozens of workers at a union hall near a Chrysler plant.  

"We are better positioned to meet that need. We gotta be there."  

Citing declining demand for minivans and pickups trucks, Chrysler cut a shift from the truck plant in early September and will close the minivan plant Oct. 31.  

Nixon's praise of Missouri autoworkers' efficiency and work ethic played well with his audience.  

Ben Harman, 43, of Ste. Genevieve, an autoworker half his life, is among the 2,400 autoworkers losing their jobs this fall in Fenton. With a 16-year-old son with cystic fibrosis, Harman isn't sure where he'll work, or get health insurance.  

"As a country, as a state, as an industry, and as individuals, we're in a crisis," Harman said.  Nixon said that as governor, he would use job training, tax breaks and other financial incentives to attract and retain next-generation auto jobs in Missouri.

Source: Associated Press

Jay Nixon Outlines Plans to Attract Next-Generation Auto Jobs to Missouri

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

FENTON, Mo. -- Speaking at a townhall meeting on Missouri’s economy with Fenton autoworkers today, Attorney General Jay Nixon outlined his plans to make Missouri a prime location for the automobile industry to create next-generation auto jobs and expand production of energy-efficient vehicles.

"While everyone is feeling the pain of this economic crisis, our auto industry has been hit particularly hard. As the auto industry begins to expand its production of energy-efficient vehicles, we must ensure that Missouri is ready to capitalize on these next-generation jobs," Attorney General Nixon said. "Missouri is already home to the best autoworkers in the world, and we’ve got the plants and facilities here as well. We just need to make sure our state government is ready to do its part to recruit these jobs to our communities.

"In Washington, Congressman Hulshof supported the failed policies that created this economic crisis. The Congressman voted for special tax breaks and unfair trade deals that help big corporations ship Missouri overseas. That’s not the change we need. As Governor, I will ensure that we use tax credits, job training and other financial incentives to strategically and efficiently make sure that high-quality jobs are created right here to the Missouri."

As Fenton braces for the loss of 2,400 Chrysler jobs at the end of the month, Attorney General Nixon said that as Governor, he would establish a panel of industry, economic and government experts to research the best means of attracting next-generation automobile jobs to Missouri. Specifically, Attorney General Nixon would charge the commission with finding the best combination of financial incentives, job-training programs and infrastructure improvements to make Missouri an optimal location for this high-tech, high-paying industry.

The Fenton layoffs will be the latest blows to Missouri's skyrocketing unemployment. Missouri's unemployment rate in August climbed to 6.6 percent - the highest unemployment rate in 17 years. Missouri has lost more jobs in the past year than all eight of its bordering states combined. [Analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics Data, 9/19/08]

To combat that rise in unemployment, and expand Missouri’s share of green-sector jobs, Attorney General Nixon proposed:

To implement a Job Retention and Creation Tax Credit to retain and expand high wage jobs in the manufacturing of next-generation green automobiles.
To study which infrastructure modifications must be made to make Missouri the most attractive location for the auto industry to create its next-generation jobs and implement a Missouri Green Conversion Tax Credit to retool existing manufacturing plants with the technological innovations required to build the next generation of green automobiles.
To implement job-training programs to ensure that Missouri’s auto-workers are prepared to compete for these high-tech jobs. A well-educated workforce is the key to attracting employers.
Create an Advanced Technological Green Manufacturing Fund to provide funding for joint venture public-private research related to the design and manufacturing of the next generation of green automobiles.

Nixon for Governor Statement on Congressman Hulshof's Education Plan

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

School Administrators Endorse Nixon for Governor Today

SAINT LOUIS -- Today, Congressman Hulshof put forward an education plan that amounts to little more than another voucher scheme -- a backdoor attempt to subsidize private schools with tax dollars. According to the Congressman's campaign, he plans to create a tax credit "which can be used for tuition or tutoring."

On the other hand, Attorney General Nixon supports tax deductions for business leaders and individuals who invest in public schools in challenged school districts.

"Congressman Hulshof wants to subsidize private schools with public tax dollars, and the people of Missouri won't have it," said Oren Shur, Nixon's campaign spokesman. "Instead of using taxpayer dollars for private schools, Jay Nixon believes we must encourage business leaders and other individuals to invest in our public schools. Today's announcement comes as no surprise, because in Washington, Congressman Hulshof also backed voucher schemes that take money away from our public schools. We don't need to bring Washington's failed education ideas back here to Missouri.

"There's a reason that the key teacher and education organizations have endorsed Jay Nixon for Governor. It's because Jay Nixon has a plan to strengthen our public schools, particularly in challenged school districts, and will firmly oppose voucher schemes. Jay also supports improved fiscal oversight of charter schools to make sure taxpayers are getting what they pay for. We can move our urban schools forward and make sure every Missouri child gets a quality education, but it won't happen with the same failed voucher schemes."

Earlier today, the Missouri Association of School Administrators announced its endorsement of Jay Nixon for Governor. After the organization met with both candidates for Governor, it concluded that Jay Nixon is "best suited to meet the challenges facing Missouri schools."

Jay Nixon believes the following steps must be taken to strengthen Missouri's challenged schools.

Tax Deductions For Contributions To Public Schools. Jay will ask local business leaders to invest in not-for-profit foundations to fund local educational priorities. Jay believes we must begin anew with the vision of our local schools as the crown jewel of the community. He will encourage public-private partnerships and private investment in challenged school districts by offering a way individuals and corporations can make tax-deductible contributions to help public education. Nowhere is this more important than in our challenged districts, where immediate investment and community buy-in are needed most.
Recruiting Talented Teachers To Challenged Districts. Jay will work with local communities, institutions of higher education and MOHELA to provide financial incentives to recruit highly talented teachers and administrators, such as loan forgiveness or bonus pay. This is especially important in the critical areas of math and science education.
Reducing Class Size. Working with local school leaders, Jay will set a goal of reducing class size in failing districts, starting in the early grades and working up.
Reestablishing Local Support. Even in those instances where the state has stepped in, Jay believes local community support is critical to rebuild the trust needed to make educational progress. As Governor, Jay will work hand in hand with parents, teachers and school administrators to find community-based, local solutions to meet their children's educational needs.
Making Sure Alternative Schools Are Available And Effective. Jay Nixon believes that alternative schools are especially important in challenged school districts, where dropout rates can soar to over 50 percent. As Governor, Jay will work with local leaders to see that every challenged school district has the option to send kids to a fully staffed alternative school to end disruptive behavior in the classrooms and provide individualized instruction where needed. He will see that local school districts are able to join with other districts if they so choose in forming an alternative school. These alternative schools will have a specifically tailored education and mentoring program to help troubled youth get on track to graduation. Jay will also seek to expand vocational- and technical-training opportunities for those who do not wish to go to college.

Nixon Campaign Statement on Hulshof's Proposal to Dismantle Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

In response, Attorney General Nixon’s campaign spokesman, Oren Shur, released the following statement:

“Politics should not be part of the judicial nomination process, and the Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan has served as a model for states across the nation. By dismantling the Court Plan, changing the Constitution and giving complete power to the Governor to appoint judges, the Congressman’s plan would bring more politics into the process. That’s a clear step in the wrong direction.

“Jay Nixon believes we need more transparency in the judicial selection process, but we must protect the nonpartisan court plan and keep politics out.

“Congressman Hulshof’s announcement today was clearly an attempt to distract Missourians from the most important issue facing our state, the economic crisis. Congressman Hulshof can’t defend his votes in Washington to help big corporations ship Missouri jobs overseas, so he’s desperately trying to turn everyone’s attention to something else. Missourians are hurting and our economy is in shambles, so the Congressman’s strategy won’t work.”

The Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan was approved by the voters in 1940 and has served as a model for states across the nation.

Republican St. Peters Mayor Endorses Jay Nixon for Governor to Create Missouri Jobs

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Mayor Len Pagano: Nixon Will Support Economic Development, Help Small Businesses Grow

ST. PETERS, Mo. – After Attorney General Jay Nixon and St. Peters Mayor Len Pagano, a Republican, toured the St. Charles County Economic Development Center this afternoon, Mayor Pagano announced his strong endorsement of Jay Nixon for Governor. Mayor Pagano cited Attorney General Nixon’s plans to promote economic development and help Missouri businesses create jobs as the reasons for his endorsement.

"We’re facing tough economic times, and many small businesses are struggling to keep their doors open," Mayor Pagano said. "The economic policies of Washington have made it too easy for big companies to ship good-paying, Missouri jobs overseas. Jay Nixon will fight to keep jobs here in our area, and he’ll work with local officials to bring new businesses to our communities. Fixing our broken economy isn’t a Republican issue or a Democratic issue. It’s an issue that affects all of us, and I know Jay Nixon can work across party lines to bring about the change we need."

In recent months, Attorney General Nixon has toured small-businesses and met with entrepreneurs in cities and towns around Missouri. Attorney General Nixon’s economic priorities focus on investing in Missouri’s workforce and helping small businesses create jobs.

"Missouri has lost too many jobs to other states and other countries," Attorney General Nixon said. "As Governor, I’m going to focus on helping our small businesses grow and bringing new, high-quality jobs to Missouri. To create new jobs, I believe we need to invest in Missouri’s greatest resource – its hardworking people. We need a better-educated, healthier workforce to compete in the 21st-century economy. With the support of Mayor Pagano and other community leaders, I know we can move Missouri in the right direction."

During this afternoon’s tour, Attorney General Nixon and Mayor Pagano visited several companies in the Economic Development Center’s small-business incubator facility. Small and emerging businesses are eligible to rent space in this facility for up to three years. The Economic Development Center provides shared services, such as workspace and meeting rooms, to help the businesses establish a firm foundation. Earlier this year, the incubator facility celebrated its 15-year anniversary and welcomed 12 new business tenants. Last year, 15 companies "graduated" from the incubator and moved out into the community.

Following today’s tour, Mayor Pagano will serve as co-host of a St. Charles County fundraiser to support Nixon for Governor. The fundraiser is closed to members of the press.

Background Facts on Missouri’s Economy:

In The Past Year, Missouri Has Lost More Jobs Than All Eight Bordering States Combined. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Missouri has lost more jobs in the past year than all of its bordering states combined. Since July 2007, Missouri has lost 14,700 jobs. In this time period, Missouri’s eight bordering states have gained 44,300 jobs combined. [Analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics Data, Total Nonfarm employees, July 2007, July 2008]

Missouri’s Unemployment Rate Reaches Highest Point In More Than A Decade. A recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that after 7,700 Missourians lost their jobs in July, the state’s unemployment rate has skyrocketed to 6.4 percent -- the highest mark in at least a decade. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, there are more Missourians out of work now (192,892) than at any point in time since 1984.

Missouri Press Association Gubernatorial Debate

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Jay Nixon Outlines Plans for Change; Hulshof Promises More of the Same

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- In today's gubernatorial debate, hosted by the Missouri Press Association, Attorney General Jay Nixon outlined his plans to change the direction of the state, while Congressman Kenny Hulshof continued to embrace the same failed policies from Washington and Jefferson City that have moved our state in the wrong direction these past few years.

"I truly believe that our state is at a crossroads. We can either continue down the same road with the same old policies, or we can take our state in a new direction," Attorney General Jay Nixon said today. "There is no question that the policies coming out of Washington and Jefferson City have hurt Missouri families these past few years -- and moved our state backwards. We need change; we must start moving forward again.

"In Washington, Congressman Hulshof has voted for so many of the failed economic policies that have hit Missouri families so hard. Policies that have caused thousands of Missouri jobs to go overseas. And now back in Missouri, he has embraced Gov. Blunt's agenda, including the decision to slash health care from hundreds of thousands of Missourians. Quite frankly, if the Congressman is elected, nothing will change at all.

"In this campaign, I have offered a different vision -- new, fresh ideas to bring about the change Missouri families need and deserve. Turning this economy around by investing in Missouri's greatest asset, its hardworking people. Fixing our healthcare system, which starts by restoring the health care cuts that have hurt so many Missouri families. And making sure that every child in Missouri gets the quality education he or she deserves."

In today's debate, Jay Nixon offered new, fresh ideas.

When asked what he would do as governor for a local couple receiving Medicaid benefits but facing skyrocketing health care prices, Jay Nixon put forward his plan to restore Matt Blunt's devastating health care cuts, drive down costs for all Missourians and bring about the change families need.
Jay Nixon put forth his plan for the Missouri Promise, a new program that builds on the existing A+ Schools Program, to provide middle-class Missourians struggling to afford a college education with a pathway to earn a four-year degree from a state college or university -- tuition free.
Talking about ethics and transparency in Government, Jay Nixon spoke directly about his plan to restore strict campaign contribution limits.

On the other hand, Congressman Hulshof promised only more of the same:

Kenny Hulshof Called Matt Blunt's Health Care Cuts "Forward Thinking." Kenny Hulshof, in February 2008, "lavished praise" on Matt Blunt and "lauded Blunt for making tough choices." When asked what Matt Blunt did well, Kenny Hulshof included "changes to the government health care system for the poor." He called the policies implemented by Matt Blunt in this area "forward thinking." [The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 02/18/08]

Kenny Hulshof Modeled His Health Care Proposal After Plans Which "Failed To Reduce The Cost Of Insurance." Kenny "Hulshof projects that his subsidies and tax incentives could help provide insurance to about 200,000 of the more than 700,000 Missourians now lacking it. He hopes the program would be such a good deal that the remaining 500,000 would choose to buy insurance through it on their own." "A close look at the plan suggests that such a goal may be overly optimistic. Such a result would reduce the ranks of the uninsured by 96 percent. Similar proposals in other states have come nowhere near persuading that many uninsured residents to buy health insurance." "Health policy specialists said similar programs in other states had failed to reduce the cost of insurance, and they questioned how such a marketplace could entice a half-million people to suddenly buy health insurance." [The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 08/31/08; Kansas City Star, 09/07/08]

Kenny Hulshof's Health Care Plan Doesn't Offer "Much Access" for Missouri Families. Kathleen Gillespie is an Associate Professor at the St. Louis University School of Health Management and Policy. She says plans like Hulshof's tend to favor healthy individuals with few medical needs. "‘It would have the effect of expanding coverage,' says Gillespie, ‘but, I think one downside is that most of the plans that qualify for health savings account favor very high deductibles, in the neighborhood of $5,000-$10,000 for a family coverage.'" University of Missouri-Kansas City health policy expert Arif Ahmed agrees with Kathleen Gillespie. "Hulshof's plan ‘has limited reach in solving the access problem,' Ahmed said. ‘It is really nothing new. These high-deductible plans are great for 25- or 26-year-olds who don't need much health care. But if you have a family of four, they don't offer much access' because out-of-pocket costs remain prohibitive." [KWMU, 08/27/08; Kansas City Star, 09/07/08]

Congressman Hulshof supports the MOHELA cuts. Matt Blunt, in 2006, called for the sale of MOHELA assets "to the highest bidder" and the use of the proceeds "to transfer $350 million to the state over six years to finance college building [and other] projects. The program is now cutting back on student lending programs and benefits, in part because of financial problems caused by this initiative, commonly referred to as the Lewis and Clark Initiative. Hulshof embraced Blunt's cuts to higher education access. [Kansas City Star, 01/31/06; Associated Press, 05/27/03]

Kenny Hulshof Said He Supports the Current Unlimited Campaign Contributions System. Hulshof supports the current campaign contributions system, including unlimited contributions from special interests and the campaign committee system.

Hopefuls differ on economy

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Chad Livingood, Springfield News-Leader

Republican Kenny Hulshof believes Missouri's manufacturing environment is good, citing a recent university study that says as much.

Democrat Jay Nixon takes a more pessimistic view, pointing to the fact Missouri has lost more jobs in the last year than its eight neighboring states as evidence that current public policies are not working.

Nixon contends Hulshof's support in Congress of free trade agreements with Central American countries, Mexico and China have led to the closure of manufacturers like Rolla's Briggs & Stratton and other outsourcing of middle class jobs overseas.

Hulshof and Nixon traded barbs Tuesday over the state of Missouri's economy during individual appearances at the Missouri Municipal League's annual conference at University Plaza Hotel in Springfield.

The two candidates laid out their plans to help Missouri's economy, which reported 6.7 percent unemployment in July -- the highest in 17 years.

A new television ad by Nixon quotes Hulshof as "recently" saying Missouri's economy "continues to be strong."

Hulshof made the statement in February, but has since changed his tune with 54 days to go until Election Day.

"Things aren't as good as they were seven months ago," Hulshof said.

Saying Nixon offers a "doom and gloom" outlook on the state's direction under Republican Gov. Matt Blunt, Hulshof cited a recent Ball State University study saying Missouri has one of the nation's best manufacturing business environments.

Hulshof credited worker compensation and lawsuit reform Blunt passed a few years ago as a reason for the high rating.

But when Hulshof was taking questions from the audience, Shonte Young, an alderman from Moline Acres in north St. Louis County, confronted him about his jobs plan.

Young said it does nothing for unemployed baby boomers who have spent most their working lives in manufacturing plants that have closed in recent years.

"My point is the climate in our state is better than others," Hulshof told Young. "Do you acknowledge that?"

"No, I don't acknowledge that because this state is suffering," said Young, a Democrat.

Hulshof laid out an optimistic view for Missouri's economy by touting how hardworking Missourians are, invoking his own life story as a boy from a farm in southeast Missouri who went from walking barefoot in cotton fields to walking the halls of Congress.

"I refuse ma'am, with all respect, that we have to play second fiddle to any state," Hulshof said, gathering applause.

To prepare Missouri's work force for 21st century jobs, Hulshof said he wants to put more resources into community college and technical school work force development and "fast track" permits for new businesses. He calls it the "Bipartisan Hulshof Plan."

Hulshof contends Nixon has flip-flopped on trade agreements after generally supporting them when he ran for U.S. Senate in 1998.

"Jay Nixon supported those trade agreements earlier in his career, now I guess he's opposed to them," Hulshof said.

Nixon has said he "expressed concerns" about the North American Free Trade Agreement when it was implemented in the mid-1990s.

"(Hulshof) is unable to defend his votes," Nixon said in a recent interview. "He's unable to defend his policies of giving tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas and to supporting unfair trade agreements."

During his speech, Nixon said Missourians need to embrace the economic development life sciences research could bring to the state, including the controversial use of human embryos for stem cell research.

"We can't have a 'Not open for business' sign when it comes to life sciences," Nixon said. "We've got to meet this new economy, not fear it."

Source: Springfield News-Leader

Attorney General Nixon Outlines Plans to Invest in Missouri Workforce, Create Jobs

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Nixon's Economic Priorities Stand in Stark Contrast to Congressman Hulshof's Votes Making It Easier to Outsource Missouri Jobs

Springfield, Mo. – In speeches today to the Missouri Municipal League and Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, Attorney General Jay Nixon contrasted his plans to jumpstart Missouri's faltering economy with Congressman Kenny Hulshof's Washington record of helping companies ship Missouri jobs overseas.

In his remarks, Attorney General Nixon highlighted the devastating impact outsourcing and unfair trade deals have not only on the employees whose jobs are sent overseas, but also on the entire community:

"When Missouri jobs get shipped overseas, it hurts Missouri families. It hurts Missouri's small businesses. It hurts Missouri's communities. Quite simply: It hurts everyone. Outsourcing Missouri jobs certainly generates economic growth in Beijing, or New Delhi or Jakarta. But it sure doesn't help Missouri's economy. Because when Briggs & Stratton shut its doors in Rolla and moved its plant to China, we didn't just lose jobs. We lost valuable members of our communities. We lost our Little League coaches and den mothers. ...

"Cities across our state have lost jobs because of these deals with China, where for cheap labor, you get cheap products. We lost jobs Neosho. In Thayer. In Warrenton. In St. Louis. In Kirksville. In St. Joseph and Ste. Genevieve. All across the state because of these trade deals with China. That's unacceptable. The economic policies of Washington, D.C., have failed. Why would we want to bring those same economic priorities from Washington back here to Missouri?"

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Missouri has lost more jobs in the past year than all eight of its bordering states combined. Since July 2007, Missouri has lost 14,700 jobs while its bordering states have gained a combined 44,300 jobs. Meanwhile, in July, Missouri's unemployment rate hit 6.4 percent – the highest mark in at least a decade. More Missourians are now out of work (192,892) than at any point in time since 1984. From 2001 to 2007, Missouri lost 45,400 jobs because of trade with China. [Bureau of Labor Statistics, Economic Policy Institute, "The China trade toll," http://www.epi.org/briefingpapers/219/china_jobs_2007_table_5-1.pdf <http://www.epi.org/briefingpapers/219/china_jobs_2007_table_5-1.pdf>]

The Nixon for Governor campaign's latest television advertisements, which are available on the YouTube Web site, underscore these economic facts:

"Border States": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po2-gzyDMus
"Jobs": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN6Dfo9pBDU

Jay Nixon: Investing in "Human Capital"

Attorney General Nixon today outlined his plans to invest in Missouri's people – in the state's "human capital" – to attract good-paying jobs and investment. Nixon said he believes the state must prioritize education and workforce development to bring new employers to Missouri. The Attorney General said Missouri must be a state that embraces, not fears, science and technology to attract the jobs of the future as well.

In his remarks, Attorney General Nixon said the state should use tax credits and economic incentives to encourage employers to create jobs here in Missouri – and revoke credits and incentives from employers who ship jobs overseas. As Attorney General, Jay Nixon has enforced laws to make companies pay when they break their promises and outsource jobs. In 1999, he sued IKON Office Solutions for violating the terms of a $500,000 state block grant, which was awarded to Jefferson City to complete infrastructure developments at the site of a proposed IKON remanufacturing and distribution center. When IKON announced that it was not going to complete the project and would consolidate the operations to Tijuana, Mexico, instead, Nixon sued, and IKON paid $500,000 to the Missouri Department of Economic Development.

As part of his plan, Attorney General Nixon has outlined a program, called the Missouri Promise, to create a pathway to a four-year degree for every middle-class student in the state. Building on the state's existing A+ Schools Program, the Missouri Promise would allow students who earn a two-year degree from a community college or technical school under the A+ Program, maintain a "B" average, complete community service hours and avoid disciplinary problems to finish their four-year degree at a public college or university – tuition free. [More details on the Missouri Promise are available here: http://www.jaynixon.com/news/press_releases?id=0101]

In addition, Attorney General Nixon called for a comprehensive approach to Missouri's energy problems, focusing on alternative sources, such as solar, wind, nuclear and biofuels, as well as expanded oil exploration and drilling.

Congressman Kenny Hulshof: Making it Easier to Send Missouri Jobs Overseas

Attorney General Nixon's plan to invest in Missouri's workforce stands in stark contrast to Congressman Kenny Hulshof's Washington record of helping to make it easier for big companies to ship good-paying jobs overseas. As the votes below show, Congressman Hulshof has spent his career in Washington making it easier for companies to ship Missouri jobs to foreign countries. And now, back here in Missouri, Congressman Hulshof continues to claim that the state's "economy generally is doing well." [Jefferson City News Tribune, 8/24/08]

Congressman Hulshof's voting record in Washington clearly shows where he has sided with big companies that received economic benefits by moving jobs overseas:

Congressman Hulshof Voted To Give Tax Breaks To Companies Moving Jobs Out Of The Country Rather Than To Provide Health Care To Children In Need. On March 9, 2005, Congressman Hulshof voted against the Allen amendment to H.Con.Res. 95, which would have "[created] a reserve fund for revenues to be derived from ending the deferral by companies of income taxes paid on profits earned overseas. That would bring in $4.5 billion in fiscal 2006 and $32.7 billion over five years. The funds would pay for health insurance coverage for the uninsured and to increase coverage under Medicare and the State Children's Health Insurance Program." [CQ Congressional Committee Coverage of the House Budget Committee, 03/09/05]

Congressman Hulshof Put Tax Breaks That Help Companies Move Jobs Overseas Ahead Of Veterans' Benefits. On March 9, 2005, Congressman Hulshof voted against the Edwards amendment to H.Con.Res. 95, which would have "[increased] discretionary funding for Function 700 (veterans benefits and services) by $1.6 billion in budget authority in fiscal 2006 and strike the reconciliation instruction that direct the Veterans' Affairs Committee to find $798 million in savings over five years. The cost would be paid for by ending the deferral by companies of income taxes paid on profits earned overseas. That would result in $32.7 billion in additional revenues over five years. The amount in excess of the funds required to increase Function 700 spending would be devoted to deficit reduction." [CQ Congressional Committee Coverage of the House Budget Committee, 03/09/05]

Kenny Hulshof's Votes Allowed Companies to Defer Paying Taxes on Overseas Profits. "Profits earned in the United States are subject to the 35% corporate tax. But multinational corporations can defer paying U.S. taxes on their overseas profits until they return them to the USA – transfers that often don't happen for years. General Electric, for example, has $62 billion in ‘undistributed earnings' parked offshore, according to recent Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Drug giant Pfizer boasts $60 billion. ExxonMobil has $56 billion." "American multinationals can defer U.S. taxes indefinitely as long as profits are held in a foreign subsidiary." This "encourages multinationals to invest outside the United States rather than within it." [CQ Congressional Committee Coverage of the House Budget Committee, 03/09/05; USA Today, 03/21/08;James Kvaal, Title, 1 HARV. L. POL'Y REV. (Online) (Sept. 18, 2006),http://www.hlpronline.com/2006/07/kvaal_01.html]

Kenny Hulshof Voted To "Normalize China's Trade Relationship With The United States;" Making it Easier for Briggs & Stratton to Ship Jobs from Rolla, Mo., to China. Kenny Hulshof, on May 24, 2000, voted to pass H.R. 4444, which was a bill "to normalize China's trade relationship with the United States." This was a vote to set "the stage for the integration of the world's most populous nation into the global trading system." According to the Economic Policy Institute, "Unbalanced U.S. trade with China since 2001 has had a devastating effect on U.S. workers. Between 2001 and 2007, 2.3 million jobs were lost or displaced, including 366,000 in 2007 alone."

Permanent Normal Trade Relations status made it easier to move jobs to China. Workers at Briggs & Stratton in Rolla, Mo., received trade adjustment assistance (TAA) after the U.S. Department of Labor, in 2006, determined that the "decline in employment" at the Rolla Briggs & Stratton plant was due to "a shift in production of vertical and horizontal Intek engines and quantum engines to China." [House of Representatives Vote 228, 2000, and The Associated Press, 05/25/00; The Washington Post, 05/25/00; USA Today, 05/25/00; Economic Policy Institute, 7/30/08, http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/webfeatures_snapshots_20080730 U.S. Department of Labor TAA Decision 59976]

Attorney General Nixon Kicks Off Aggressive Push for Votes in Rural Missouri

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Up U.S. 63 and down U.S. 65. South on Interstate 55 and across U.S. 60. Beginning this weekend, Attorney General Jay Nixon will take his campaign back to every corner of rural Missouri in an aggressive push to Election Day.

“During these difficult economic times, our rural areas are hurting,” said Oren Shur, Nixon’s campaign spokesman. “Manufacturing plants are shutting down, family farms are struggling, and good-paying jobs are getting shipped overseas. In Washington, Congressman Hulshof has voted to make it easier for companies to outsource Missouri jobs and harder for Missouri families to make ends meet. The last thing rural Missourians need is for a Washington politician to come back here and make matters worse. That’s not the change we need. During his 16 years as Attorney General, rural Missourians with mainstream values have come to trust Jay Nixon as an independent, effective leader. Whether it’s fighting crime, taking on corruption or standing up for working families, Jay Nixon has always delivered results. Jay Nixon is offering real change for rural Missourians, and we plan to pursue their votes aggressively these next eight weeks.”

When Attorney General Nixon began his campaign for Governor, he pledged to build a strong organization throughout rural Missouri, leaving no region out of his strategy. Following through on that commitment, Attorney General Nixon has attended hundreds of rural rallies and events, and toured dozens of agricultural businesses and farms during these past couple years. He has built an army of volunteers, donors and supporters that stretches across Missouri. In the final weeks of the 2008 campaign, Attorney General Nixon will return to every corner of rural Missouri to speak to local residents and get out the vote in these non-traditionally Democratic areas.

As a candidate for Governor, Jay Nixon is positioned to perform well throughout rural Missouri:

Jay Nixon has roots in rural Missouri. He grew up in DeSoto, a small town in Jefferson County (about an hour south of St. Louis), and attended public schools from kindergarten through law school. His parents were heavily involved in the community and public service. His father served as mayor of DeSoto and later as a municipal judge. Jay’s mother served as president of the local School Board and as member of the Park Board. Prior to his election as Attorney General, Jay Nixon represented Jefferson County for six years in the State Senate.

Jay Nixon has built the organization needed to win in rural Missouri. With a staff of nearly 90 full-time organizers and part-time canvassers working in the field, the campaign is now about to open its sixth office. To date, the campaign’s field staff and volunteers have contacted more than 1 million Missouri voters over the phone and nearly 70,000 voters at their doorsteps.

Jay Nixon has mainstream values and a record of standing up on key issues in rural Missouri. During his 16 years as Attorney General, Jay Nixon has developed a record of taking on corruption, fighting crime and supporting the law enforcement community. Earlier this year, the statewide Missouri Fraternal Order of Police announced its endorsement of Jay Nixon for Governor.

Jay Nixon has a record of winning in rural Missouri. In past elections, Jay Nixon has shown his strength as a candidate throughout rural Missouri, even in counties that often support Republican candidates. In both the 2000 and 2004 elections, Nixon received more votes than President George W. Bush – by a margin of 188,372 votes in 2000 and 137,129 votes in 2004. As the tables below indicate, Attorney General Nixon performed considerably better than the Democratic presidential nominee in counties throughout rural Missouri in these elections:

2004 Election Returns: Rural and Suburban Counties/Statewide

Region	County	Nixon	Kerry	Bush
Northeast	Adair	6,048	4,938	6,367
Northwest	Buchanan	22,962	17,799	19,812
Southeast	St. Francois	14,234	10,748	12,087
Southwest	Greene	63,463	46,657	77,885
Central	Callaway	11,047	6,559	11,108
Suburban	St. Charles	89,190	66,855	95,826
Statewide		1,592,842	1,259,171	1,455,713

2000 Election Returns: Rural and Suburban Counties/Statewide

Region	County	Nixon	Gore	Bush
Northeast	Adair	5,357	4,101	6,050
Northwest	Buchanan	20,855	16,423	17,085
Southeast	St. Francois	12,032	9,075	9,327
Southwest	Greene	54,018	41,091	59,178
Central	Callaway	9,701	6,708	8,238
Suburban	St. Charles	69,891	53,806	72,114
Statewide		1,378,296	1,111,138	1,189,924

In the coming weeks, the campaign will release the full schedule of Attorney General Nixon’s rural Missouri tour. For planning purposes, however, the campaign announced this tentative calendar today:

Weekend of Sept. 5-7 Southeast Kansas City

Including Warrensburg, Sedalia, Marshall and Independence

Weekend of Sept. 12-13 Northeast Missouri

Including St. Charles, Bowling Green and Canton

Weekend of Sept. 19-20 Southeast Missouri

Including Farmington, Caruthersville, Kennett and Sikeston

Weekend of Sept. 26-27 Route 63

Including Mexico, Moberly and Kirksville

Weekend of Oct. 3-4 Southwest Missouri

Including Joplin, Cassville, Branson and Springfield

Weekend of Oct. 10-11 Route 60

Including West Plains, Poplar Bluff and Dexter

Weekend of Oct. 17-18 Near Southeast

Including Jefferson County and Ste. Genevieve

Weekend of Oct. 24-25 Suburban Kansas City

Including Liberty and Higginsville

Times and locations for all these events are subject to change. The campaign will release a finalized schedule for each leg of the tour the week prior to the events.

Members of the media are welcome to cover Attorney General Nixon on his rural tour. For more details, and to ensure receipt of the media advisories and schedules, reporters and editors should contact the campaign’s press office at (314) 993-8686.

For photographs and notes from the campaign trail, please visit:

http://www.jaynixon.com/issues/rural

Nixon for Governor Releases New Television Ad Contrasting Economic Priorities

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

“In Washington, Congressman Hulshof voted for the failed economic policies that have caused Missouri to lose more jobs in the past year than all of our bordering states combined. Now, adding insult to injury, the Congressman is telling Missouri families that the economy is doing just fine,” saidOren Shur, Nixon’s campaign spokesman. “Clearly, the Congressman has been in Washington far too long. Missourians are struggling to make ends meet, and they’re desperately ready for change. That change certainly won’t happen by electing a Washington politician who can’t even see that a problem exists.”

Attorney General Nixon’s new ad, which is airing in markets across the state, can be viewed here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po2-gzyDMus

In Washington, Congressman Hulshof helped create the economic problem:

Congressman Hulshof Has Voted With George W. Bush Nearly 90% Of The Time On “Economic Affairs And Trade” Issues. Kenny Hulshof, from 2001 through 2007, voted with President George W. Bush 88 percent of the time on “economic affairs and trade” issues. [Congressional Quarterly Vote Studies, 2001-07]

Congressman Hulshof Has “Been Supportive Of President Bush’s Economic Policies.” Rep. Kenny Hulshof has “been supportive of President Bush’s economic policies . . . ” [Columbia Missourian, 11/03/06]

In Missouri, Congressman Hulshof doesn’t think an economic problems exists:

Congressman Hulshof: “The State Economy Continues To Be Strong.” [Kenny Hulshof Press Conference, Columbia , Mo. 2/4/08]

Congressman Hulshof: “The Economy Generally Is Doing Well.” On August 24, the Jefferson City News Tribune reported, “Hulshof, a Republican, said the economy generally is doing well.” [ Jefferson City News Tribune, 8/24/08]

Congressman Hulshof: “ Missouri’s Economy Is Going Strong.” During Congressman Hulshof’s campaign kickoff for Governor, the Columbia Missourian reported: “Hulshof also called the national economy shaky . . . although he maintained that Missouri ’s economy is going strong.” [ Columbia Missourian, 2/4/08]

Meanwhile, Missouri has lost more jobs in the past year than all 8 border states … combined:

Missouri Has Lost More Jobs Than All 8 Bordering States Combined In The Past Year.According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Missouri has lost more jobs in the past year than all of its bordering states combined. Since July 2007, Missouri has lost 14,700 jobs. In this time period, Missouri’s eight bordering states have gained 44,300 jobs combined. [Analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics Data, Total Nonfarm employees, July 2007, July 2008]

A Comparison of Health Care Plans

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

SAINT LOUIS -- Now that news reports have revealed the actual cost of Congressman Kenny Hulshof's health care plan ($590 million), a quick comparison of the candidates' plans reveals that the Congressman's plan costs the state more than Attorney General Jay Nixon's, but will do less to cover Missourians and drive down costs for families.

In addition, only Jay Nixon's plan will draw down hundreds of millions of new federal health care dollars -- which will not only help fix the state's health care crisis, but according to an op-ed in yesterday's Post-Dispatch, it will also create 11,500 new jobs and generate $890 million in new economic activity for the state. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Op-Ed, 9/2/08]

"Congressman Hulshof's plan costs the state more, but it does less to make health care more affordable for Missouri families," said Oren Shur, Nixon's campaign spokesman. "We need a significant change from Matt Blunt's failed health care policies, but Congressman Hulshof is basically offering more of the same. Congressman Hulshof continues to support Gov. Blunt's massive health care cuts, and like Blunt, he wants to continue turning away hundreds of millions of federal health care dollars. At a time when our health care system is broken and costs are skyrocketing for families, we cannot afford to keep sending our tax dollars to other states to pay for their health care needs. For both our broken health care system and our lagging economy, we need that money right here in Missouri.

"We need to significantly reduce the number of uninsured, cover our kids and make health care more affordable for families. Congressman Hulshof's plan will not do any of that. Under Congressman Hulshof's plan, the only sure winner is the insurance companies. That's not the change we need."

Reducing the Number of Uninsured Missourians

Attorney General Nixon's Plan: Will restore coverage and benefits to the hundreds of thousands of Missourians who had it slashed by Gov. Blunt in 2005.

Congressman Hulshof's Plan: Congressman Hulshof continues to support Blunt's massive health care cuts and his plan will not restore coverage to those hundreds of thousands of Missourians who had their insurance slashed.

Driving Down Costs for Missouri Families

After Gov. Blunt slashed coverage from hundreds of thousands of Missourians in 2005, premiums for everyone who had insurance skyrocketed -- because costs were shifted to those with insurance. Studies have shown that as the number of uninsured is reduced, the costs would be more manageable for those who still have insurance. According to the non-partisan organization Families USA, "with fewer uninsured people, less money will be needed to provide care for the uninsured. This, in turn, will reduce the costs that are passed on to those who pay insurance premiums." (Families USA)

Attorney General Nixon's Plan: Would absolutely reduce the number of uninsured, and it would create more pressure on the market to drive down health care costs for Missouri families. His plan would use also use technology and market forces to lower the costs by establishing the Show-Me Health Consumer Web page, a one-stop shop for Missourians to compare prices of health care plans, benefits and billing methods.

Congressman Hulshof's Plan: Because it is unlikely to significantly reduce the number of uninsured, it is unlikely to significantly drive down costs for Missouri families.

Coverage for Missouri's 150,000 Uninsured Children

Attorney General Nixon's Plan: Would restore coverage to children who had it slashed in 2005; reach out to families with children who are currently eligible for Medicaid/State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) but are not enrolled; and allowing families over 300 percent of the federal poverty level the opportunity to purchase affordable coverage for their children through SCHIP. Under Nixon's plan, every child in Missouri would have access to affordable health coverage.

Congressman Hulshof's Plan: Makes no mention of any effort to provide insurance to Missouri's 150,000 uninsured children.

Health Coverage for Poor and Disabled Missourians

Attorney General Nixon's Plan: Would restore coverage to poor and disabled Missourians who had their health care slashed by Gov. Blunt in 2005. Following Blunt's cuts, many poor and disabled Missourians were forced to quit their jobs in order to obtain health coverage. (Hear some of their stories) Under Nixon's plan, those Missourians would be able to return to work and maintain their health coverage.

Congressman Hulshof's Plan: By offering only $500 in guaranteed assistance per indigent person, the Congressman's plan would make it very difficult for a Missourian who is poor and with a disability or chronic illness to get the health care they need. Kathleen Gillespie of the St. Louis University School of Health Management and Policy said plans like Hulshof's tend to favor healthy individuals with few medical needs: "I think one downside is that most of the plans that qualify for health savings accounts favor very high deductibles, in the neighborhood of $5,000-$10,000 for family coverage." [KWMU, 8/27/08]

Cost to Missouri Taxpayers

Attorney General Nixon's Plan: Would cost the state of Missouri $265 million to implement. (That money would automatically draw down $431 million in new federal health care dollars that the state would otherwise be turning away. That is money that Missourians already send to Washington, so it could be said that the taxpayers are already paying for 60 percent of Nixon's plan -- they just aren't getting the health care benefits in return.)

Congressman Hulshof's Plan: Would cost the state of Missouri $508 million to implement. On the day the Congressman announced his plan, he first said it would cost $50 million. Then later that day the campaign said it would be closer to $70 million. Finally, by the end of the day, the Congressman's campaign admitted that the plan would cost $590 million in total ($508 in state funds + $82 million in matching funds). The Hulshof campaign later was forced to say that "there was no attempt to pull the wool over anybody's eyes." [St. Louis Post-Dispatch Political Fix, 8/26/08; AP, 8/31/2008]

Drawing Down Federal Health Care Dollars

Attorney General Nixon's Plan: In the first year, would draw down $431 million in new federal health care matching dollars. According to an op-ed in yesterday's St. Louis Post-Dispatch, these federal matching dollars will create 11,500 Missouri jobs and spur $890 million in economic activity in the state. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 9/2/08]

Congressman Hulshof's Plan: Would draw down just $82 million in new federal health care matching dollars. Under Hulshof's plan, the state would continue sending hundreds of millions of dollars a year to other states to pay for their health care systems and bolster their local economies. [AP, 8/31/08]

The Change We Need

Attorney General Nixon's Plan: Would fix Missouri's broken health care system by restoring the 2005 health care cuts, expanding access to children and using technology and market forces to make health insurance more affordable for Missouri families.

Congressman Hulshof's Plan: The Congressman continues to support Gov. Blunt's 2005 health care cuts and even called those cuts a "forward thinking" policy. [Associated Press, 02/18/08] The Congressman's new plan does not restore Blunt's cuts, but rather, it draws "on many of the same … approaches that were the basis for Gov. Blunt's failed Insure Missouri proposal" [St. Louis Post-Dispatch Political Fix, 8/26/08]

2008 Governor's Race Debate Schedule

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Following weeks of discussions between the campaigns, Nixon for Governor has accepted the following schedule of debates for the 2008 Governor’s race. This schedule will ensure that the candidates will debate in each of the major media markets and participate in the same number of debates as the 2006 McCaskill-Talent U.S. Senate race.

September 11, 2008
Missouri Press Association
3:15 p.m.
Fisher Auditorium
University of Missouri School of Journalism
Columbia, Mo.

October 9, 2008
KCUR, “Up to Date” with Steve Kraske
11:00 a.m.
KCUR Studio
4825 Troost, Ste 202
Kansas City, Mo.

October 18, 2008
KTVI/WDAF (live broadcast in St. Louis and Kansas City)
6:00 p.m.
KTVI Studio
5915 Berthold Avenue
St. Louis, Mo.

October 24, 2008
KY3/Springfield News-Leader/Ozarks Public TV/KSMU
Time: TBA
KY3 Studio
999 W. Sunshine
Springfield, Mo.

Post-Dispatch Op-Ed: Health care must be viewed as an economic issue

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Professor Timothy D. McBride
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
09/02/2008

Economic issues — rising unemployment, falling home prices, high gas prices and more — are weighing heavily on people’s minds this year. So is health care, which also is an economic issue.

One of voters’ greatest fears is losing health insurance. Nationwide, about 47 million people do not have health insurance; in Missouri, about 772,000 people are uninsured. The increase in the number of people without health insurance can be traced in part to the sluggish economy. When people lose jobs, they lose the health insurance their employer had provided, and in Missouri almost 17,000 jobs have been lost since November.

But just keeping one’s job doesn’t guarantee keeping health insurance. The upwardly spiraling insurance costs have led some employers to drop it or to shift a greater share of the cost to employees who can ill afford it.

Health insurance premiums have doubled in the past eight years, outpacing by a substantial margin the 20 percent rise in inflation over the same period. In that time, the percentage of firms offering health insurance to their employees has fallen from 69 percent to 60 percent nationwide.

Directly or indirectly, rising health insurance premiums cut into workers’ take-home pay. While health insurance premiums have doubled since 2000, wages have increased only 24 percent. Some of the money employers used for those insurance premiums might have been available for pay increases.

Changes in government policies and practices also have made it more difficult to get health insurance coverage, especially in Missouri.

In 2005, Gov. Matt Blunt, supported by the majority in the state Legislature, changed eligibility criteria for Medicaid, which left more than 100,000 low-income people without health coverage and another 300,000 with reduced services. Although the effort was characterized as necessary to balance the state’s budget, it actually was short-sighted from an economic perspective.

To understand this, consider what would happen if the Medicaid cuts were restored. It would require roughly $265 million in state dollars to do so. However, because the federal government shares the cost of Medicaid, spending $265 million in state money would bring in an additional $430 million in federal dollars. By the time all that Medicaid spending cycled through the economy, it would generate an increase of $890 million in economic activity in the state each year — accounting for more than 11,500 additional jobs and more than $400 million in additional state wages.

This projection demonstrates how closely linked the health care and economic systems are. Since the 2005 policy changes were enacted, the state has turned away more than $1.6 billion in federal matching dollars. These are funds that could have gone to health providers and, in some case, for treating the uninsured.

At Missouri’s hospitals, the cost of uncompensated health care — care for which no payment is received — increased by 38 percent and $162 million in the first two years after the Medicaid cutbacks. This actually underestimates the total economic burden of the Medicaid cutbacks because it does not account completely for the revenues lost by clinics, physicians and other safety-net providers.

Our health care system probably will not improve without intervention and a public-private effort to solve the problem. Employers and health providers now seem sufficiently concerned about the issues — and convinced of our inability to survive current trends — to be willing to work with state and federal policymakers to put together packages of reforms that can address long-term affordability and access problems.

We know what needs to be done, and there is a long list of viable private-public alternatives that might prove acceptable across the political spectrum. Among them: expanding the children’s health insurance program and Medicaid, programs to improve care for chronic health conditions, consumer choice and high-deductible insurance plans and insurance reforms to reduce premiums.

What we have yet to find, however, is the political will to proceed and the determination to succeed. Those will come once we understand that everyone has a stake in the solution and that our economic problems are connected to our health care problems. The voters seem to understand that already. Our leaders need to catch up.

Timothy D. McBride is a health economist and a professor at Washington University’s Brown School of Social Work.

Jay Nixon's Statement on Missouri's Skyrocketing Unemployment Rate

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A new report released Friday showed that after 7,700 Missourians lost their jobs last month, the state’s unemployment rate has skyrocketed to 6.4 percent -- the highest mark in at least a decade. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, there are more Missourians out of work now (192,892) than at any point in time since 1984.

Attorney General Jay Nixon issued the following statement today:

“Clearly, Missouri’s economy is quickly moving in the wrong direction. Another 7,700 of our friends and neighbors lost their jobs last month, and folks who still have jobs have seen their wages stagnate. Meanwhile, gas prices continue to skyrocket, health care is virtually unaffordable, and the same amount of food costs a whole lot more. Many families across our state simply don’t know how they’ll pay next month’s bills. Needless to say, Missouri families are ready for change.

“I believe we must turn Missouri’s economy around by investing our state’s biggest asset -- its hardworking people. That means making sure that middle-class Missourians have an opportunity to get a four-year degree and graduate debt free. We must invest in job-training programs to make sure that our workers have the skills needed to compete in a 21st-Century economy. We need to embrace, not fear, science and technology to create the jobs of the future. By helping small businesses expand, we’ll put people back to work and reinvigorate Main Streets across Missouri. And we must hold the line on taxes -- and provide additional relief to Missourians who need it most.

“The reckless economic policies coming out of Washington these past few years have created record deficits and caused thousands of American jobs to go overseas. The last thing we need is a Governor who will bring those failed economic policies from Washington back here to Missouri. It’s time for a change.”

Background facts:

Congressman Hulshof has voted with President George W. Bush nearly 90 percent of the time on “economic affairs and trade” issues. [Congressional Quarterly Vote Studies, 2001-07]

Congressman Hulshof recently claimed that “putting [Missouri’s] business climate on sound footing was probably [Gov. Matt Blunt’s] biggest accomplishment,” and the Congressman said, “There are a lot of positives to find over the last three and a half years.” [KY3, Republican Gubernatorial Debate, 7/23/2008]

Jay Nixon Discusses Skyrocketing Health Care Costs with St. Louis-Area Family, Small-Business Owners

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Nixon's Plan Would Use Technology and Market Forces to Drive Down Costs for Missouri Families and Businesses

BRENTWOOD, Mo. -- Attorney General Jay Nixon today met with a Saint Louis-area family and several small-business owners to discuss the skyrocketing costs of health care these past few years. Attorney General Nixon highlighted his plan to use market forces and technology to drive down the cost of coverage for families and businesses.

"For many Missouri families and small businesses, health care is simply unaffordable," Attorney General Nixon said. "Following the 2005 health care cuts, Missouri families and businesses saw their premiums and co-pays skyrocket. When thousands of folks have their insurance slashed overnight, the HMOs and insurance companies don't feel the pain -- they just shift the costs to everyone else who still has health coverage. By restoring coverage to those Missourians, and by using market forces and technology, we can help drive down the cost of insurance for our families and small businesses. During these tough economic times, Missouri families cannot afford to keep paying the price for our state's broken health care system."

Following the 2005 health care cuts, Missourians who have health insurance have been forced to pay for the 750,000 Missourians who don't have insurance. In fact, those Missourians with insurance are forced to pay twice for the uninsured -- once through their own skyrocketing premiums, and then again through their tax dollars, which pay for uninsured Missourians to get their health care at emergency rooms.

In Missouri, the average health care premium for a working family receiving employer-sponsored health care coverage increased by nearly $2,000 from 2004 to 2006 -- from $9,212 per year in 2004 to $11,171 per year in 2006. Meanwhile, Missouri taxpayers paid $500 million last year in uncompensated care dollars to reimburse hospitals to care for the uninsured. [Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; Kansas City Star, 7-23-08]

Several weeks ago, Attorney General Nixon announced his plan to fix Missouri's broken health care system. To help drive down the costs for Missouri families, Nixon proposed the following:

Using technology and market forces to increase competition among providers to drive down costs for consumers. Jay Nixon has proposed creating the Show-Me Health Care Consumer Web Page to allow consumers to compare prices and plans, increase awareness of available community-based resources and drive down costs of health care by driving up competition. There is currently no central hub where Missourians can go to compare prices of health care plans, benefits and billing methods. Nixon will work with the Department of Health and Senior Services, health insurance providers and health care providers to create an online one-stop-shop for consumer information on their options for affordable health care.
Restoring coverage for Missourians who had it slashed in 2005 will substantially decrease the number of uninsured, which will allow the state to gradually spend less in uncompensated care dollars to Missouri hospitals.
Families who can't afford coverage for their children, but are 300% above Federal Poverty Level, will have an opportunity to buy into the State Children's Health Insurance Program at an affordable rate. (Families under 300% FPL already qualify for S-CHIP). The buy-in option would allow thousands of Missouri families to obtain coverage for their children at no additional cost to the state and Missouri taxpayers. The S-CHIP buy-in option has been successful in other states.

For more details on Nixon's health care plan, click here: http://www.jaynixon.com/hcpolicypaper.pdf

Today, Attorney General Nixon met with Amy and Charles Winning and their two children, Haley (8) and Connor (4), at the family's home in Brentwood. Last year, the Winning family had to spend more than $5,000 out-of-pocket on health care, in addition to their monthly premiums. The family lives off of about $23,000 a year Charles brings home from his full-time job and the limited money he can earn on the side by repairing computers.

"The past few years have been hard on our family," Amy Winning said. "Keeping our family insured is vital, but health care puts a tremendous burden on our budget. Costs for everything are going up, and it's increasingly difficult to make ends meet. So often, we have to make the choice between whether to see a doctor or put food on the table. That's a terrible decision to face."

Also joining in the discussion were the owners of two local small businesses, one of whom is struggling to continue to provide coverage for her employees and one who can't afford to do so. Mo Costello, the owner of Mokabes Coffee Shop in South City, said that in recent years, premiums for her employees have increased as much as 32 percent in a single year.

"I want to continue providing health insurance for my employees, but it's really difficult," Costello said. "The economy is hurting, which makes business tough, but health care costs continue to go up so quickly. What are we supposed to do?"

Phyllis Markus has owned The Cloths Tree, a woman's retail shop, for the past 36 years. Although she would very much like to provide health insurance for her five employees, she said it would be tough to stay in business if she did.

Nixon says votes show people want change

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

by Virginia Young
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jay Nixon said Wednesday that Tuesday’s election results showed that ''both Democrats and Republicans were hungry for change.''

Nixon, the attorney general, based his statement on the more than 175,000 votes that Treasurer Sarah Steelman drew in her GOP primary contest against Rep. Kenny Hulshof. Though Steelman lost, she prevailed in 53 counties. Nixon said those vote were cast ''against the Washington establishment, against the status quo.''

Nixon made his comments in a conference call with reporters the day after he officially became the Democratic nominee. Hulshof, meanwhile, was making a â€¨campaign swing into the heart of Nixon’s turf -- his native Jefferson County. He was slated to speak about his jobs plan this afternoon at the Koller-Craft plant in Fenton.

On Tuesday night, Hulshof criticized Nixon for proposing to reinstate Medicaid benefits to 100,000 adults who lost coverage in budget cuts of 2005. Hulshof said that step would restore ''a broken and bankrupt system.''

In response, Nixon said his plan makes health care a top priority, takes advantage of federal funding and expands coverage for children.

''I don’t consider it going backward to cover kids with health care,'' Nixon said Hulshof called Tuesday on Nixon to make the race about ideas, rather than about ''a president whose career is over and a governor who isn’t on the ballot,'' referring to President George Bush and Gov. Matt Blunt.

But Nixon said the Blunt and Bush policies Hulshof has embraced ''have not worked for the state. I mean, by golly, we’ve got premiums rising and too many people uninsured.''

Nixon showed that he will take a page from Steelman’s playbook and portray Hulshof as a Washington insider. He said Hulshof ''has never come close to dealing with a balanced budget in Washington DC.''

Hulshof has said his record shows he reaches across party lines and can bring a ''fresh perspective and a new attitude'' to Jefferson City. In his victory speech to supporters, he said there were ''too many challenges to settle for the old politics.''

Link to article

Attorney General Jay Nixon Wins Democratic Nomination for Governor

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Kansas City, Mo. – Tonight, Attorney General Jay Nixon won the Democratic nomination for Missouri Governor and kicked off his general election campaign. Below are excerpts of Attorney General Nixon's remarks, as prepared for delivery at the Uptown Theater:

"Tonight, we celebrate. Not because our victory was unexpected. But because tonight, we turn a page. Tonight, Missouri families are one step closer to getting the change they need. The change they deserve. Tonight, we stand for change.

"Our state is at a crossroads. We can either continue moving backwards with the same failed policies, or we can chart a new course – and begin moving forward again.

"We can't afford four more years of the same economic policies. We can't afford four more years of skyrocketing health care costs and soaring college tuition. We can't afford four more years of losing good-paying jobs to other states and other countries. We can't afford four more years where science and research take a backseat to ideology. We can't afford four more years where special interests have special access – and regular folks get squeezed.

"Right now, families simply can't afford health coverage. And you know what – many of them can't afford gas or food either. Bills are stacking up on kitchen tables across the state. Our Main Streets are hurting. Shops are shutting down. Small businesses aren't expanding. Everyone is worried about what the future will bring for themselves and their children.

"We live in an amazing state – full of diversity and potential. And it's up to us to make sure our best days are ahead of us.

"Solving these problems won't be easy. But it will only happen if we offer serious ideas about how to achieve fundamental change. Unfortunately, my opponents spent more time these past few months finding ways to attack one another than finding ways to solve problems. The challenges we face here in Missouri are too big for this kind of Washington-style fighting.

"We cannot afford to stay the same course. We must deliver the change Missouri families need. Together, we'll do just that. Thank you for being here. Thank you for all of your hard work."

Attorney General Jay Nixon Announces Plan to Fix Missouri's Broken Health Care System

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Attorney General Jay Nixon today announced his plan to fix Missouri’s broken health care system by restoring the 2005 health care cuts, expanding access to children, and using technology and market forces to make health insurance more affordable for Missouri families. Attorney General Nixon announced steps he would take to make Missouri’s new health care system more efficient and effective, while focusing on prevention and individual responsibility.

Nixon announced his plan at press conferences in St. Louis, Columbia and Kansas City. He was joined by health care policy experts, health care workers and regular Missourians who had their coverage slashed by Gov. Matt Blunt in 2005.

“When Gov. Blunt slashed health care from 400,000 Missourians in 2005, he created a health care crisis that has only gotten worse. Missourians lost coverage over night, families who still had insurance saw their premiums skyrocket, and our state turned away over $1.5 billion in federal health care funds,” said Attorney General Nixon. “We must fix our broken health care system, and that starts by restoring coverage to every Missourian who had it slashed in 2005, expanding access for kids and helping families manage the costs. We’ve been moving backwards for too many years. It’s time to move forward, change the system and help Missouri families get the quality health care they need and deserve. ”

Attorney General Nixon’s health care plan would:

Restore health care coverage and benefits to the 400,000 Missourians who had it slashed in 2005. He would draw down hundreds of millions of dollars a year in federal matching funds.

Expand access to Missouri children by: restoring coverage to children who had it slashed in 2005; reaching out to families with children currently eligible for Medicaid/SCHIP but not enrolled; and allowing families over 300 percent of the federal poverty level the opportunity to purchase affordable coverage for their children through SCHIP.

Use technology and market forces to drive down the cost of health care for Missouri families. This includes establishing the Show-Me Health Consumer Web page, a one-stop-shop for Missourians to compare prices of health care plans, benefits and billing methods.

Create a more effective and efficient health care system by conducting strict performance reviews of the current health care system and establishing a Blue Ribbon Commission to modernize health care delivery and management.

Focus on prevention and individual responsibility by: ensuring access to pre-natal care; improving immunization rates for young children; reducing childhood obesity; promoting tobacco prevention; and increasing access to dental and vision services.

Attorney General Nixon’s plan is designed to fix a health care system that was devastated when Gov. Matt Blunt slashed health coverage and benefits from 400,000 Missourians in 2005. As a result of those cuts, the Blunt administration turned away over $1.5 billion in federal health care funds, and now, more than 750,000 Missourians, including more than 125,000 children, have no health insurance at all. As the number of uninsured Missourians increases, families who do have insurance pay for it with higher premiums and co-pays. From 2004 to 2006, many Missouri families saw their premiums increase by nearly $2,000.

Share Your Feedback on Jay's Plan

More Information (PDF Documents):

Nixon Campaign Raises $1.75 Million in Second Quarter of 2008; Reports $3.75 Million in Bank

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Attorney General Jay Nixon’s campaign for Governor today announced that after raising $1.75 million in the second fundraising quarter of 2008, it now has $3.75 million on hand for the governor’s race.

The strong fundraising quarter sends a clear message: Missourians are ready for change.

"Missourians are contributing to our campaign in record numbers because they know Jay Nixon has the experience it will take to bring about the change we need," said Oren Shur, Nixon's campaign spokesman. "As Missouri families look at the candidates in this race, they see that Jay Nixon is the only candidate offering new, fresh ideas to move our state forward. Meanwhile, our opponents want to stay the course with the same failed policies of Matt Blunt and George W. Bush. With gas at $4 a gallon, jobs leaving the state and health care premiums skyrocketing, Missouri families simply can’t afford more of the same. It’s time for a change."

In total, the campaign has received nearly 20,000 individual contributions, the majority of which were small-dollar donations of $100 or less. Most of those contributions were generated by more than 120 grassroots fundraisers that regular Missourians have hosted across the state or through the campaign Web site, www.jaynixon.com.

Yesterday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch published the results of the first newspaper-sponsored poll conducted since Gov. Blunt dropped out of the race. According to the poll, Jay Nixon holds a strong lead over both Republican opponents (Nixon 53% - Hulshof 35%; Nixon 53% - Steelman 34%) The summary page of the filing report is available here. The full report will be posted on the Missouri Ethics Commission Web site later today.

Jay Nixon's Statement on Anheuser-Busch Sale and the State of Missouri's Economy

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Attorney General Jay Nixon released the following statement today:

“Anheuser-Busch is more than the nation’s largest beer producer, and it’s more than a major employer. It’s a source of pride for our region and part of the fabric of our community. I was disheartened to learn that the sale was final, putting thousands of Missouri jobs at risk.

“The Anheuser-Busch sale is the latest in a series of economic blows that our state has endured in the past few weeks. This past weekend, we learned that Bombardier has decided not to build its new plant in Missouri after all. Two weeks ago, Chrysler announced plans to close its Fenton plant and downsize another local plant, which will leave another 2,400 hardworking Missourians out of work. Our state has lost more than 15,000 jobs since October, and our unemployment rate is now among the nation’s highest. Our economy is clearly moving backwards, and Missouri families are struggling to make ends meet. Gas and grocery prices are skyrocketing, health care is unaffordable, and Missourians are worried about their jobs leaving the state.

“To turn this economy around, I believe we need to invest in Missouri’s greatest asset -- its hardworking men and women. That means investing in job re-training programs, rebuilding our Main Streets and making college more affordable for middle-class families. We need to hold the line on taxes -- and give additional tax relief to the Missourians who need it most. I firmly believe our best days are ahead of us, and that together we will move this economy forward and give Missouri families the change they need.”

# # #

St. Louis Post-Dispatch poll: Jay Nixon has a "commanding lead"

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Tony Messenger and Virginia Young, Saint Louis Post-Dispatch
July 14, 2008

JEFFERSON CITY — In the race for governor, one name stands out to Missouri voters: Jay Nixon.

The four-term Democratic attorney general has a commanding lead over either of the Republicans vying to oppose him in November, according to a new poll.

No clear favorite has emerged for the Republican nomination for governor. Rep. Kenny Hulshof has a slight edge over Treasurer Sarah Steelman, the poll found, but she leads in pivotal southwestern Missouri, home to a loyal GOP voting bloc.

In another hot race, the survey gave state Rep. Jeff Harris of Columbia the lead in the four-way Democratic primary for attorney general. But nearly a fourth of voters remain undecided in that contest.

The primary is Aug. 5.

Research 2000 conducted the poll of 800 likely Missouri voters last week for the Post-Dispatch and KMOV-TV (Channel 4). The poll's margin of error is 3.5 percentage points for each individual number.

For questions relating to Democrats' or Republicans' primaries, the subgroup polled was smaller, so the margin of error is higher — 4.5 percentage points for each number.

The poll indicates that state voters are most concerned about health care, education and the economy — three issues that favor Democrats, said pollster Del Ali, head of Research 2000.

A large majority of those polled — 64 percent — favored providing health care for all Americans, even if it means raising taxes. Nixon, who has sharply criticized the state's 2005 Medicaid cuts, stands to be the chief beneficiary of such sentiment.

"The climate's right for him," Ali said. "It's absolutely his to lose."

Nixon was favored by 53 percent of those polled when matched against Steelman, who tallied 34 percent. In a race against Hulshof, Nixon led 52 percent to 35 percent.

Though Nixon hasn't begun running television ads, he has strong name ID thanks to a high profile on consumer issues during 16 years as attorney general.

"I like his no-call bill," said poll respondent Lawrence Mullen, 43, of St. Louis. "That was a great idea. He seems to care about the people. I see him in the news a lot."

Democrat James Stewart, 47, of St. Louis, said: "It just seems like he's got our best interests at heart, as far as the working man goes."

Nixon fared well among independents, taking 56 percent of them against Hulshof and 58 percent of them against Steelman.

"That's the key," Ali said. "Elections are really won with the independents."

He said the race will tighten after Republicans choose their nominee.

Hulshof and Steelman got a late start because Gov. Matt Blunt unexpectedly dropped out in January. Nixon got a breather from negative ads while the GOP regrouped.

That may help explain why Nixon's positive rating has climbed 7 points since January, when the most recent Research 2000 poll was conducted. In this month's poll, 56 percent of the respondents had a favorable opinion of Nixon.

Voters are less sure what they think of Hulshof and Steelman, with more than 20 percent of them having no opinion on the two Republican candidates.

Among Republican voters who were polled, 32 percent say they would vote for Hulshof if the primary were held today while 24 percent line up in the Steelman column. However, 27 percent of those Republicans are undecided.

And in the GOP-rich southwest Missouri area, Steelman has a double-digit lead, though the small size of the poll's regional sample means that result is less reliable than other numbers.

What's clear is that Steelman's name recognition — she already won a statewide election for treasurer — is helping her.

"She's been around longer. Been on TV more. I like her," said Randy Sixkiller, a 47-year-old janitor from the Christian County town of Selmore. Sixkiller, a Republican, offers the sort of insight into his vote that confounds political consultants.

"To be honest about it, I just don't like his last name," he said of Hulshof.

George Connor, head of the political science department at Missouri State University, said it's natural for Steelman to have a lead at this point in southwest Missouri, but he's not sure she can "pull this thing off statewide."

"Her ads came out first here," Connor said. "She came out swinging. It makes sense that she's concentrating her efforts down here."

Hulshof's strength lies in his congressional district, which takes in part of St. Charles County and a swath of central and northeastern Missouri.

Jeff Ausmus, a 45-year-old radio producer from Columbia, said Hulshof has "great values, He's a true conservative. I think he'd make a great governor."

Part of the uphill battle either Republican might face in the general election is how poorly voters view the current Republican governor.

Since June 2006, the Research 2000 polling has shown more than 50 percent of voters have an unfavorable opinion of Blunt.

Both Republican candidates, especially Hulshof, support many of Blunt's initiatives. In the latest poll, 54 percent of voters registered an unfavorable opinion of Blunt, down 2 percentage points from January.

While those numbers might not bode well in the general election, Hulshof and Steelman are focusing on issues that matter to Republican voters who will decide the primary.

In the poll, Republicans ranked taxes/spending and homeland security/illegal immigration as their two most important issues. Hulshof and Steelman supported Blunt's recent legislation that cracked down on illegal immigration, and both have vowed not to support a tax increase.

Democrats and independents, meanwhile, said their priorities were health care, education funding and the economy.

St. Louis resident Judy Antonsen, a 62-year-old independent voter, summed up the mood of many when it comes to the nation's economic condition.

"The country seems to be going to hell in a hand-basket," Antonsen said. "I've been trying to sell my house since last December. I didn't even get any nibbles."

While gubernatorial candidates are wooing independent voters, the debate in the attorney general's race has centered on who is the best Democrat.

Harris, former minority leader of the state House, has attacked state Sen. Chris Koster's Democratic credentials. Koster, of Raymore, was a Republican until last year.

The attacks may be helping Harris. Of the Democrats polled, 33 percent sided with Harris, giving him a 10-point lead that is just outside the poll's margin of error.

Koster came in second with 23 percent, followed by state Rep. Margaret Donnelly of Richmond Heights with 20 percent and political unknown Molly Williams of Kansas City with 1 percent.

But with nearly a fourth of voters undecided, the race is still up in the air, said pollster Ali. The final three weeks of the campaign hold the key to the battle's outcome.

"I'm probably going to Google people, pay attention on the news or call my younger sister, who's a journalist," said undecided voter Melanie Adams, 26, a law student in St. Louis.

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Attorney General Jay Nixon's Statement on Elimination of Campaign Contribution Limits

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – After Gov. Blunt signed a law to eliminate campaign contribution limits, Attorney General Jay Nixon released the following statement:

"This is a sad day for everyone who believes that regular Missourians, not wealthy special interests, should have the most powerful voice in electing our leaders. As Governor, I would have vetoed this bill the moment it hit my desk and protected the integrity of our campaign finance system. By signing this bill, Gov. Blunt has cleared the way for big corporations and wealthy interests to give millions to candidates. It's a clear step in the wrong direction. Needless to say, Missourians are ready for change."

Attorney General Nixon has long been a proponent of strict contribution limits. In 1999, he successfully argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in favor of contribution limits [Nixon v. Shrink Missouri Government PAC, No. 98-963, 10/5/1999].

The people of Missouri also support contribution limits -- having voted overwhelmingly in favor of a ballot initiative mandating strict limits in 1994.

Post-Dispatch: Nixon is "The Great Uniter"

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Author: Virginia Young

Over the past two decades, Attorney General Jay Nixon has alienated some fellow Democrats.

Intense and competitive, he hasn't been known for chit-chat and backslapping. To him, the way to make a point has been to start a fight.

He ignited criticism, for example, when he pushed to end the St. Louis school desegregation case, bemoaned court delays in executing condemned killers and accused a powerful former House speaker of illegally using his office to help a casino.

But all of that is in the past. Now, Nixon is the Great Uniter.

As he travels the state in his campaign for governor, he has traded tough law enforcement talk for kitchen table issues such as making college affordable. He has mended fences with black leaders, reached out to women's groups and improved his eye contact with audiences.

"He's proven himself," said Senate Minority Leader Maida Coleman, D-St. Louis. "Blacks are going to come out in huge numbers for Jay Nixon this year because we understand we've got to get the control back.

Nixon said his new conciliatory style reflects the different office he's seeking: He wants to move from chief regulator to chief executive officer.

"Attorney general is a position of contention," he said in an interview in his campaign office above a capital pizza parlor. "Governor is a position of consensus.

Nixon has had plenty of time to hone his message. On the campaign trail, he carries a briefing book that counts down the days to the Nov. 4 election. When he started running in 2005, it said 1,010 days.

Back then, Nixon was running against Republican Gov. Matt Blunt, decrying Blunt's cuts in health care for the poor. Their rivalry intensified when Nixon tried to derail Blunt's use of a student loan agency's assets to fund campus construction projects.

The political landscape shifted in January, when Blunt suddenly dropped out of the governor's race. But Nixon contends that what's at stake hasn't changed. The Republican candidates, Kenny Hulshof and Sarah Steelman, differ on some issues but embrace many of Blunt's policies. Nixon says either one stands for "four more years of Matt Blunt.

Though he's out of the race, Blunt remains Nixon's chief critic. Frequent news releases from the governor blast Nixon for his ties to a nonprofit health care foundation and for favoring "the old, broken Medicaid system."

The GOP also has attacked Nixon's former use of a state car for campaign purposes and his family's sewage plant problems.

For now, however, Nixon has a huge advantage: He has his party's nomination sewed up, facing only political unknown Daniel Carroll of Shelbina, Mo. So while Steelman and Hulshof blast each other, Nixon quietly has been building his campaign organization and treasury. He had $2.7 million in the bank as of April 15.

Nixon also has built-in name recognition from 16 years as attorney general, a post that lets him champion family-friendly issues such as expanding the no-call list, shutting down home-repair scams and pulling sex offenders' profiles from the social networking site, MySpace.

More importantly, he has run statewide six times, winning a record four terms as attorney general and losing two races for U.S. Senate.

"If he just looks at his mistakes in the past, he's smart enough to know what he has to do to win," said Rep. Sam Komo, D-House Springs.

To wrest the governor's office from Republicans, Nixon must rally Democrats' traditional urban strongholds while cutting into GOP support in suburban and rural Missourri.

His appeal to the center was evident on a recent campaign swing from a fundraiser in his native Jefferson County to a stop at the American Legion in Park Hills to a reception at a posh Cape Girardeau home to a Democratic rally in Dexter.

At each stop, he deplored the rising prices of milk, eggs and gasoline. He blamed the rising prices on "the George Bush-Matt Blunt economic policies of trickle-down" economics. His words picked up speed, as if on a roller coaster. He told crowds that Missouri is at a crossroads.

Saying it is time to invest in human capital, Nixon touted health care for children, property tax relief for elderly couples and a path to free college tuition for those who start at junior colleges, perform community service and keep their grades up.

His "Missouri Promise" plan would expand the state's A-Plus program to beef up scholarships for students in families making $80,000 and less.

Karen Freeman, who operates a commercial and residential cleaning business in Cape Girardeau, liked what she heard. "He's very down-to-earth, and he's rural," she said.

The keystone of Nixon's campaign has been health care. He says that by cutting Medicaid eligibility, the state forfeited a billion dollars in federal funds, "the largest public policy mistake I've seen.

Even so, Nixon hasn't released his own health care plan or said how he would come up with the state's share of the funding to restore the Medicaid cuts. He promises a detailed blueprint soon.

He also hasn't staked out a position on how to pay for state roads when an expected funding crunch hits in 2010. Nixon said he'd work to pin down the needs and form a consensus.

But he rules out a tax increase.

"There aren't any taxes on the table for me," he told reporters at a Missouri Press Association debate. "We've got to put more money in peoples' pockets, not less money in peoples' pockets."

He pledged to meet individually with all 197 state legislators. He said his six years as a state senator taught him respect for the legislative process.

Democrats say Nixon has done a good job of unifying the party. He reached out to African-Americans with a proposal to regulate the payday loan business. He reassured abortion-rights supporters by promising to reinstate family planning funds.

Nixon favors abortion rights. However, his job has been to defend state laws, including anti-abortion laws. "He's had to defend what I consider some pretty horrible stuff in women's health," said Sen. Joan Bray, D-University City.

"He has been in long and serious conversations over time to try to bridge that gap, and he has succeeded in doing that."

Nixon's former top deputy, attorney Chuck Hatfield, said the old Nixon would stake out a position and "throw it out there, devil's advocate style. Immediately the room was hostile, because he has set out these hard-line positions. I don't see him doing that at all lately."

His new tone has even won over some Republican business donors, who are splitting their money between the GOP and Nixon, said Chuck Caisley, a utility executive in Kansas City.

"He's firing on all cylinders, raising good money, getting business to hedge their bets," said Caisley, a former Republican House staffer and campaign strategist.

Not that Nixon has turned into a softie. When he urged delay last month of a California court ruling allowing same-sex marriages, some Democrats were disappointed, calling the move unnecessary and hurtful to gays and lesbians in the party.

Nixon said he was just making clear Missouri's policy against same-sex marriages. As for his style, he promises he'll always be a hard-charger.

"If you're not pushing, things won't get done," Nixon said. "I don't come to the office in the morning thinking my role is as a caretaker."

Link to article

Missouri State Fraternal Order of Police Endorse Jay Nixon for Governor

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The Missouri State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police today announced its endorsement of Jay Nixon for Governor. At events in Columbia and Springfield, State FOP President Kevin W. Ahlbrand said the police officers endorsed Attorney General Nixon over his Republican opponents because of Nixon’s long record of fighting crime, protecting consumers and supporting the law enforcement community.

"When it comes to fighting crime and protecting our communities, Jay Nixon is the toughest Attorney General in Missouri history," said FOP President Ahlbrand, who is a Sergeant with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. "Whether it’s cracking down on drugs, prosecuting violent criminals or advocating for victims’ rights, Jay Nixon has worked tirelessly to keep Missouri families safe and support our law enforcement officers. We believe Jay Nixon has the experience needed to move our state forward, and we look forward to working with him closely in the years to come. Missouri families who are concerned about keeping their communities safe have a clear choice for Governor and its Jay Nixon."

In 2004, the group backed Matt Blunt for Governor. The State FOP represents more than 5,000 law enforcement officers across Missouri.

"Our local police officers are true heroes, putting their lives on the line every day to keep our families safe," Attorney General Nixon said. "I have tremendous respect for our law enforcement officers, and I’m proud to stand with them in their important work. As Attorney General, I’ve teamed with our police officers to get drugs off our streets, prosecute violent criminals and defend victims’ rights. And as Governor, I look forward to continuing my partnership with the law enforcement community to make sure they have the resources needed to fight crime in every corner of the state."

Since taking office in 1993, Attorney General Nixon has successfully obtained more than 250 murder or manslaughter convictions, including nearly 100 sentences of life without parole. He has also overseen 59 executions during his time as Attorney General, more than every other Attorney General in Missouri’s history combined. [Analysis of AGO Annual Reports, 1993-2008] Under Nixon’s leadership, the Attorney General’s Office has assisted with more than 2,700 special prosecutions in counties across Missouri. In these cases, attorneys from the AGO assist local prosecutors in complicated trials or are appointed as special prosecutors when conflicts of interest arise. These efforts have saved counties millions of dollars. [Sunshine Request of Internal AGO Records, 1993-2008]

In May, Attorney General Nixon also received the endorsement of the St. Louis Police Officers Association, which also endorsed Blunt in 2004.

Jay Nixon Outlines Ideas to Make Government More Efficient, Effective and Fiscally Responsible

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Attorney General Proposes Widespread Performance Reviews and New Technology to Save Taxpayers Money

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- In a speech today before the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association (RCGA), Attorney General Jay Nixon announced his ideas to make government more efficient and fiscally responsible during these difficult economic times. Among other reforms, the Attorney General proposed widespread performance reviews and the use of new technology to save the taxpayers money.

“During these difficult economic times, Missouri families are tightening their belts to make ends meet. I believe state government must do the same,” Attorney General Nixon said. “The people of Missouri deserve a government that is efficient and fiscally responsible. By conducting thorough performance reviews of every government office and every program, we will determine exactly what works and where we can save the taxpayers’ money. With gas prices skyrocketing and health care costs out of control, we simply cannot afford waste and inefficiency in any area of state government.”

As Attorney General, Nixon has run the most fiscally responsible office in government. Last year, the Attorney General’s Office generated or returned more than $20.00 to the taxpayers for every dollar the office was appropriated by the legislature. In total, Nixon has saved the taxpayers more than $2.0 billion by fining criminals and cracking down on corporations that take advantage of Missouri consumers. [Attorney General Annual Reports, 1993 – 2007; Analysis of AGO Annual Reports 2001 – 2007]

By managing the office in a fiscally responsible manner, Attorney General Nixon not only balanced the office budget every year, he ensured that office always finished the year considerably under budget -- saving the state millions of additional dollars. [Sunshine Request of internal AGO budget numbers]

At today’s RCGA lunch, Attorney General Nixon outlined the following principles to ensure that state government operates in a more effective, efficient and fiscally responsible manner:

Government Performance Reviews: Jay Nixon will establish a Performance Review Commission composed of private sector executives, elected officials, and senior-level state employees who will be charged with reviewing state operations and develop recommendations for improvement. This Commission will review every state agency to evaluate how to improve performance and reduce cost to the taxpayer. The Commission will also be specifically tasked with recommending ineffective programs for elimination. For example, West Virginia identified nearly $320 million in savings after conducting a statewide performance review in 2006. One priority for the Commission will be evaluating and consolidating Missouri’s health care bureaucracy. Currently, more than 60 state agencies, boards or commissions are involved with the development of health care policy or the delivery and management of health care services in the state.

Effective Government Contracting: Jay Nixon will work to ensure that through the procurement process, state and local governments have increased access to bulk purchasing programs. He believes that the state can do more to encourage local governments to join the state in bidding on contracts -- increasing the size of the purchase and bringing down the costs. Jay will work to ensure that small businesses and minority and women owned businesses are ensured appropriate participation.

Using Technology to Save Time and Money: In his efforts to improve efficiency in the Attorney General’s Office, Jay Nixon has used the tools of technology to slash costs and better serve the people of Missouri. For example, by putting consumer complaint forms online, Attorney General Nixon made it possible for consumers who have been wronged by fraud or abuse to report their problems more efficiently. Consumers can also sign up for the No-Call list online and call into the immigration hotline. As Governor, Nixon will aggressively find ways to integrate technology in Government that would allow taxpayers to be served by the state in a more efficient manner. He believes that Missouri needs a comprehensive e-government strategy that takes a top to bottom to look at how the state currently provides information and services to Missouri citizens through the web, identifies where we are lacking and then finds ways to make improvements. He will instruct each of his agency and department heads to submit recommendations on which services can be moved online in order to serve Missourians in a more efficient and cost-effective manner.

Congressman Hulshof and Treasurer Steelman Promise Four More Years of Matt Blunt's Failed Policies

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Jay Nixon Offers New Ideas to Bring About the Change Missouri Families Need

LAKE OF THE OZARKS, Mo. – At today’s Press Association candidate forum, Congressman Kenny Hulshof and Treasurer Sarah Steelman embraced Gov. Matt Blunt and his failed policies on the issues most important to Missouri families. Meanwhile, Attorney General Jay Nixon put forward new, fresh ideas to bring about the change Missouri families need during these difficult economic times.

“Congressman Hulshof and Treasurer Steelman have made it clear that by electing either one, Missourians would get four more years of Matt Blunt’s failed policies,” said Oren Shur, Nixon’s campaign spokesman. “After three years of Blunt, gas prices are skyrocketing, health care is unaffordable, and folks are worried about losing their jobs. Missouri families can’t afford four more years of the same failed policies; they’re ready for change. While our opponents are embracing Matt Blunt and attacking each other, Jay Nixon is offering new ideas to help families make ends meet during these tough economic times.”

Speaking to newspaper reporters and editors from across the state, Attorney General Nixon voiced his strong opposition to Blunt’s health care cuts, which created a health care crisis in the state. As Governor, Nixon would restore coverage to every Missourian who had it slashed by Blunt and then expand access to more children. He outlined the Missouri Promise, his plan to create a pathway for middle-class families to get a college degree from a state college or university -- debt free. And he discussed turning Missouri’s economy around by investing in hardworking people -- human capital -- rather than just wealthy corporations.

On the subject of health care, a central issue to voters, both Republican candidates embraced Matt Blunt’s decision to slash health care and benefits for 400,000 Missourians, resulting in higher premiums for those who are fortunate enough to have health care. Now, there are over 750,000 Missourians without health insurance, including 127,000 children.

Steelman at today’s forum: “I think those cuts had to be made.”

Hulshof at today’s forum: Defended Matt Blunt’s health care cuts, saying “Financially difficult choices had to be made.”

Congressman Hulshof also praised Matt Blunt’s “Lewis & Clark Discovery Initiative”, which raided $350 Million from MOHELA – the organization dedicated to providing low-interest loans for students. Now MOHELA is going broke, tuition is skyrocketing, and middle-class Missouri families are getting squeezed out of a college education.

Jay Nixon Tours Small Businesses in Hannibal

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Contact: Oren Shur
(314) 993-8686, (314) 974-8448 (cell)
orenshur@jaynixon.com

Jay Nixon Tours Small Businesses in Hannibal

Attorney General Nixon Hears Directly from Local Small-Business Owners During These Tough Economic Times

HANNIBAL, Mo. -- Attorney General Jay Nixon brought his Missouri Main Street Tour to Hannibal today, where he met with local small-business owners to discuss the tough economic climate facing our state and nation. During the tour, Nixon visited four locally owned businesses along Main and Broadway streets in downtown Hannibal.

''For the past four years, our state's economy has been moving backwards, and our small businesses have been feeling the squeeze,'' Attorney General Nixon said. ''Growing up in a small town, I learned that Main Street is the heart of the community, and local businesses are the backbone of the economy. I'm visiting with small-business owners here in Hannibal across Missouri to hear directly from them about their challenges, needs and hopes for the future. We've got to turn our economy around, and it starts with investing in Main Streets across Missouri.''

A native of De Soto, Mo., a small town of roughly 6,000 residents, Jay Nixon understands the devastating impact that a slow economy can have on everyday folks.

Today in downtown Hannibal, Attorney General Nixon toured Ole Planters Restaurant, the Native American Trading Company, Crescent Jewelry and the Java Jive.

With Missouri's unemployment among the nation's highest and wage growth among the nation's lowest, our state's economy has moved steadily backwards in recent months and years. Although the primary purpose of the Missouri Main Street tour is to listen to the concerns of regular Missourians, Attorney General Nixon recently has put forward several key initiatives to help the most vulnerable Missourians during these tough economic times.

Several months ago, Attorney General Nixon outlined his plan to provide property tax relief to more than 65,000 Missouri seniors and families struggling to keep their homes. Specifically, he proposed eliminating an unfair marriage penalty and expanding the Missouri Property Tax Credit Program (also known as the Circuit Breaker.)
Read more on Nixon's property tax relief proposal:
http://www.jaynixon.com/news/press_releases?id=0074

Attorney General Nixon has repeatedly called on the Missouri legislature to pass legislation to reform the payday loan industry, which currently takes advantage of thousands of low-income Missourians a year. Missouri has some of the most lenient payday loan laws in the nation, which allow lenders to charge Missouri families up to 1,950 percent APR (with an average charge of 422 percent). Nixon has proposed capping the APR at 36 percent and outlawing the harmful practice of renewing loans -- a practice prohibited by every bordering state. Renewable payday loans punish families unable to make payments by charging them astronomical interest rates to extend the period by which they can repay the loan.
Read more about the Attorney General's payday loan reform proposal:
http://www.jaynixon.com/news/press_releases?id=0051

Additional Background Information About Missouri's Downward Economy:

Missouri's Unemployment Rate Increased To 5.2 Percent -- Higher Than The National Average. In April, Missouri's unemployment rate was 5.2 percent, which was an increase from the previous year. The national unemployment rate for April was 5 percent.
[Analysis of Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics]

Missouri Ranked 20th In Foreclosures. Missouri had the 20th highest foreclosure rate in April, according to RealtyTrac's April foreclosure activity report. This represents a 34.05 percent increase since April 2007.
[Press Release, RealtyTrac, 5/14/2008; http://www.realtytrac.com/ContentManagement/pressrelease.aspx?ChannelID=9&ItemID=4586&accnt=64847]

If Missouri Had Grown At The National Average, 40,320 More Missourians Would Have Jobs Today. If Missouri had grown at the average growth rate of the rest of the country between January 2005 and March 2008, during this time period, 40,320 more Missourians would have jobs today.
[Analysis of Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Data Release]

Missouri Has Lost More Than 22,700 Manufacturing Jobs Since 2005. According to recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data, Missouri has lost 22,700 manufacturing jobs since the Republican administration took office in January 2005.
[Analysis of Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Data Release, 4/18/2008]

Republican Administration's Health Care Cuts Have Cost Missouri Jobs. According to an editorial in the Kansas City Star, ''The proposals won't restore the 2005 Medicaid cuts affecting 400,000 people that cost the state $700 million over two years in federal matching funds. Loss of federal money cost the state at least $1.4 billion in economic activity, including 20,000 new health-care jobs, one economist says.''
[Kansas City Star, 5/13/2007]

Missouri Ranked Behind All But One Bordering State In Annual Wage Growth. In 2007, Missourians' paychecks grew more slowly than all but one bordering state, as Missouri ranked 32nd in annual average pay growth.
[CFED, 1/04/2008]

Missouri's ''New Economy'' Has Been On A Steep Decline. In 2002, Missouri ranked 28 out of the 50 states in the New Economy Index. In 2007, Missouri's rankings had slipped from 28 to 35. The New Economy Index used multiple indicators to rate how states are structured according to the tenets of the New Economy. This represents one of the steepest declines in the nation. Meanwhile other Midwest states are making progress. Illinois, for example, has improved its rankings from 19 in 2002 to 16 in 2007.
[Information Technology and Innovation Foundation: New Economy Index, 2007; http://www.itif.org/files/2007_State_New_Economy_Index.pdf ]

# # #

Jay Nixon visits America's Hometown

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Source: KHQA
Author: Rajah maples

HANNIBAL, MO. -- Missouri Attorney General and democratic gubernatorial candidate Jay Nixon brought his Main Street Tour to Hannibal Tuesday afternoon.

Nixon met with local, small-business owners to discuss the tough economy.

He also listened to some of the problems plaguing small business owners.

Nixon began his tour here at Ole Planters Restaurant and had planned stops at the Native American Trading Company, Crescent Jewelry and Java Jive.

Nixon said, "We have to make sure Main Streets like this are not allowed to die."

Nixon faces either Congressman Kenny Hulshof or state Treasurer Sarah Steelman in the November election for Missouri governor.

The latter two are campaigning for the GOP nomination.

Link to article

Opponents Reaffirm Support for Blunt's Health Care Cuts

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- At the Republican State Convention on Saturday, Congressman Hulshof strongly reaffirmed his support for Gov. Blunt's massive 2005 health care cuts, and even used it to generate applause and cheers from the crowd. Treasurer Steelman has also made it clear in recent weeks that she supports Blunt's health care cuts.

In response to Congressman Hulshof and Treasurer Steelman's comments in support of the health care cuts, Attorney General Jay Nixon released the following statement:

"When Matt Blunt slashed health care from hundreds of thousands of Missourians, he created a health care crisis in our state. Now, more than 750,000 Missourians don't have health insurance, and premiums are skyrocketing for Missourians fortunate enough to still have coverage. In the process, Gov. Blunt has turned away more than $1 billion in federal health care dollars -- tax dollars that Missourians already send to Washington but that never come back to Missouri. Our health care system is broken, but instead of offering solutions to fix it, my opponents have embraced Matt Blunt's massive cuts.

"Over the course of this campaign, my opponents and I will disagree on a variety of issues. But Gov. Blunt's health care cuts and the future of our state's health care system may present the clearest contrast.

"While my opponents support Gov. Blunt's health care cuts, I strongly oppose them. While my opponents want to continue with Gov. Blunt's failed health care policies, I believe we need new, fresh ideas on health care. While my opponents seem perfectly content that 125,000 kids in our state don't have health coverage, I believe we need to make sure these kids receive the health care they need. And while my opponents have no objection to recklessly allowing more than a $1 billion in federal health care dollars to go to other states, I know we need that money right here in Missouri.

"As Governor, it will be my priority to make sure every single Missourian who had their health care slashed has the coverage they need again. We simply cannot stay the course with the same failed health care policies."

On Sunday, the Post-Dispatch reported that "Hulshof and Gov. Matt Blunt, who is not seeking re-election, led the attacks by blasting Nixon's campaign pledge to restore the Medicaid cuts approved by Blunt and the Legislature in 2005." [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 6/1/2008]

Several weeks ago, the Cook Political Report reported that: "Steelman has said that she supports the Governor's Medicaid cuts." [Cook Political Report, 3/4/2008]

The 2005 cuts have left hundreds of thousands of Missouri families without health care they need and caused premiums to skyrocket for those fortunate enough to still have health insurance. More than 70,000 Missouri children who had health care through Medicaid or S-CHIP the day Gov. Blunt took office do not have it today.

For more facts on the impacts of Gov. Blunt's health care cuts, click here: http://www.jaynixon.com/issues/crisis/BluntCutsFactSheet.pdf

St. Louis Police Officers Association Endorses Jay Nixon for Governor

Wed, 28 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Police Officers Association (Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 68) today announced its endorsement of Attorney General Jay Nixon for Governor, citing Nixon's tough-on-crime record.

Sgt. Gary Wiegert, president of the SLPOA Executive Board, said the Association has endorsed Attorney General Nixon because of his strong record of fighting crime, protecting consumers and cleaning up government corruption. Although the SLPOA often has endorsed Republican candidates in past elections, including the 2004 gubernatorial race and the 2000 and 2006 U.S. Senate races, Sgt. Wiegert said Nixon was the Association's clear choice for governor in 2008.

"For 16 years, Jay Nixon has been a no-nonsense Attorney General. He has always been tough on crime and strong in his support of local law enforcement, so it's our honor to support him as our candidate for Governor," Sgt. Wiegert said. "We know Jay will work tirelessly as Governor to protect Missouri's families, and he'll continue to be an advocate for our officers. Jay will provide the smart ideas and strong leadership needed to keep Missouri safe and move us forward."

Nixon said it was a special honor to receive the SLPOA endorsement.

"I believe our police officers are local heroes. They put their lives on the line everyday to protect our communities, and they deserve a Governor who will stand with them," Attorney General Nixon said. "As Attorney General, I've teamed with law enforcement officers in St. Louis and across the state to take violent criminals off the streets. As Governor, I will continue to work with the law enforcement community to make our communities safer and move our state forward. I am truly honored to have the support of the St. Louis police officers."

The SLPOA represents 1,152 active and 1,142 retired members. The organization's members serve an estimated 343,000 citizens.

Attorney General Nixon has a long record of cracking down on crime in Missouri. Since taking office in 1993, Nixon's office has obtained at least 194 murder or homicide convictions and has assisted with at least 5,445 special prosecutions across Missouri, saving counties millions of dollars.

As Attorney General, Nixon also has been a national leader in protecting consumers and combating health care fraud. Nixon's Consumer Protection Division has saved or generated more than $84.4 million for consumers since 2001 by enforcing Missouri's consumer protection laws, and his "No Call List" is now regarded as a model nationwide. In addition, Nixon's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, which has recovered more than $79 million since 2001, is ranked first in the region and second nationally in the amount recovered when compared to the amount of federal grant dollars received.

Prior to his election as Attorney General, Nixon served for six years as a State Senator, voting to strengthen laws against the sexual abuse of children and to allow battered spouse syndrome to be used as a defense in criminal cases. As one Missouri newspaper noted, for his work on these vital issues, Nixon "is recognized nationally as a leader in criminal law and victims' rights issues." [Washington Missourian, 10/24/04]

Attorney General Jay Nixon's Statement on MOHELA's Elimination of Student Benefit Programs

Tue, 27 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Last Friday afternoon, with little warning and no public input, members of the MOHELA Board abandoned its mission of putting Missouri students first and voted to eliminate several critical student benefit programs. As a result, Missouri students now will be forced to pay as much as 3% higher rates on their student loans.

Specifically, the agency voted to eliminate the Public Service Reward Program and Rate Relief Program, which provide benefits to thousands of future Missouri teachers, police officers and nurses. The elimination of these benefit programs has left MOHELA virtually indistinguishable from for-profit loan agencies such as Sallie Mae and NelNet.

In response, Attorney General Jay Nixon released the following statement:

"During these difficult economic times, too many middle-class families are getting squeezed out of a college education. Unfortunately, these Missouri families were delivered yet another crushing blow last week, and now students will be forced to pay higher monthly loan payments. With tuition skyrocketing at our colleges and universities, this was a major step in the wrong direction.

"When Gov. Blunt raided MOHELA’s assets, the one thing he assured us was that it would cause no harm to Missouri students. It was obvious -- at least to those of us who fought the MOHELA raid from the beginning -- that Missouri students would end up paying the price. And now they are.

"I believe a college education is a key to achieving the American Dream, and I am more committed than ever to creating a pathway to a four-year degree for every Missourian who is willing to work hard and play by the rules. We must put the dream of a college degree within reach for every Missouri family."

According to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch article, Gov. Blunt "vowed that students would have as good or better a loan program as they have now" after the MOHELA raid took place. "I would not move forward unless I were absolutely sure this would be the case," Blunt said at the time. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 1/27/06].

At the Friday afternoon meeting, the MOHELA Board voted to end programs that provide reduced interest rates to Missouri students who plan to enter public service and who agree to make automatic monthly payments from their checking or savings accounts.

Additional information on the eliminated student benefits programs is available here:

Public Service Reward Program: https://www.mohela.com/borrower/manageAccount/psrp.aspx

MOHELA Rate Relief: https://www.mohela.com/common/raterelief/default.aspx

Below is a column by former MOHELA Board member John Greer that ran in the St. Louis Post Dispatch last month. It outlines his repeated attempts to warn the Blunt administration about the likely consequences of the sell-off:

They can't say they weren't warned

By John Greer, former MOHELA Board Member
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
04/10/2008
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/editorialcommentary/story/8700D486E9ED033D86257426007E4C99?OpenDocument

In the adult world, where big mistakes have real consequences, there is little joy in being able to say, "I told you so." But when it comes to the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority, I and many others warned Gov. Matt Blunt and the Legislature against raiding the authority's assets during these times of growing economic uncertainty. Our warnings went unheeded.

Late last month, the other shoe finally dropped when the MOHELA board of directors announced it would not be able to pay the state the full quarterly payment called for in the governor's plan. After years of profitable expansion, MOHELA suddenly found itself $2.3 million short of the scheduled $5 million payment.

Notwithstanding claims of its management to the contrary, MOHELA's sudden collapse to the brink of insolvency is the direct result of the governor's raid on its assets.

At a January 2007 hearing of the state Senate's education committee, I watched a parade of witnesses testify to the eagerness of colleges and universities to spend the assets MOHELA painstakingly had amassed over the years. MOHELA executives then assured the committee that the authority would have no trouble paying the $350 million specified in the governor's Lewis and Clark plan.

Finally, I tried to bring at least some measure of reality to the proceedings -- based on my more than 30 years as a banker and more than 13 years as a member of MOHELA's board. I told the committee that stripping $350 million out of MOHELA would put the institution immediately into the red. I said that MOHELA would lose millions of dollars the very first year after the plan was approved -- and every year after that. I believed that the plan would divert assets from MOHELA's core mission of enhancing access to higher education for all eligible Missouri students and, worse, that it would threaten MOHELA's very existence.

No one listened.

I also warned that it was essential for MOHELA to marshal its assets to be prepared to react quickly to whatever changes occurred in federal law regarding student loans -- changes being considered by Congress at that very moment. The governor's plan, I said, would leave MOHELA without financial liquidity when it would need it most.

No one listened.

I was not alone in predicting that MOHELA might not survive the raid on its assets. Former state senator Wayne Goode and former MOHELA board member Allan Purdy, two visionaries who had helped create MOHELA, were similarly concerned. So was Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon. Most ominously of all, Liscarnan Solutions, MOHELA's well-compensated financial analysis consulting firm, suddenly abandoned its support for the governor's plan and declared that MOHELA might not be able to make the payments that would be required of it.

Again, no one listened.

Now MOHELA hovers perilously close to failure. With 24 quarterly payments spelled out in the governor's plan, MOHELA could not even make the second one before having to cry "uncle." MOHELA already has lost more than $12 million this year, after years of $20 million to $25 million of annual growth. And following years of high-risk debt management practices, MOHELA is forced to try to refinance more than $1 billion of debt in today's very difficult market.

The bottom line is there is a very real risk that MOHELA may not survive until the fall, and it may never resume its payments to the state. If it does survive, MOHELA will be a mere shadow of the vibrant, growing company it was in late 2005 when the governor first set his sights on its $5.7 billion in assets. Perhaps the best anyone can hope for now is a smaller MOHELA, one that will be able to function but that will provide less financial help to fewer students.

I was not the only MOHELA board member to speak out against the plan when it first surfaced in January 2006, but I was the only one whose term lasted long enough to see it put in place. By the time the governor replaced me on the MOHELA board in the fall of 2007, he already had replaced the other voices of dissent and had engineered the replacement of the MOHELA executive director who had expressed doubts about the plan.

When MOHELA's executives try to blame its financial crisis on the recent upheavals in the credit markets, please remember that the authority already was well in the red before the roof fell in on the credit market in February.

Yes, the credit crisis and the changes in student loan laws enacted by Congress have made the situation worse. But these were precisely the kinds of risks about which we warned the governor and the Legislature. Stripping MOHELA of all its available cash has limited its ability to maneuver through such difficulties. Skyrocketing legal fees and insurance costs associated with the governor's plan have added to MOHELA's burdens.

Before buying the spin of Blunt administration apologists, ask yourself this: Would MOHELA -- and the students and parents it was created to serve -- be better off or worse off today if the $235 million it gave the state just last fall still were available to help qualified Missouri students afford the cost of higher education?

John Greer is a retired banker from Marshfield, Mo. He served on the MOHELA board from 1993 to 2007.

Attorney General Jay Nixon's Statement on Passage of Republican Bill to Eliminate Contribution Limits

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Following the passage of the Republican bill to eliminate campaign contribution limits, Attorney General Jay Nixon released the following statement:

"By removing contribution limits, Republican legislators have taken Missouri backwards to a system that allows big corporations and wealthy special interest groups to give millions to candidates," Attorney General Nixon said. "Elections should be competitions of ideas to move our state forward, not competitions for the wealthiest donors. I have consistently fought for strict campaign contribution limits because I believe that regular Missourians, not wealthy special interests, should have the most powerful voice in electing our leaders. As Governor, I would veto this bill the moment it hit my desk. It's a clear step in the wrong direction."

Attorney General Nixon has long supported strict contribution limits. In 1999, he successfully argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in favor of contribution limits [Nixon v. Shrink Missouri Government PAC, No. 98-963, 10/5/1999].

The people of Missouri also support contribution limits -- having voted overwhelmingly in favor of a ballot initiative mandating strict limits in 1994.

Jay Nixon's Statement in Opposition to Photo ID Bill

Fri, 09 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

"The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy. Over the years, millions of Americans have made the ultimate sacrifice to earn and defend voting rights. As elected leaders, we should work to increase voting and participation in the democratic process, not create new unnecessary roadblocks. With just five days left in the legislative session, it's unfortunate that Republican leaders are focused on making it harder for Missourians to vote instead of making it easier for middle-class families to afford health care or higher education. Then again, after four years of moving our state backwards, perhaps we shouldn't be surprised by our opponents' misplaced priorities."

Jay Nixon Announces Plan to Make College More Affordable for Middle-Class Missouri Families

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Missouri Promise will make the dream of a college education a reality for thousands of middle-class families

ST. LOUIS -- Attorney General Jay Nixon today announced the Missouri Promise, a new plan to provide a pathway for middle-class Missourians to earn a four-year degree from a state college or university -- tuition free. Nixon announced his plan on the campuses of the University of Missouri at Saint Louis, Columbia and Kansas City.

"With tuition skyrocketing at colleges and universities across the state, too many middle-class families in Missouri are getting squeezed by the cost a college education," Attorney General Nixon said. "While other states have been making college more affordable and accessible, Missouri has moved backwards. The Missouri Promise will create a pathway to a four-year degree for those families struggling to afford college tuition during these difficult economic times. We must make the dream of a college education a reality for all Missouri families."

Building on the state's existing A+ Schools Program, the Missouri Promise creates a pathway to a four-year degree for Missouri students who satisfy specific academic, community service and financial need requirements. After completing a two-year associate's degree at a Missouri community college or technical school under the A+ Program, students who meet the criteria would be eligible to access the Missouri Promise scholarship to cover cost of tuition at a Missouri state college or university.

To implement the Missouri Promise, Nixon will:
(1) Expand the existing A+ Program, which is currently available to only half the state's high school students, so that all Missouri high school students who meet the performance requirements have an opportunity attend community college or technical school tuition free.
(2) Offer all high school seniors who plan to access an A+ scholarship the opportunity to sign the Missouri Promise, a contract between the student and the State of Missouri that will allow the student to earn a four-year degree after completing his or her two-year degree at a community college or technical school. In exchange for earning good grades at the community college (3.0 GPA), completing 50 hours of community service per year of participation and avoiding disciplinary action, the student then will receive a Missouri Promise scholarship to complete his or her four-year degree at a state college or university.

The Missouri Promise is intended to target middle-class Missouri families who are struggling to afford the cost of tuition. In order to be eligible for a Missouri Promise scholarship, the student's Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) must be below $12,000 annually. Under Nixon's plan, the EFC will be based on the same formula used for federal aid when students file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) form. For example, a family of four with one child in college could have an annual income of roughly $80,000 and qualify for the Missouri Promise.
For details on the eligibility chart, see: http://www.finaid.org/calculators/scripts/quickefcchart.cgi

To qualify for a Missouri Promise scholarship, the student must apply for and take advantage of all federal and state financial aid already available, as well as applicable scholarships offered by the colleges and universities.

Based on estimates provided by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the expansion of A+ and the implementation of the Missouri Promise will cost approximately $61 million.

Joining Nixon today was State Rep. Clint Zweifel, D-St. Louis County, who has sponsored a similar bill in the Missouri House of Representatives (HB 1693).

"No child in Missouri should be barred from a four-year degree because of the constantly increasing cost of higher education," Rep. Zweifel said. "I'm glad to stand with Jay and let Missouri's students know that if they're willing to commit to good grades and good citizenship, we're willing to commit to helping them earn their college degree. The Missouri Promise will change the lives of thousands of Missouri students and move our entire state in the right direction."

Former State Sen. Jim Mathewson, D-Sedalia, the author of the original A+ Schools legislation, praised Nixon's proposal as an extension of the work he began years ago.

"When we created the A+ Program, our goal was to help Missouri's young people get the education and skills they need to lead productive, fruitful lives," Sen. Mathewson said. "The Missouri Promise takes that original idea a step further by creating a pathway to a four-year degree for anyone who's willing to devote time and effort to their studies and community service. This is a wonderful program, and I am proud to stand with Jay and will do everything I can to support his plan."

Higher education leaders also pointed to Nixon's plan as a giant step forward for higher education accessibility and affordability in the state.

"The Missouri Promise would turn the dream of a college education into reality for families across Missouri," said Dr. Charles McClain, former Commissioner of Higher Education, former president of Truman State University and the first president of Jefferson College, the original two-year community college in Missouri. "As college tuition continues to skyrocket, this program would give every family in Missouri an accessible and affordable option. As an educator, I'm extremely excited about this plan and the positive impact it will have on students in our state."

University faculty have endorsed Nixon's plan as well, citing the tremendous debt that increasingly burdens recent college graduates.

"As a professor, it's disheartening to watch my students celebrate their graduations and immediately face thousands of dollars in debt," said Dr. Terry Jones, professor of political science at the University of Missouri -- St. Louis. "This program will allow our students to start their careers and not worry about paying off student loans for years -- if not decades. I fully support this plan because I know what a difference it will make for students and families in our state."

Click here to download the Missouri Promise Policy Proposal (pdf).

Click here to download the Missouri Promise Quick Facts Sheet (pdf).

See what Missourians are saying about the Missouri Promise

Click here to download the Missouri Promise Quick Facts Sheet (pdf).

Nixon's chances in election good, says party

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

by Chad Livengood

Southwest Missouri Democrats feel confident their party will win back control of the governor's mansion in November.

Attorney General Jay Nixon has all but wrapped up his party's nomination for governor -- a post he has been actively pursuing for most of Republican Matt Blunt's four-year tenure in Jefferson City.

After 15 years as attorney general, Nixon is practically a household name and arguably better known to most Missourians than the two Republican candidates -- U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof and state Treasurer Sarah Steelman -- who got in the race in late January after Blunt decided to not seek re-election.

At Saturday's Jackson Day event, Democratic Party leaders and activists expressed optimism that Nixon could win in traditionally Republican strongholds in southwest Missouri.

"People are fed up with the current administration, both state and nationally," said Sandra Vaught, co-chair of the annual Jackson Day event. "I think it's going to be a sweep."

But some suggested Nixon did not necessarily need to win big here to beat Steelman or Hulshof, a congressman from Columbia.

"He doesn't have to win here," said former state Rep. Craig Hosmer, treasurer of Nixon's campaign and the Greene County party chairman. "If he wins in Greene County and southwest Missouri, it will be a big blowout."
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Hosmer and others said moderate and independent voters dissatisfied with the Bush-led Republican Party and controversial budget decisions Blunt has made will help Nixon win.

"There's going to be a huge push for change," Hosmer predicted. "I think that's really the message."

While addressing a packed Jackson Day dinner at the Clarion Inn, Nixon said he tapped Hosmer as his campaign treasurer "to send a clear signal that we're going to compete in every part of the state."

"We're feeling the fruition of that original strategy," Nixon said in an interview Saturday.

Nixon portrays himself as the change agent any time he gets the chance. Even though Nixon is no longer running against Blunt, he still sounds like it.

Whether it's Blunt's 2005 Medicaid cuts that threw 100,000 people off publicly funded health care or his decision to sell off $350 million in Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority assets, Nixon continues to lambaste Blunt's record on the stump.

Nixon said he continues to rail against Blunt because Steelman and Hulshof have condoned the governor's decisions.

"Both of the Republicans have embraced his record," Nixon said.

Nick Beatty is a Democrat running for term-limited Rep. B.J. Marsh's open seat in the state House's 136th District. Beatty said Nixon's message about the ill-conceived Blunt agenda is starting to resonate with voters to whom he has talked.

"They're starting to see the connection between a healthy citizenry and a healthy economy," said Beatty, a political science professor at Missouri State University.

Beatty said Nixon could win votes in Republican strongholds by getting "face time with the people" and presenting solutions rather than criticisms.

"That's what's going to make the difference," said Beatty, who will face Republican Eric Burlison in November.

In Nixon's past four statewide campaigns, he has easily won the urban areas of St. Louis and Kansas City.

Voting records show Nixon has been able to win over independents and some Republicans, faring better than most Democrats in Greene County.

In 2004, Nixon got 1.59 million votes -- more than any other statewide candidate. In Greene County, 63,446 people voted for Nixon -- 16,819 more votes than John Kerry received in his failed presidential bid.

Nixon far exceeded Al Gore's vote total in 2000, bringing in 54,018 votes to the then-sitting vice president's 41,091. George W. Bush won more than 59,178 Greene County votes in that contest.

"He's always done well here," said David Trippe, a member of the Greene County Democratic Central Committee. "It's not all about St. Louis and Kansas City."

Trippe, who is running for Greene County assessor, said Nixon does well with moderate Republicans who say, "He's done a pretty good job as attorney general."

John Temporiti, chairman of the Missouri Democratic Party, said the political tides of southwest Missouri are turning. That was evidenced in 2006 when Claire McCaskill won a U.S. Senate seat after she saw a 3 percent increase in Greene County voters from her failed 2004 gubernatorial bid against Blunt, Temporiti said.

"We're defining our moment," Temporiti told the party faithful during Saturday's banquet. "The best has yet to come."

Source: Springfield News-Leader

Attorney General Jay Nixon, Kansas City Leaders Call for Major Reform of Payday Loan Industry

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Attorney General Jay Nixon, Kansas City Leaders Call for Major Reform of Payday Loan Industry

During these difficult economic times, payday loan industry takes advantage of Missouri's most vulnerable families
KANSAS CITY, MO – As more Missourians are having trouble making ends meet during these difficult economic times, Attorney General Jay Nixon today called on the Missouri General Assembly to protect our most vulnerable families by cracking down on predatory payday lending practices. Joined by Kansas City-area elected officials and faith leaders at a downtown church, Attorney General Nixon called for major reform of the payday loan industry by: implementing stricter caps payday loan interest rates, eliminating the practice of renewing loans and providing tools for the Attorney General to punish lenders who violate the law.

State Rep. John Burnett (D-Kansas City), who joined Nixon today, has sponsored legislation to achieve those reforms, but the leadership in the Missouri General Assembly has not allowed that bill to come to a vote, or even to receive a hearing in committee. Nixon called for the legislature to bring the bill up for a vote before session adjourns in several weeks.

"The payday lending industry is making millions in profits each year by taking advantage of Missouri families who are struggling to pay the bills and make ends meet," Attorney General Jay Nixon said. "As the economy continues to move backwards, it's likely that even more Missourians will turn to payday loans to help them put food on the table and pay bills. These vulnerable families should not be slammed with unfair interest rates and a never-ending cycle of debt. I strongly encourage the Missouri legislature to take up Rep. Burnett's bill and stand up for Missouri families during these difficult economic times."

Missouri has some of the most lenient payday loan laws in the nation. Because of Missouri's lax laws, some loan recipients could end up being charged as much as 1,950 percent APR (with an average of 422 percent). According to the most recent report by the Missouri Division of Finance, nearly 3 million payday loans were issued in 2006, and the number of new loan licenses given to lenders has increased by 59 percent since 2003. The result of these lenient laws: Missourian families paid $317 million in fees and interest in 2005, second in actual dollars only to the state of California.

"It's inexcusable for the state to stand by while the payday loan industry holds working families hostage," Rep. Burnett said. "Missourians are facing rising prices, home foreclosures and an economic crisis, and all payday lenders see is more profit. We've put forward a bill that would crack down on these unfair practices, and I look forward to the day when the Republican majority will give it the hearing it deserves."

Attorney General Nixon, the legislators and faith leaders all pledged their strong support to Rep. Burnett's bill, which would cap payday loan interest rates at 36 percent and eliminate the harmful practice of renewing loans – a practice prohibited by every bordering state. Renewable payday loans punish families unable to make payments by charging them astronomical interest rates to extend the period by which they can repay the loan.

"I'm proud to stand with Attorney General Nixon and these community leaders to speak out against this unjust industry," said the Rev. John Modest Miles, pastor of the Morning Star Baptist Church. "Payday lenders prey on the weakest and poorest among us. By working together, I hope we can save generations of Missourians from lifetimes of debt and poverty."

In April, voters in Kansas City approved an ordinance to require payday loan establishments to pay a $1,000 annual fee beginning in 2009 to reimburse the city for regulation of the businesses. Voters approved an additional ordinance to place new zoning restrictions on payday loan establishments.

"Last year, municipal leaders worked together and made incredible progress here in Kansas City with our payday loan ordinance," said Kansas City Councilwoman Jan Marcason, who sponsored the payday loan ordinances that were recently approved by the voters. "The same progress could happen at the state level if folks would put people over politics and protect Missouri families from payday lenders. As our economy continues to falter, we need our state leaders to act now."
"Reforming the payday loan industry is a critical step toward empowering individuals and helping communities grow," said Gwendolyn Grant, president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City. "Until we help people break the vicious cycle of debt, they can't control their own futures. Left unchecked, payday loans will continue to trap hardworking Missourians and crush their dream of a better life."

The coalition of leaders also supports a provision in the bill that provides the Attorney General Office the tools and authority to punish payday lenders who violate the law. Specifically, the Attorney General's Office would be granted jurisdiction to issue cease and desist orders against violators. The Attorney General also would be granted authority to sue for injunctions, restitutions, rescission of loan contracts and civil penalties. Under current law, the Missouri Division of Finance regulates payday lenders, and the Office of the Attorney General only can take action when cases are referred by that division.

"Families forced to turn to payday loans to put food on the table probably don't have extra money to hire an attorney," Attorney General Nixon said. "The legislature needs to pass this bill and give the Office of the Attorney General the authority to punish payday lenders who take advantage of vulnerable Missourians and violate the law."

Attorney General Nixon, the legislators and faith leaders made their announcement at a press conference in front of a payday loan center on Independence Avenue in Kansas City. In attendance at today's press conference were: State Representatives Craig Bland, Mike Brown, John Burnett and Leonard Hughes; Jackson County Legislator Theresa Garza-Ruiz; Kansas City Councilwomen Cindy Baker-Circo, Melba Curls and Jan Marcason; the Reverends John "Modest" Miles of Morning Star Baptist Church and Nelson "Fuzzy" Thompson of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference; Ms. Gwendolyn Grant, president and CEO, the Urban League of Greater Kansas City; Lee's Summit City Councilman Allan Gray; and Velda Cook, secretary of Freedom Inc.

Jay Nixon's Campaign Raises Nearly $1.5 Million; Most Successful Election Year 1st Quarter

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Attorney General Jay Nixon's campaign for Governor today announced that it raised nearly $1.5 million in the first fundraising quarter of 2008, significantly more than any candidate for Governor has ever raised in the first quarter of an election year in Missouri. After taking in more than 16,500 individual contributions, the campaign also reported more than $2.7 million on hand.

The strong fundraising quarter sends a clear message: Missourians are ready for change.

"During these difficult economic times, Missourians want a Governor who will move our state in a new direction," said Oren Shur, spokesman for Nixon's campaign. "Missourians know Jay Nixon has the fresh ideas needed to move our state forward again, while the Republican candidates have embraced the same failed policies that have held us back these past few years. That's why thousands of folks are making contributions and getting involved in Jay's campaign to bring about the change our state needs."

After another intense grassroots effort, the campaign is proud to report a total of 10,790 contributions of $100 or less. The majority of those contributions were generated by more than 85 grassroots fundraisers that regular Missourians have hosted across the state or through the campaign Web site, www.jaynixon.com.

The summary page of the filing report is attached.

Some additional facts about the Nixon campaign's fundraising efforts:

• The Nixon campaign raised significantly more last quarter than any candidate for Governor has ever raised in the first quarter of an election year in Missouri. (For purposes of comparison, in the first quarter of 2004: Matt Blunt raised $1.02 million, Bob Holden raised $726,000 and Claire McCaskill raised $604,000.)

• The majority of total contributions (10,790, or 65%) received by the campaign have been for $100 or less.

• The Nixon campaign has raised more than $300,000 through the campaign Web site.

• The campaign significantly expanded its donor base during the first quarter of 2008, adding more than 1,800 new donors. More than half of the total contributors in the first quarter were first-time contributors to the campaign.

Nixon Takes Lead in Fundraising

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

By Steve Kraske

With incumbent Gov. Matt Blunt not seeking re-election, Democrat Jay Nixon has emerged as the new fundraising leader in the race for Missouri governor.

After months of dominance by Blunt, Nixon reported raising $1.5 million during the year's first three months to easily outdistance his two chief Republican rivals, state Treasurer Sarah Steelman and 9th District U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof.

Nixon's take raised his cash-on-hand total to $2.7 million.

Steelman and Hulshof entered the race only after Blunt's unexpected withdrawal on Jan. 22. Neither had a full quarter to raise money.

First-quarter fundraising reports were due Monday for state and federal candidates.

Nixon's first-quarter fundraising more than doubled his take in the October-to-December period, when he raised $733,997. But that was before Blunt's surprise announcement.

Nixon called his first-quarter take the biggest election-year haul in state history.

In the closely watched race for attorney general, Democrat Chris Koster, the state senator from Harrisonville, easily eclipsed his two rivals by posting a first-quarter total of $610,385. Koster said he had more than $1 million in the bank, and a spokeswoman said Koster already had bought $225,000 of TV time.

The two other Democrats, Jeff Harris and Margaret Donnelly, raised nearly identical amounts of about $162,000.

Harris, a state lawmaker from Columbia, said he had $460,000 in the bank. Donnelly, a state lawmaker from St. Louis, said she had $631,441 in the bank, a total that includes a $200,000 personal loan.

The lone Republican in the race, Senate President Pro Tem Michael Gibbons, reported taking in $158,247 in the first quarter and said he had $440,321 on hand.

Among other key races:

•In Missouri's 6th District race for Congress, incumbent Republican Sam Graves raised $410,077 during the quarter and reported $1.1 million on hand.

Democrat Kay Barnes reported raising $402,068 during the quarter, giving her $954,363 on hand.

•In the U.S. Senate race in Kansas, two-term incumbent Republican Pat Roberts said he raised $522,024 in the year's first quarter and had about $3 million on hand.

Democrat Jim Slattery raised $288,000 in the 12 days he had to raise money in the quarter after he filed paperwork on March 19.

•In Kansas' 3rd District race for Congress, Democratic incumbent Dennis Moore said he raised $185,209 during the quarter and had $889,585 in the bank.

His leading Republican rival, Nick Jordan, reported $166,172 raised during the quarter and $307,599 cash on hand.

•In Kansas' 2nd District race for Congress, Republican Lynn Jenkins, the state treasurer, reported raising $108,200 in the first quarter, giving her $486,000 on hand.

Fellow Republican Jim Ryun, the former congressman from the district who lost the seat in 2006, said he raised $247,000, giving him $461,000 on hand.

Democratic incumbent Nancy Boyda said she raised $220,000 during the quarter with $812,000 cash on hand.

Source: Kansas City Star

Dem. Nixon outraises GOP rivals in Mo. governor's race

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

By DAVID A. LIEB

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Democrat Jay Nixon raised more money than either of his likely Republican gubernatorial opponents in the past quarter, though Republicans Kenny Hulshof and SarahSteelman each took in hundreds of thousands of dollars after their late entry into the race.

Campaign finance figures released Tuesday show Nixon, the current attorney general, raised nearly $1.5 million for his gubernatorial bid from January through March. Nixon's campaign claimed that is more than any candidate for Missouri governor has ever raised in the first quarter of an election year.

After expenses, Nixon had $2.7 million on hand as of the end of March.

Hulshof's gubernatorial campaign said the congressman raised $906,683 since announcing his candidacy for governor Jan. 29 _ one week after Republican Gov. Matt Blunt stunned Missouri's political establishment by declaring that he will not seek re-election. A Hulshof spokesman said his gubernatorial campaign had $732,224 on hand, after expenses, at the end of March.

Hulshof also made good on an earlier pledge to donate most of the money remaining in his congressional campaign fund to the Missouri Republican Party, rather than using it for his gubernatorial bid. He transferred $200,000 from his congressional account to the state party in February and March, according to a report filed this week with the Federal Election Commission.

Steelman said she raised $658,753 from contributors during the past quarter and loaned her gubernatorial campaign $500,000. She's the only of the three leading governor's candidates to have put her own money into the race. Steelman had planned to seek re-election as treasurer but switched course after Blunt's announcement and transferred the money she already had raised for the treasurer's race to her gubernatorial campaign.

After expenses, Steelman's campaign said, she had more than $1.4 million on hand as of the end of March.

All three candidates issued statements claiming they had strong fundraising quarters that show widespread support for their candidacies.

Political scientist Dave Robertson said the fundraising figures show all three top candidates should have sufficient money to get their messages out to voters through various kinds of advertisements.

''Nixon continues to sail along at a quite strong pace for the general election in the fall and should be in pretty good position to compete with anybody the Republicans decide to throw at him, at least in terms of money,'' said Robertson, of the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Although Steelman had twice as much money in the bank as Hulshof for the August primary election, that's due largely to her personal loan and the fact that she began the governor's race with almost $300,000 she had raised for her treasurer's campaign.

If Hulshof's strong two months of fundraising continues, ''I would expect Hulshof to wind up with a significant surplus over Steelman'' in campaign money, Robertson said.

The challenge for either Hulshof or Steelman is ''if they spend all this money in the primary, they're going to have to raise money hand over fist between August and November to catch up to Nixon,'' who faces no strong challenge in the Democratic primary, Robertson said. ''But I think they have a shot at doing that.''

Hulshof has a chance of getting back some of the money he gave to the state Republican Party from his congressional campaign committee. That's because the state party can contribute to various local political party committees, each of which can donate up to $13,500 cash to a candidate, plus $13,500 in in-kind contributions, in both the primary and general elections.

A Hulshof spokesman said he gave the money to the party to help others.

''Kenny wants to make sure that the Republican ticket in Missouri succeeds this year, and this is one of the best ways to help make that happen,'' campaign spokesman Scott Baker said.

Hulshof's federal report also shows that he returned $15,345 in contributions to his congressional campaign.

Source: Associated Press

Nixon leads in campaign cash in race for Missouri governor

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

by Jo Mannies

Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon, a Democrat running for governor, raised money at a frenzied pace this winter to amass a huge financial edge over his two chief Republican rivals.

As a result, Nixon has erased his old status as the contest's underfunded underdog.

In campaign filings due Tuesday, Nixon reported $2.7 million in the bank, with almost $1.5 million collected since Jan. 1.

That breaks down to a daily average donation of about $15,000, by far Nixon's strongest money-raising effort since he kicked off his campaign more than two years ago.

Nixon's bank account is now larger than the combined totals of the two leading Republicans: state Treasurer Sarah Steelman and U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof.

Thanks to a hefty family loan, Steelman — a renegade at odds with many GOP leaders — reported $1.4 million in the bank. That's almost twice the on-hand tally of Hulshof, even though he has the backing of most of the state party's establishment.

The size of candidates' cash-on-hand figures are their most important campaign numbers in Tuesday's reports, since the money will be needed for expensive television advertising and other campaign costs this summer and fall.

That's particularly true for Steelman and Hulshof, who will do battle in the Aug. 5 primary.

Neither Steelman nor Hulshof entered the race until after Gov. Matt Blunt made his surprise announcement Jan. 22 that he wasn't seeking re-election.

At the time, Blunt held a massive bank account advantage over Nixon.

Steelman said her personal loans to her campaign, totalling $570,000 so far, signal her commitment to her bid for governor. The other money she raised included about $300,000 collected when she was still running for re-election as treasurer.

About $120,000 of Steelman's total was raised in April. Hulshof's report, like most others, didn't include anything after March 31.

Hulshof's campaign said his lower tally was misleading and noted that he had chosen not to shift over money from his congressional campaign account. As a result, federal filings show that Hulshof has donated $200,000 to the state Republican Party — which is expected to spend some of that money on Hulshof's behalf.

Nixon, meanwhile, has no well-known Democratic primary rival. He is expected to hold on to most of his money until this fall, when he'll face the Republican nominee.

In other heated statewide contests:

— State Sen. Chris Koster, D-Harrisonville, reported far more in the bank than his two Democratic rivals for state attorney general: state Reps. Margaret Donnelly of Richmond Heights and Jeff Harris of Columbia, Mo.

About two-thirds of Koster's contributions since Jan. 1 came from various political committees, who can donate more than individuals.

— Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, a Republican running for re-election after dropping out of the governor's race in February, collected more than twice as much in the last three months as his chief Democratic rival, state Rep. Sam Page of Creve Coeur. As a result, Kinder has a much larger bank account.

— In the contest for state treasurer, state Sen. Brad Lager, R-Maryville, has raised more than the combined tallies of the three best-known Democrats: Arnold Mayor Mark Powell, state Rep. Clint Zweifel of Florissant and Andria Simckes of St. Louis County.

Source: St. Louis Post Dispatch

Jay Nixon Announces Plan to Make More Missouri Prisoners Cover the Cost of Their Own Incarceration

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

"Missourians should not have to pay room and board for prisoners with the means to pay themselves."

JEFFERSON CITY, MO. -- At the Missouri Association of Counties' Legislative Summit today, Attorney General Jay Nixon announced a plan that will force more Missouri prisoners who have sufficient assets to pay the cost of their own incarceration. As Governor, Nixon will expand the Missouri Incarceration Reimbursement Act (MIRA), which currently allows the Attorney General's Office to recover assets from prisoners in state facilities, so that the office can also recover assets from prisoners in county jails.

Since taking office in 1993, Attorney General Nixon has saved the taxpayers more than $5.7 million by forcing prisoners with sufficient assets to pay for their own incarceration through MIRA action. Under the plan Nixon announced today, all of the MIRA funds recovered by the state (from prisoners in both state and county facilities) will be put into a pool and sent directly to the counties to reimburse them for the cost of holding prisoners at county jails.

"Missourians should not have to pay the room and board for prisoners with the means to pay themselves," Attorney General Nixon said. "We've already saved Missouri taxpayers more than $5 million by making criminals in our state facilities cover the cost of their incarceration, but we must expand these efforts to county jails as well. Particularly during these difficult economic times, regular law-abiding folks shouldn't have to foot the bill for prisoners who have sufficient assets. We have an opportunity here to save the taxpayers' money and hold criminals accountable for their actions."

In Missouri, many criminals begin serving time in county facilities before moving on to state facilities. MIRA currently allows the Attorney General to recover assets from a criminal to reimburse the state for that time spent in state facilities, but the statute does not allow the state to recover money from criminals for the time served in county facilities. Although the state currently provides a small reimbursement to the counties under the existing system, it covers only a portion of the cost and the remaining expenses associated with holding prisoners places a considerable strain on local governments.

Under Nixon's plan, all funds recovered through MIRA action will go to reimburse the counties. The counties will receive these MIRA funds on top of the reimbursement funds that the state already allocates to the counties.

They can't say they weren't warned

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

By John Greer

Thursday, Apr. 10 2008

In the adult world, where big mistakes have real consequences, there is little joy in being able to say, "I told you so." But when it comes to the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority, I and many others warned Gov. Matt Blunt and the Legislature against raiding the authority's assets during these times of growing economic uncertainty. Our warnings went unheeded.

Late last month, the other shoe finally dropped when the MOHELA board of directors announced it would not be able to pay the state the full quarterly payment called for in the governor's plan. After years of profitable expansion, MOHELA suddenly found itself $2.3 million short of the scheduled $5 million payment.

Notwithstanding claims of its management to the contrary, MOHELA's sudden collapse to the brink of insolvency is the direct result of the governor's raid on its assets.

At a January 2007 hearing of the state Senate's education committee, I watched a parade of witnesses testify to the eagerness of colleges and universities to spend the assets MOHELA painstakingly had amassed over the years. MOHELA executives then assured the committee that the authority would have no trouble paying the $350 million specified in the governor's Lewis and Clark plan.

Finally, I tried to bring at least some measure of reality to the proceedings — based on my more than 30 years as a banker and more than 13 years as a member of MOHELA's board. I told the committee that stripping $350 million out of MOHELA would put the institution immediately into the red. I said that MOHELA would lose millions of dollars the very first year after the plan was approved — and every year after that. I believed that the plan would divert assets from MOHELA's core mission of enhancing access to higher education for all eligible Missouri students and, worse, that it would threaten MOHELA's very existence.

No one listened.

I also warned that it was essential for MOHELA to marshal its assets to be prepared to react quickly to whatever changes occurred in federal law regarding student loans — changes being considered by Congress at that very moment. The governor's plan, I said, would leave MOHELA without financial liquidity when it would need it most.

No one listened.

I was not alone in predicting that MOHELA might not survive the raid on its assets. Former state senator Wayne Goode and former MOHELA board member Allan Purdy, two visionaries who had helped create MOHELA, were similarly concerned. So was Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon. Most ominously of all, Liscarnan Solutions, MOHELA's well-compensated financial analysis consulting firm, suddenly abandoned its support for the governor's plan and declared that MOHELA might not be able to make the payments that would be required of it.

Again, no one listened.

Now MOHELA hovers perilously close to failure. With 24 quarterly payments spelled out in the
governor's plan, MOHELA could not even make the second one before having to cry "uncle." MOHELA already has lost more than $12 million this year, after years of $20 million to $25 million of annual growth. And following years of high-risk debt management practices, MOHELA is forced to try to refinance more than $1 billion of debt in today's very difficult market.

The bottom line is there is a very real risk that MOHELA may not survive until the fall, and it may never resume its payments to the state. If it does survive, MOHELA will be a mere shadow of the vibrant, growing company it was in late 2005 when the governor first set his sights on its $5.7 billion in assets. Perhaps the best anyone can hope for now is a smaller MOHELA, one that will be able to function but that will provide less financial help to fewer students.

I was not the only MOHELA board member to speak out against the plan when it first surfaced in January 2006, but I was the only one whose term lasted long enough to see it put in place. By the time the governor replaced me on the MOHELA board in the fall of 2007, he already had replaced the other voices of dissent and had engineered the replacement of the MOHELA executive director who had expressed doubts about the plan.

When MOHELA's executives try to blame its financial crisis on the recent upheavals in the credit markets, please remember that the authority already was well in the red before the roof fell in on the credit market in February.

Yes, the credit crisis and the changes in student loan laws enacted by Congress have made the situation worse. But these were precisely the kinds of risks about which we warned the governor and the Legislature. Stripping MOHELA of all its available cash has limited its ability to maneuver through such difficulties. Skyrocketing legal fees and insurance costs associated with the governor's plan have added to MOHELA's burdens.

Before buying the spin of Blunt administration apologists, ask yourself this: Would MOHELA — and the students and parents it was created to serve — be better off or worse off today if the $235 million it gave the state just last fall still were available to help qualified Missouri students afford the cost of higher education?

John Greer is a retired banker from Marshfield, Mo. He served on the MOHELA board from 1993 to 2007.

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Sign Jay's MOHELA Pledge Today!

Jay Nixon Continues Missouri Main Street Tour in Downtown Branson

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

BRANSON, MO -- Attorney General Jay Nixon today continued his Missouri Main Street tour, listening to the concerns of regular Missourians and small-business owners during these tough economic times. Today, the Attorney General toured small businesses in downtown Branson, Mo., where he discussed local economic issues with business owners, community leaders and residents.

"Growing up in a small town, I know how important small businesses and a vibrant Main Street are to our local economies," Attorney General Nixon said. "But today, we're moving in the wrong direction, and Main Streets across our state are hurting. Our economy is heading backwards, jobs are disappearing and everyone’s feeling the squeeze. We need to turn this economy around, and it starts by supporting small businesses on Main Streets across Missouri."

A native of De Soto, Mo., a small town of roughly 6,000 residents, Jay Nixon understands the devastating impact that a slow economy can have on everyday folks.

Today in downtown Branson, Attorney General Nixon toured local businesses with Jim Asbury, realtor with ERA/Table Rock Realty and president of the Missouri Association of Realtors; Dawn Erickson, Executive Director of the Downtown Branson Main Street Association; and other local businesspeople.

Although the primary purpose of the Missouri Main Street tour is to listen to the concerns of regular Missourians, Attorney General Nixon has recently put forward several key initiatives to help the most vulnerable Missourians during these tough economic times.

In January, Attorney General Nixon outlined his plan to provide property tax relief to more than 65,000 Missouri seniors and families struggling to keep their homes. Specifically, he proposed eliminating an unfair marriage penalty and expanding the Missouri Property Tax Credit Program (also known as the Circuit Breaker.) Read more on Nixon’s property tax relief proposal: http://www.jaynixon.com/news/press_releases?id=0074

Attorney General Nixon has repeatedly called on the Missouri legislature to pass legislation to reform the payday loan industry, which currently takes advantage of thousands of low-income Missourians a year. Missouri has some of the most lenient payday loan laws in the nation, which allow lenders to charge Missouri families up to 1,950 percent APR (with an average charge of 422 percent). Nixon has proposed capping the APR at 36 percent and outlawing the harmful practice of renewing loans -- a practice prohibited by every bordering state. Renewable payday loans punish families unable to make payments by charging them astronomical interest rates to extend the period by which they can repay the loan. Read more about the Attorney General’s payday loan reform proposal: http://www.jaynixon.com/news/press_releases?id=0051

Additional Background Information About Missouri's Downward Economy:

Missouri's Unemployment Rate Increased To 5.5% - Higher Than The National Average. In December, Missouri's unemployment rate rose to 5.5 %. The national unemployment rate was 5.0% for this time period. Since the beginning of 2007, Missouri's unemployment rate rose by .7%. The unemployment rate in Missouri stayed steady during the month of January. [Analysis of Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Data Release, 1/18/2008 and 3/18/2008]

Missouri's Ranked 18th In Foreclosures In February. Missouri had the 18th highest foreclosure rate in February, according to RealtyTrac's February foreclosure activity report. This represents a 3.27% increase since January of 2008 and a 47.12% increase since February of 2007. [Press Release, RealtyTrac, 3/13/2008; http://www.realtytrac.com/ContentManagement/pressrelease.aspx?ChannelID=9&ItemID=4284&accnt=64847 ]

If Missouri Had Grown At The National Average, 38,102 More Missourians Would Have Jobs Today. If Missouri had grown at the average growth rate of the rest of the country between January 2005 and December 2007, during this time period, 38,102 more Missourians would have jobs today. [Analysis of Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Data Release, 1/18/2008]

Missouri Has Lost More Than 16,000 Manufacturing Jobs Since Last Year. According to recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data, Missouri has lost 16,700 manufacturing jobs since Matt Blunt took office in January of 2005. [Analysis of Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Data Release, 1/18/2008]

Blunt's Health Care Cuts Have Cost Missouri Jobs. According to a recent editorial in the Kansas City Star, "The proposals won't restore the 2005 Medicaid cuts affecting 400,000 people that cost the state $700 million over two years in federal matching funds. Loss of federal money cost the state at least $1.4 billion in economic activity, including 20,000 new health-care jobs, one economist says." [Kansas City Star, 5/13/2007]

Missouri Ranked Behind All But One Bordering State In Annual Wage Growth. In 2007, Missourians' paychecks grew more slowly than all but one bordering state, as Missouri ranked 32nd in annual average pay growth. [CFED, 1/04/2008]

Missouri's "New Economy" Has Been On A Steep Decline. In 2002, Missouri ranked 28 out of the 50 states in the New Economy Index. In 2007, Missouri's rankings had slipped from 28 to 35. The New Economy Index used multiple indicators to rate how states are structured according to the tenets of the New Economy. This represents one of the steepest declines in the nation. Meanwhile other Midwest states are making progress. Illinois, for example, has improved its rankings from 19 in 2002 to 16 in 2007. [Information Technology and Innovation Foundation: New Economy Index, 2007; http://www.itif.org/files/2007_State_New_Economy_Index.pdf ]

Jay Nixon Launches Missouri Main Street Tour in Kirksville

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

KIRKSVILLE, MO -- Attorney General Jay Nixon today launched his Missouri Main Street tour to listen to the concerns of regular Missourians and small business owners during these tough economic times.

"I grew up in a small town, so I understand the importance of having a vibrant Main Street that creates jobs and bolsters local economies," said Attorney General Nixon. "But with our state's economy moving backwards, too many of our Main Streets are hurting right now. Jobs are disappearing, small shops are shutting down, and everyone is feeling the squeeze. It's happening here in Kirksville and in small towns across the state. To turn this economy around, we must start putting the needs of regular Missourians ahead of the wealthy and well-connected."

A native of De Soto, Mo., a small town of roughly 6,000 residents, Jay Nixon understands the devastating impact that a slow economy can have on everyday folks. Today in Kirksville, Attorney General Nixon toured local businesses with former Truman State University President Jack Magruder, his wife, Mrs. Sue Magruder, and other community leaders. The Attorney General will continue to visit Main Streets in small towns across the state in the coming weeks and months.

With Missouri's unemployment among the nation's highest and wage growth among the nation's lowest, our state's economy has moved steadily backwards the past few months and years. According to RealtyTrac, a Web site that tracks foreclosure activity, Missouri had the 18th highest foreclosure rate in the nation in February 2008 -- with the state's foreclosure rate nearly doubling over the past year.

Although the primary purpose of the Missouri Main Street tour is to listen to the concerns of regular Missourians, Attorney General Nixon has recently put forward several key initiatives to help the most vulnerable Missourians during these tough economic times.

In January, Attorney General Nixon outlined his plan to provide property tax relief to more than 65,000 Missouri seniors and families struggling to keep their homes. Specifically, he proposed eliminating an unfair marriage penalty and expanding the Missouri Property Tax Credit Program (also known as the Circuit Breaker.) Read more on Nixon's property tax relief proposal: http://www.jaynixon.com/news/press_releases?id=0074

Attorney General Nixon has repeatedly called on the Missouri legislature to pass legislation to reform the pay-day loan industry, which currently takes advantage of thousands of low-income Missourians a year. Missouri has some of the most lenient payday loan laws in the nation, which allow lenders to charge Missouri families up to 1,950 percent APR (with an average charge of 422 percent). Nixon has proposed capping the APR at 36 percent and outlawing the harmful practice of renewing loans -- a practice prohibited by every bordering state. Renewable payday loans punish families unable to make payments by charging them astronomical interest rates to extend the period by which they can repay the loan. Read more about the Attorney General's pay-day loan reform proposal: http://www.jaynixon.com/news/press_releases?id=0051

Additional Background Information About Missouri's Downward Economy:

Republicans turn back main Democratic Medicaid amendments

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

David Lieb, Associated Press
03/26/2008

An election-year campaign theme played out Wednesday night in the Missouri House as Democrats tried _ generally unsuccessfully _ to reverse Medicaid cuts made three years ago by Republicans.

Missouri’s Medicaid roles have fallen by about 170,000 people from their spring 2005 high of 1 million when Gov. Matt Blunt and Republican lawmakers trimmed eligibility and reduced benefits for the government health care program for the poor.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Attorney General Jay Nixon has made reversing the cuts his No. 1 campaign pledge, deriding them as "a huge, fundamental public policy mistake."

The top Republican gubernatorial candidates, U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof and Treasurer Sarah Steelman, generally have defended Blunt and Republican lawmakers for making a tough budget-balancing decision.

As they have in previous years, House Democrats made several attempts during Wednesday night’s budget debate to restore a portion of those 2005 cuts.

Nixon, and House Democrats, contend the state now has plenty of money to reverse the cuts and has needlessly forgone about $1.4 million in federal Medicaid money that would have matched the state expenditures. Republicans continue to express concerns that restoring the cuts could lead to a bloated budget in the future.

"The cuts that occurred three years ago were immoral, irresponsible and hateful," said Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, a former House minority leader who is running for attorney general.

Rep. Bryan Stevenson, R-Webb City, countered: "We have a constitutional obligation to balance the budget, and it is illegal, immoral and unethical not to do so."

On a largely party line vote, House Republicans defeated 88-61 a Democratic amendment that would have cut almost $70 million in Medicaid payments to hospitals with the intent of redirecting it toward expanded Medicaid eligibility for adults.

Democrats argued they were taking money from the same pool that would have been used to fund Blunt’s proposed Insure Missouri program _ a government-subsidized effort to expand health insurance that has been put on hold because of opposition within his own party.

Although several Republicans joined Democrats, the majority also defeated 78-74 a Democratic attempt to cut more than $9 million from the Medicaid hospital payments to restore dental and vision coverage to adult Medicaid patients.

A law enacted last year allowed those two categories of 2005 cuts to be restored, but that hasn’t happened because lawmakers haven’t put money to do so in the budget.

Rep. Margaret Donnelly, D-St. Louis, who also is running for attorney general, finally succeeded in pulling enough Republicans to her side for a smaller amendment restoring therapeutical coverage to adult Medicaid recipients. Her amendment took a little over $2 million from the Medicaid hospital payments. But a fair portion of that would go to hospitals anyway, because they provide such treatments.

Source: Associated Press

Jay Nixon Supports Boeing's Appeal of Multi-Billion Dollar Tanker Contract to European Firm

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Attorney General Jay Nixon today voiced his support of Boeing's decision to appeal a multi-billion dollar contract awarded to a European company -- a deal which will likely send thousands of jobs and billions of dollars overseas. Boeing has major operations in St. Louis, Mo., and is the region's second largest employer. The company employs about 16,000 Missouri workers.

Attorney General Nixon released the following statement today:

"With a lagging economy in Missouri and across the nation, we cannot afford to send thousands of jobs and billions of dollars overseas. We need those jobs right here in Missouri. Our unemployment rate in Missouri remains among the nation's highest, so now more than ever, we must support our businesses and help them grow. Boeing is the world's leading aerospace company and one of Missouri's largest employers. I fully support its efforts to appeal this ill-advised decision. With the economy in such bad shape, it's hard to imagine why the politicians in Washington thought it made sense to give such a major contract to a European firm. Missourians are sick of watching their jobs go overseas."

Boeing has announced that it will appeal the $35 billion contract, which was awarded to contract team that included the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company. Read more here:

Click here to read more

Jay Nixon Officially Files to Run for Governor

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Today Attorney General Jay Nixon officially filed to be a candidate for Governor, pledging to offer new, fresh ideas to bring Missourians together so the state can start moving forward again.

After filing with the Secretary of State's Office, Jay Nixon released the following statement:

"Missouri is a great state that has been held back by bad decisions and misplaced priorities. Families in every region of the state are having a harder time making ends meet. Our state's health care system is broken, college is unaffordable for too many families, and our economy is quickly moving in the wrong direction. But at a time when Missourians need change so badly, my opponents have embraced the same policies that have moved our state backwards these past few years. Four more years of the same failed policies won't work. I'm running for Governor because I know we can do better. We must come together and offer new, fresh ideas to get Missouri moving forward again.

"I come from De Soto, a small town in Jefferson County. Those small town values, along with my family and faith, have guided me throughout my career in public service. I'm proud of my record of standing up for consumers, locking up the worst criminals and running a fiscally responsible agency that gets results. We brought Republicans and Democrats together to implement programs, like No Call, that have directly helped Missouri families. But bigger challenges lie ahead, and we must continue working together to bring about the changes Missourians need and deserve.

"Missouri can once again be a place where every child, parent and senior citizen can get quality, affordable health care. We can once again be a state where middle-class families can afford to send their children to college. And we can once again focus on helping regular Missourians get ahead, rather than helping the same old wealthy insiders stay ahead.

"Missouri is at a crossroad. We can continue the same failed policies that have moved our state backwards, or we can change direction and begin moving forward. But we will only change course if we elect a Governor with fundamentally different priorities."

Restoring Health Care Key Issue in Nixon Campaign

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Asked what he would do in his first day in office if elected governor, Jay Nixon didn't pause.

"The first thing I would do is present the Legislature with a supplemental appropriation that would restore the health care cuts made by Gov. Matt Blunt. I would restore health care to the 73,000 Missouri children who lost it," Nixon said Saturday morning during a campaign stop in Franklin County.

It's a softball question for Nixon, now one of the Missouri Democratic Party's elder statesmen after almost 25 years in public office including a 16-year run as Attorney General.

He turns on the question and hits it a mile rattling off figures of those whose health care benefits have been eliminated or slashed as a result of cutbacks by Blunt and the Republican-controlled Legislature back in 2005.

"We need to get the state out of the place it's in now and moving again," Nixon said. "We're heading in the wrong direction. We have over 750,000 Missourians who lack health insurance. More people are uninsured in Missouri than in six out of the eight states we share a border with," Nixon charged.

It's clear that expanding health care benefits is a central theme in Nixon's campaign. He has been spending his weekends crisscrossing the state, blasting Republicans for neglecting the subject and outlining his plan to fix what he perceives as a broken health care system.

He said he has visited all 114 counties in the state and raised about $5 million - half of what a campaign for governor will likely cost this election cycle.

Health care was considered by many pundits as Blunt's Achilles heal in his bid for re-election. But Blunt stunned everyone including members of his own administration when he announced a few weeks ago that he was not going to run for a second term. Up to that time, Nixon and Blunt had been trading public jabs over issues and policies in what many predicted would be a caustic gubernatorial race.

Ninth District Congressman Kenny Hulshoff and State Treasurer Sarah Steelman appear to be the leading Republicans to announce their intentions to replace Blunt.

Asked how he thinks he would fare in a race against Hulshof, also a former prosecutor who worked in the attorney general's office, Nixon warned not to count Steelman out.

"Kenny and I get along real well. He's an affable guy. This isn't personal between us but the issues are very personal. This is the same guy who stood with Gov. Blunt on the Medicaid cuts. There are stark differences between us. But don't count Sarah out. She's a substantial candidate with a state-wide base. I don't know why she would hire a campaign consultant if she wasn't serious about this," he added.

"This isn't a beauty contest," Nixon continued. "This is a very serious election for the state of Missouri."

Nixon said he would focus on economic development saying that the loss of jobs in the state under the Blunt administration needs to be reversed.

He acknowledged that the economy in some parts of the state was sound but that other areas need help. He said he would focus on making sure the state's economy had the trained workers it needs to compete in a global economy. The Democrat from Desoto said that his focus would include vocational and technical education as well as paying more attention to junior colleges in preparing the state's workforce.

Nixon said he would make state government more accessible by using the Internet in the same fashion he uses it to help consumers register complaints with his office. He mentioned that 1.4 million Missourians still don't have Internet access which he said he has a plan to address.

Nixon noted he carried Franklin county in each of his campaigns for attorney general and expected to do well here again.

"I had a good run as attorney general," Nixon added. "I've enjoyed the work and I think I made a huge difference in a number of areas. When I took over my predecessor was going to jail and I think I re-established the credibility of the office. I also believe we have one of the most efficient offices in state government. But there are limits as to what you can do policy-wise in the office. I think I can accomplish more."

Source: Washington Missourian

Jay Nixon Strongly Opposes Bill to Eliminate Campaign Contribution Limits

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Attorney General Jay Nixon today announced his strong opposition to a Republican plan to eliminate campaign contribution limits, which, if passed, would bring back a system that allows wealthy corporations and special interest groups to give millions of dollars to candidates. Last summer, the Missouri Supreme Court struck down a law that eliminated contribution limits.

"I firmly believe that our elections must be determined by the people of Missouri, not by special interest groups and wealthy corporations," Attorney General Nixon said. "Strict contribution limits will help ensure that regular Missourians have the most powerful voice in November. We must keep contribution limits in place and not return to the same old policies that benefit the same old wealthy insiders."

Attorney General Nixon has long supported campaign contribution limits. In 1999, he successfully argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in favor of contribution limits. [Nixon v. Shrink Missouri Government PAC, No. 98--963, 10/5/1999]

Like Nixon, the people of Missouri support contribution limits -- voting overwhelmingly in favor of a ballot initiative mandating strict contribution limits in 1994.

Nixon plan aims for cheaper drugs

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

by Mike Penprase

The idea of obtaining prescription medicines at little or no cost with a lot less hassle caught Andy Sukut's attention Tuesday. So much so that the retiree interrupted a pool game at the South Side Senior Center to hear Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon talk about the idea.

"We've got limited income, and all the medicines keep going up and up and up," said Sukut, who joined those listening while dozens of other seniors lunched on veal or turkey in another room.

Nixon unveiled his Prescription Drug Access Technology Initiative at 2215 S. Fremont Ave. The program will allow health care providers to surf the Internet for free or reduced-cost prescription drugs from 200 different programs.

The initiative calls for health providers to be awarded grants to purchase hardware, software and training to access the computerized programs.

Funding will come from $630,000 Missouri received as part of a 29-state settlement with Caremark prescription service over drug-switching complaints. The settlement requires the states to use $22 million to assist low-income, disabled or elderly residents in obtaining low- or no-cost prescription drugs, for drug education and other services.

The state also received $300,000 to cover the costs of pursuing the complaint against Caremark.

Nixon authorized the program after a team led by Assistant Attorney General Peter Lyskowski looked at options on how to use the Caremark money.

Outlining the program, Nixon said agencies using the prescription drug technology will talk to applicants, determine eligibility and then input the information and search for the best source for medicines.

The plan allows physicians, health clinics, senior centers, libraries and other facilities dealing with low-income or elderly people to apply for grants, Lyskowski said.

The program is being fast-tracked, with an application deadline of March 21.

Nixon said there already is evidence a community-based program works.

A regional program in the northeast part of the state generated more than $1 million in free and reduced-cost prescription medicines in the past two years, he said.

"It's really an elegant solution," said Citizens Memorial Hospital representative John Howell.

In some rural areas, some low-income and elderly patients are forced to decide whether to eat or pay for prescriptions, Howell said.

He said going without prescriptions is hazardous to the elderly, who have less ability to rebound from interruptions in the flow of their medicines.

Source: Springfield News Leader

Judge Ronnie White: "We Need Jay Nixon to Be Our Next Governor"

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

The St. Louis American, Feb. 7, 2008
Guest Column, Judge Ronnie L. White

Over the course of these past three years, we've seen how much damage the wrong governor can do to our state and our people. But today, Missouri stands at a crossroads. The 2008 election will determine the future direction of our state for many years to come.

Because of the failed policies of Republicans in Jefferson City and Washington, fewer Missourians have health care, fewer Missourians can afford college and fewer Missourians are achieving the American Dream. Those folks have made it clear that they care more about the big corporations and the special interests than they do about the regular people of Missouri. Simply put, we need a change.

We need a governor who believes in lifting people up, not keeping people down. We need a governor who believes in helping people who want to help themselves, not shutting doors in the faces of good people. We need a governor who is committed to working with all of Missouri's diverse communities, not just the wealthy and connected.

To say it straight, we need Attorney General Jay Nixon to be our next governor.

I am proud to serve as co-chair of Jay's campaign. I've known Jay for many years. I know he shares my belief that every Missourian should have an equal opportunity to succeed. As attorney general, he has consistently spoken up for regular Missourians whose voices otherwise would not have been heard. He is leading the fight against discrimination and racial profiling. He understands how to bring people together to get results. Jay Nixon is a man of his word, a man of family and faith.

Sure, Jay and I have had differences in the past. But even when we disagreed, we did so respectfully and I always understood where he was coming from. I know his heart is always in the right place, and I know that he's committed to bringing hope and opportunity to more Missourians.

We haven't always had a seat at the table where decisions are made in state government. Those seats have been reserved for the rich, the connected and the same old faces. Jay will not only change the direction of our government, but he'll change the faces of the people sitting around the table making decisions so that everyone is included and our voices are heard. In my mind, you won't get policies that help all Missourians until all Missourians have a say in those policies - and that's what Jay Nixon is all about.

I am proud to stand with Jay in the governor's race. We cannot afford another four years of the same failed policies. We need to change the direction of our state, and Jay Nixon is the right candidate to make a better Missouri for our community.

Ronnie L. White is a former Missouri Supreme Court chief justice.

Jay Nixon Calls on Missouri Legislature to Pass Law Exempting Families from Paying Taxes on Federal Rebate Checks

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo -- As Congress and President Bush finalize the details of an economic stimulus package, Attorney General Jay Nixon today called on the Missouri legislature to be prepared to pass a law exempting Missourians from paying taxes on the federal rebate checks that Missourians are expected to receive soon. Without legislative action, it is likely that Missourians would have to pay state income taxes on the rebates.

"With unemployment on the rise and our state's economy moving backwards, Missouri families need help paying their bills, not more new taxes," Attorney General Nixon said. "This stimulus package alone won't fix the economic downturn, but it's an important first step and Missourians must be allowed to receive its maximum benefit. I encourage the legislature to take prompt action so that Missouri families can keep every dollar of their rebate checks during these difficult times."

Based on news reports, the package agreed upon by the President and the House of Representatives includes tax rebates of up to $600 for individuals and up to $1,200 for couples. Families receive an additional rebate of $300 per child. Lower-income tax-payers who earned more than $3,000 last year but paid less than $300 in income taxes would also receive a payment of $300.

Attorney General Nixon believes that regular Missourians, who right now are struggling to make ends meet, deserve tax relief. Several weeks ago, Nixon outlined his plan to provide property tax relief to more than 65,000 Missouri seniors and families struggling to keep their homes by eliminating the unfair marriage penalty and expanding the Missouri Property Tax Credit Program.

Jay Nixon's Statement on the 2008 Missouri Governor's Race

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Attorney General Jay Nixon today released the following statement about the 2008 Governor’s race and his vision for Missouri’s future: (Please click here to watch video from Jay's press conference)

“As Attorney General, and now as a candidate for Governor, my priority has been standing up for regular Missourians. I’m proud of my record of going after criminals so that our neighborhoods are safer, standing up for Missouri consumers and expanding health care opportunities.

“I've always believed that Missouri must be a place where if you work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to make a better life for your family. And while my opponent in this race may be different, those priorities will always remain the same.

“This campaign will continue to be about putting forward new, fresh ideas to move Missouri forward.

“Georganne and I wish Governor and Mrs. Blunt all the best in their future endeavors. As the Republican establishment makes its decision on a candidate, I will continue to do what I’ve been doing: traveling the state and listening to regular Missourians talk about the real challenges they face.

“Because the health care crisis in our state is real. The economic downturn in our state is real. And the soaring cost of college tuition in this state is also real. And because of these challenges, this campaign must be about new ideas, new priorities and a better future for Missouri.

“This campaign is an opportunity to talk about how to build that better future, and over the coming months, I will continue to offer specific, common sense proposals to address these challenges.

“From day one, my campaign has been about changing the direction of our state. And that’s no different today than it was yesterday, because I know we can do better.

“Too many Missourians have no health coverage, and those fortunate enough to have coverage are paying too much for it. Too many of our hardworking neighbors can’t find good-paying jobs or worry about losing the jobs they do have. And too many of our children still aren’t getting the quality education they deserve.

“Missouri is a great state that has been held back by bad decisions and wrong priorities. I’m running for Governor to bring about the change we need to get Missouri moving in the right direction again.

“We will be successful not because of whom the Republicans may nominate, but because Missourians know that change will only happen if we elect a Governor with fundamentally different priorities.
That's the message I hear at every stop we make around the state. It’s everywhere. Missourians are united for change. And together, we can bring about real change for Missouri families – by expanding access to health care, creating new jobs and making sure that every Missouri child receives the quality education they deserve.

“I look forward to the challenge that lies ahead and to working with regular Missourians to bring about the change of direction we need.”

# # #

Jay Nixon's Statement on Gov. Blunt's Announcement

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Following Gov. Matt Blunt's announcement that he will not be seeking re-election, Attorney General Jay Nixon issued the following statement:

"My campaign for Governor has always been about moving Missouri forward. I will continue to focus on changing the direction of our state so that more Missourians have access to health care, more Missourians can find good-paying jobs and more Missouri children can get the quality education they deserve.

"I wish Gov. Blunt and his family all the best in the future."

From Jay: Honoring Dr. King

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Today, we pause to honor the memory of one of our country's true heroes, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. At one of the most decisive moments in our history, Dr. King turned a famous dream into a movement that changed our nation forever.

We have come so far as a nation in the decades since Dr. King was tragically taken from us. But the work we do in his memory is far from finished. Great disparities continue to divide our communities along racial and economic lines.

Not everyone in our state has equal access to a quality education or to affordable health care. Not all Missourians live in safe communities to raise their children. Far too often, opportunities in life still hinge on what zip code folks live in or what their parents did for a living. We must continue to pursue Dr. King's dream of equality for all by eliminating these unacceptable disparities and moving forward together.

As I traveled the state over the weekend and today to participate in ceremonies celebrating Dr. King, I also encouraged folks to honor the thousands of leaders across Missouri - clergy, educators, businesspeople - who devote their lives to fighting for change and equality. I have benefited time and again from their mentorship and wise counsel. Indeed, they've helped me grow as a public servant and as a person. To them, I pay my respect and give my thanks.

On this important holiday, let's rededicate ourselves to Dr. King's dream of change, justice and opportunity. Let's stand firm in our commitment to expanding access to quality health care, education and jobs for all. Let's move Missouri back in the right direction.

May God bless the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And may God bless each of us as we continue his vital work of bringing about real change where it's needed most.

Sincerely,

Jay Nixon

Matt the Nice

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

In 2005, his first year as Missouri's governor, Matt Blunt promised to cut Medicaid fraud. Instead, he slashed health coverage for more than 100,000 poor, elderly and disabled people. Feeding tubes were labeled "optional equipment." Headlines read "Blunt trauma" and "Matt the Knife."

Now it's time to run for re-election. Polls continue to show that Missourians are unhappy about the Medicaid cuts. In his State of the State speech Tuesday, Mr. Blunt unveiled "Matt the Nice," a free-spending conservative who can create expensive new programs without raising his favorite bete noire: "job-killing taxes."

He wants to expand health insurance coverage for working-poor parents. He wants to hike funding for education and give a long-overdue injection of cash into the state university system. These are worthy goals, but they seem inconsistent with the scheme Mr. Blunt concocted that diverted assets of the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority into campus construction projects, instead of leaving those assets available for qualified Missouri students needing low-interest loans for college.

In his speech, Mr. Blunt boasted about racking up two straight years of budget surpluses, without mentioning that the money resulted largely from his catastrophic 2005 Medicaid cuts. They also produced the unnecessary suffering of thousands of sick people and cost Missouri more than $1 billion in matching federal funds.

Like a boy who breaks his mother's favorite vase and tries to make amends by gluing the pieces together, Mr. Blunt deserves some credit for his new proposals. But the results probably will not make up for the damage he caused in the first place.

Mr. Blunt's "Insure Missouri" and "MoHealthNet" programs were the heart of his speech, but he also promised "significant increases in funding [for education] at all levels, from pre-school to graduate school." He gave prominent attention to two politically popular issues: property tax reform and cracking down on Missouri's nearly negligible population of undocumented immigrants.

Mr. Blunt claimed that the changes his administration effected over the last three years transformed the state health care system for the better. In fact, hospitals, doctors and clinics that serve the working poor — and most of rural Missouri — still are under serious strain because of his 2005 cuts. Health care providers were denied payment for many patients they treat, but that didn't keep those patients from getting sick.

A year after Mr. Blunt's cuts, the number of people without health insurance in our state soared by more than 103,000 to about 772,000, a rate of growth three times the national average.

Some, but by no means all, of those cut from Medicaid would qualify for "Insure Missouri," but the program comes with serious gaps in coverage. For example, it would pay for surgeries but not the physical therapy sometimes needed to fully recover from the operations.

On top of all that, because much of the reach and effectiveness of MoHealthNet and Insure Missouri depend on how much money lawmakers appropriate to pay for them, Mr. Blunt's proposals could turn out to be empty promises to the thousands of people who need care. And even if funds are made available this year, the tough times predicted by many economists would leave more people lacking health coverage and needing help with medical expenses again.

Mr. Blunt proposed mandatory rollbacks of property tax rates in taxing districts that see revenue windfalls from increased assessments. That probably will find a receptive audience in the Legislature, as will his crackdown on illegal immigrants. But if they're really serious about the problem, lawmakers will have to get tough with employers who hire undocumented workers, even though some of those employers may be campaign contributors.

This election-year session of the Legislature is all too likely to be long on campaign rhetoric and short on achievement. Mr. Blunt's effort to spend his way back to popularity may run into opposition among conservatives in his own party, who have elections of their own to win. As Senate Pro-Tem Mike Gibbons, R-Kirkwood, the probable GOP candidate for attorney general, told us last week, "I'm going to hold the line. We're not going to have a spending free-for-all."

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Regular Missourians Help Nixon Campaign Raise Nearly $750K in Fourth Quarter

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Among Regular Missourians, Nixon Raises $150K More Than Blunt in Fourth Quarter

Blunt Fails to Return More Than $2 Million; Campaigns Now Virtually Tied in Real Cash-on-Hand

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Among regular Missourians, Attorney General Jay Nixon out-raised Gov. Matt Blunt by more than $150,000 in the fourth quarter of 2007. Gov. Blunt raised only approximately $575,000 from sources other than Republican Party committees and Political Action Committees associated with Rex Sinquefield.

The Nixon campaign, which did not accept contributions from political committees above the individual limit or from Sinquefield, raised more than $730,000 in the fourth quarter of 2007 and will report $1.75 million on hand.

Gov. Blunt reported $4.4 million on hand, but has only returned $2.2 million in over-limit contributions. After taking into account the more than $2 million that Gov. Blunt still needs to return in over-limit contributions, the campaigns have virtually equal cash-on-hand totals. Attorney General Nixon has returned all over-limit contributions.

"While Matt Blunt is exploiting loopholes in the campaign finance laws to raise money, Jay Nixon is appealing to regular Missourians who are ready to change the direction of our state," said Oren Shur, spokesman for Nixon's campaign. "Whether he's running state government or running his campaign, Matt Blunt always uses the same playbook. It says: Keep your wealthy friends close, exploit all possible loopholes in the law, and leave regular Missourians completely out of the process. Matt Blunt's policies have made it more difficult for Missouri families to make ends meet, so it's not surprising that regular folks aren't lining up to contribute to his reelection campaign."

Attorney General Nixon announced today that following a major grassroots push that generated more than 13,000 individual contributions, his campaign has raised nearly $5 million for the 2008 Governor's race.

The candidates received the majority of their contributions from very different sources:

Two Candidates, Two Different Ways of Raising Campaign Money

Source of Contribution:

1. Rex Sinquefield and his 100 PACs:

Blunt: Based on his finance report, Blunt has accepted $124,950 from Rex Sinquefield's Political Action Committees. [Papers Filed with Missouri Ethics Commission]

Nixon: Refused to accept. In November, Nixon publicly applauded the Missouri Education Roundtable for calling on all candidates to reject contributions from pro-voucher advocate and millionaire Rex Sinquefield or any of his 100 Political Action Committees. Nixon has never accepted contributions from Sinquefield or any of his PACs and has pledged never to do so in the future.

2. Political Party Committee Contributions that Exceed Individual Contribution Limit ($1,275):

Blunt: Based on finance report, Matt Blunt has accepted $299,600 in money from Republican Party committees. [Papers Filed with Missouri Ethics Commission]

Nixon: Refused to accept. Nixon has called on the Missouri Legislature to enact legislation next session to create a campaign finance system that includes both strict contribution limits and full transparency by limiting the amount political party committees can donate to candidates to the same amount that individuals can contribute to candidates for state office. For the Governor's race, that would mean reducing the amount political party committees could contribute to $1,275, down from the $12,750 allowed under the current law.

3. Low-Dollar Contributions from Regular Missourians

Blunt: On his fourth quarter report, Blunt had only 135 itemized contributions of $100 or less on his finance report.

Nixon: After more than 60 grassroots fundraisers across the state and an intense online fundraising effort, the campaign has received more than 8,350 contributions of $100 or less from regular Missourians. The campaign raised tens of thousands of dollars online in small dollar contributions, including more than $30,000 in a final push for grassroots contributions leading up to the December 31 deadline.

TRANSCRIPT: Jay Nixon's 2008 "State of the State" Response

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Watch the video

Good evening. I'm Jay Nixon, your Attorney General. Tonight I'd like to have a serious conversation about the future or our state.

We are a great state with great potential. But like you, I am concerned that we are not moving in the right direction. It is frustrating to see Missouri – with all our promise - falling further and further behind our neighbors. And we are all left wondering why.

Why are Missourians losing their health insurance at three times the national rate? Why do 127,000 children have no health insurance at all?

Why is it that when our college football team was ranked number one in the nation, our state ranked dead last in funding for our colleges and universities?

And at a time when our economy is in peril, why aren't we keeping pace with our neighboring states on job creation and economic development?

These questions are disturbing when we hear the Republicans talk about having extra money. Well that shouldn't surprise you, because that money came directly from your pockets. They'll have you believe it's because of good management - but we know better. Make no mistake. The money sitting in the state's bank account isn't there because of sound fiscal policy; it's there because this Governor failed to fund the priorities that would move Missouri forward.

So tonight, I'd like to talk about the fundamental choice we face: Are we going to keep pursuing the same old policies that have held our state back? Or are we are going to change direction and get the state moving forward again?

Are we going to confront these problems and begin to move our state forward?

Democrats believe we must change direction. But let's be clear, we're not talking about raising taxes. We're talking about investing your tax dollars in people.

That's why we are offering a series of fresh ideas to move Missouri forward again - and no challenge we face requires more urgent action than our broken health care system.

In 2005, Governor Blunt and the Republican legislature slashed health care coverage and benefits from hundreds of thousands of Missourians. And because of those cuts, we now have more than 750,000 Missourians without health insurance, including more than 127,000 of our children.

Those numbers are shocking and inexcusable - no child should be without health care. But this health care crisis can't be fully understood with numbers alone - it's about people. Nearly every day, someone comes up to me and tells me their personal health care story - and I'd like to share one of those stories with you tonight:

A few weeks ago, I met a fellow named Richard - lives in the Ozarks. He worked 20 years for a trucking company, raising three kids. In 1997, he was diagnosed with MS - never saw it coming. It left him in a wheelchair and turned his life upside down. He lost his job. But Richard was determined to go to rehab, to get back to work, and continue to support his family. Then the Governor's health care cuts came down - and he lost access to physical therapy and could no longer afford the medical equipment he needs. He remains in his wheelchair today, out of work. Richard is a regular, hard-working Missourian - but when life took a devastating turn - his state government left him out in the cold.

It's difficult to hear stories like Richard's - but that's reality.

As a result of the Governor's health care cuts, Missouri has turned down more than 1 billion dollars of federal health care money. That's your money – your tax dollars you are already sending to Washington. At a time when we need those health care dollars right here in Missouri, the Governor won't admit his mistake, and is instead sending it states like California and New York to insure their people.

We Democrats are putting forward a plan to restore these devastating health care cuts to every single Missourian who had their coverage or benefits slashed. This is our top priority.

You will hear a lot of talk from the Governor about his health care scheme, but make no mistake: It does nothing to help the elderly or Missourians with disabilities. And it does nothing to cover the 127,000 children without health insurance. Its objective is to take money from regular Missourians who need health care and put it in the pockets of the HMOs and insurance companies.

Simply put, the Governor's plan does nothing to fix the damage that he and his allies in the legislature caused to our state's health care system.

It's time for the Republican leadership of this state to recognize the disastrous impact of their health care cuts and join Democrats in restoring them.

Because the truth is that we can restore the health care cuts. And we can do it without raising taxes. The numbers are clear: Based on the Blunt Administration's own figures, it will cost $255 million to restore the health care cuts. According to the Speaker of the Missouri House, the state has an extra $600 million in the budget - more than enough to restore the cuts today.

Now, fixing the health care crisis is only the beginning - Democrats are putting forward fresh ideas to tackle a range of challenges facing Missouri families, like public education.

We believe that the quality of education a child receives shouldn't depend on where they live or what their parents do for a living.

In order for Missouri to move forward, we must once again make it a priority to invest in public schools. Today, we are investing a smaller percentage of the state budget in schools than we did when this Governor took office.

What did our Governor do instead of making education a priority? He fought to pass a voucher scheme which would have diverted your tax dollars away from your public schools and instead given them to private schools. But Democrats and Republicans stood together last year to defeat this proposal. We must never waiver in our support for public schools.

Now, we are also moving in the wrong direction on college affordability. College tuition and student debt in Missouri is going up every year. It is now more expensive to go to a public four-year college in Missouri than in any other Big 12 state. And as tuition soars, Governor Blunt and his allies have allowed Missouri to slide to dead last in our investment in higher education.

But instead of making that investment - the Governor and Republican legislature slashed $350 million from the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority - the one agency that's solely responsible is helping Missouri kids afford college. The middle class is getting squeezed out of a college education.

We must fix that. It's time to change direction, and Democrats are ready to lead.

When Mel Carnahan was Governor, we started a program called A-plus - and it helps thousands of kids each year earn a degree at a community college, tuition free. We want to take that program a step further and make Missouri's students this promise. If you go to community college, work hard, earn a B average, and give back to your community, we'll make sure you can go and complete a four-year degree at one of our state colleges, tuition free. That would give every child in Missouri the opportunity to get the four-year degree that is so valuable in a 21st Century economy.

It is absolutely crucial that our young people are prepared for the jobs of tomorrow. I'm from De Soto, Missouri. I know what it does to a small town when the local factory shuts down or when the shops on Main Street have to close their doors. It's devastating. Our unemployment rate in Missouri is now among the nation's highest, and we're not keeping pace with our border states in creating new jobs. Democrats want to create new opportunities so that our children can stay here and aren't forced to move away to find a good job.

And when times are tough, it becomes harder to buy the home you want, or even keep the home you have. Your property taxes are going through the roof. We've introduced a specific plan to provide property tax relief to more regular Missouri families.

So on these and other issues, Missouri is moving backwards, not forward. It doesn't have to be this way. There's still time to change the direction of our state. But it will only happen with new policies, new ideas, and a new direction.

We live in a great state, and we know that our people have unlimited potential. We Missourians aren't complicated folks; we're not tough to understand. We're hard-working; we value family and faith. We like our high school football, our hunting and fishing, and our safe communities. We talk across the fence to our neighbors and we get involved in our kids' schools.

There is no limit to what we can do and what we can achieve. With the right ideas, the right priorities, and the right leadership, we can move Missouri forward again.

Thank you for listening. Good night and God bless.

Jay Nixon Calls on Legislature to Pass Campaign Finance System that has Both Contribution Limits and Transparency

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Nixon Advocates Strict Limits on Political Party Committees; Says They Should Not Be Allowed to Give More than Individual Missourians

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Attorney General Jay Nixon today called on the Missouri Legislature to enact legislation next session to create a campaign finance system that includes both strict contribution limits and full transparency. Specifically, the Attorney General is calling on legislators to limit the amount political party committees can donate to candidates to the same amount that individuals can contribute to candidates for state office.

For the Governor's race, that would mean reducing the amount party committees could contribute to the current individual limit of $1,275, down from the $12,750 allowed under the current law. Attorney General Nixon proposes applying those strict contribution limits to in-kind as well as cash contributions.

"We need a campaign finance system that has both transparency and strict contribution limits," Attorney General Nixon said. "The reinstatement of contribution limits was a step in the right direction, but we need to do more to clean up our campaign finance system. There is no good reason why party committees should be able to contribute up to ten times the amount that an individual can contribute. I encourage the legislature to pass campaign finance reform that includes both transparency and contribution limits."

Rep. Paul LeVota, the House Minority Leader, plans to introduce similar legislation during the upcoming session.

Attorney General Nixon has a strong record of fighting for campaign contribution limits and even argued for Missouri's law all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court - and won [Nixon v. Shrink, 528 U.S. 377].

In sharp contrast, Gov. Blunt eliminated contribution limits in January 2007 when he signed into law a new campaign finance system that allowed wealthy individuals, big corporations and special interest lobbyists to contribute millions to political candidates. After eliminating contribution limits, the Governor received more than $4 million in over-limit contributions, including $300,000 from the Texas couple who financed the "Swift Boat" ad campaign against Sen. John Kerry in 2004.

After the Supreme Court struck down the Governor's no-limits system, both candidates for Governor agreed to return over-limit contributions, and the old system - where party committees can give ten times the amount of individuals with little transparency - was reinstated.

Jay Nixon Proposes Property Tax Relief for Missouri Seniors

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Instead of Giving Wealthy Developers Million-Dollar Tax Credits, Nixon Proposes Property Tax Relief for 65,000 Missouri Seniors

HAZELWOOD, Mo. - Attorney General Jay Nixon today outlined his plan to provide property tax relief to more than 65,000 Missouri seniors and families struggling to keep their homes by eliminating an unfair marriage penalty and expanding the Missouri Property Tax Credit Program (also known as the Circuit Breaker.) Rep. Clint Zweifel (D-St. Louis County), who will introduce a similar bill during the upcoming legislative session, joined Attorney General Nixon for today's announcement at the Prairie Commons Library Branch in Hazelwood.

"Property taxes are skyrocketing across our state, and thousands of Missourians, particularly seniors, are struggling to make payments and keep their homes," Attorney General Nixon said. "To make matters worse, the current system actually penalizes seniors for being married. I want to eliminate this unfair marriage penalty and expand the property tax credit to help Missouri seniors stay in their homes."

The Attorney General's plan stands in sharp contrast to the tax policies passed and implemented under Gov. Matt Blunt's administration, such as massive tax credits given to a St. Louis property developer last year, Rep. Zweifel said.

"Last fall, Governor Blunt called a special session to pass an economic development bill, but instead of giving property tax relief to regular Missourians, he handed out $95 million in tax credits to one wealthy developer," Rep. Zweifel said. "Those are the wrong priorities. The wealthy developers have had their Governor in Matt Blunt. Now it's time for regular Missourians to have a Governor who stands up for their needs. I'm proud to stand with Jay Nixon and fight for Missouri seniors to get the property tax relief they deserve."

The Attorney General has proposed to (1) eliminate the unfair property tax marriage penalty currently in the Property Tax Credit Program, which penalizes Missouri seniors for being married; (2) increase the number of individuals qualifying for the maximum property tax benefit so thousands of additional Missouri families get property tax relief to help them stay in their homes; and (3) increase the maximum tax credit benefit from $750 to $1,000.

1. Eliminate Property Tax Marriage Penalty: Attorney General Nixon proposes eliminating the marriage penalty that currently exists in Missouri's property tax formula.

Under current law, a single taxpayer qualifies for the Property Tax Credit Program, or Circuit Breaker, at an annual income of up to $27,500. However, married couples are eligible for the tax credit for a joint income of up to $29,500. Thus, there is only a spousal exemption of $2,000, which is blatantly unfair. Household income data show that the gap hurts median-income, married seniors most, according to the Office of Social & Economic Data Analysis (OSEDA) at the University of Missouri. Median income for seniors in a one-person household is $15,800, but this figure rises to $40,500 - well beyond the current eligible income - for senior households with two or more persons, according to the OSEDA.

The Attorney General proposes ending the marriage penalty by extending the spousal exemption from $2,000 to $20,000 so that more seniors and hardworking Missouri families qualify for property tax relief. Nixon believes Missouri's tax code should reflect Missouri's values by rewarding marriage instead of penalizing it.

2. Extend the Property Tax Credit to More Seniors and Hardworking Missourians: Attorney General Nixon believes that more seniors and hardworking Missourians deserve property tax relief.

Under his plan, the maximum salary a single taxpayer could earn and qualify for the tax credit would increase from the $27,500 under current law to $32,000. After the elimination of the marriage penalty, as described above, a married couple would be able to earn up to $52,000 and qualify for the tax relief under Nixon's plan.

3. Increase the benefit for all seniors: The top benefit would be increased from $750 to $1000--providing all qualifying seniors an increased benefit.

Taken together, Attorney General Nixon's proposals will provide property tax relief for 65,000 additional seniors and hardworking Missourians by rewarding marriage instead of penalizing it, according to the OSEDA. Implementation would cost an estimated $43 to $51 million, according to estimates from the Institute of Tax and Economic Policy at the University Missouri.

Cuts will weigh heavily in contest

Sat, 05 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Jefferson City — On just his 17th day in power, new Republican Gov. Matt Blunt made a decision from which he has yet to politically recover 1,075 days later.

To balance the budget, Blunt proposed to eliminate or reduce health care for hundreds of thousands of low-income Missourians on Medicaid. Lawmakers granted his wish.

Now, Democratic Attorney General Jay Nixon is trying to use Blunt's decision to oust him from office in the November elections. Nixon has built his gubernatorial bid on reversing Blunt's Medicaid cuts.
"It's a huge, fundamental public policy mistake made by Matt Blunt, and he hasn't fixed it, and he's had the opportunity to — that's what's so frustrating for the people who are hurting out there," Nixon said in an interview with The Associated Press at the start of 2008.

Missouri's gubernatorial contest already has been costly, nasty and long. Nixon has been a candidate since just months after Blunt enacted the Medicaid cuts in 2005. Public opinion polls show Nixon in the lead, making Blunt one of the most vulnerable governors nationally.

In early December, the AP sought interviews with both gubernatorial candidates heading into the pivotal election year. Nixon agreed. But Blunt declined repeated requests.

When Blunt took office as governor on Jan. 10, 2005, it marked the first time in more than 80 years that Missouri had both a Republican governor and a Republican-led House and Senate. Claiming a mandate for change, Blunt pledged better schools, more jobs and a more efficient government.
The Republican Legislature has passed almost every priority Blunt has backed.

Among them: restrictions on liability lawsuits and workplace injury claims; a new school funding method; economic development incentives; tougher penalties on child sex offenders; more stringent laws targeting methamphetamine makers; an ethanol mandate for gasoline; abortion restrictions; more protections against the use of eminent domain; expanded college scholarships; and a $350 million plan to take money from Missouri's student loan authority to finance college buildings.

Yet it is the Medicaid cuts that often stand out.

While campaigning in June 2004, Blunt said he opposed tightening eligibility for Medicaid until the state first had done everything possible to root out waste, fraud and abuse. But once in office, he quickly reversed course and sought to restrict Medicaid eligibility.

Blunt proposed to drop coverage for about 90,000 of the state's 1 million Medicaid recipients, targeting low-income parents and the disabled. And he proposed to eliminate benefits such as eye glasses, hearing aids and certain medical devices for about 370,000 others.

Department of Social Services figures show the Medicaid rolls have subsequently shrunk to about 830,000 recipients.

In the year following the Medicaid cuts, the U.S. Census Bureau said, the number of Missourians without health insurance grew by an estimated 104,000 to a total of 772,000 — a spike three times the national growth rate.

Blunt promoted the cuts as a first step toward reform. Two years later, the Legislature passed his plan renaming Medicaid as Mo HealthNet, placing a greater emphasis on preventive care and restoring a few of the cuts. This year, Blunt is pursuing another prong dubbed Insure Missouri, which would use a private insurance model to provide government-subsidized health care to the uninsured. Still, Blunt's plan would not restore coverage to all who lost it in 2005.

Nixon dismisses the governor's latest health initiatives as gimmicks.

"These are all a series of bumper-sticker plays to try to restore a wounded reputation — not restore the health care of Missourians, not put the public dollars back in there," Nixon said.

A poll conducted last November for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and TV station KMOV revealed that

Blunt's Medicaid cuts also remain unpopular with the public.

Fifty-seven percent of the 800 likely voters polled by Research 2000 opposed Blunt's handling of health care. And 61 percent said Blunt's handling of health care would be an important, or very important, factor in deciding their vote for governor.

That same poll showed Nixon ahead of Blunt, 51 percent to 42 percent, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

By holding back about $750 million in state Medicaid spending over the past three years, Nixon claims Blunt has forgone about $1.1 billion in matching federal Medicaid money. As Missourians got booted off Medicaid, they delayed treatments and resorted to more expensive hospital emergency rooms, which have passed their increased costs onto taxpayers and private insurers, Nixon said.

Nixon claims Blunt has plunged Missouri into a health care crisis.

"This is a guy that when he came in fundamentally asked the wrong question," Nixon asserted. "He said, 'How do you slash health care to balance the budget,' when the question that should have been asked was, 'How do you maximize the health care coverage with the dollars we have available?'

"And that's led to this cavalcade of mistakes and his hardened position."

Blunt continues to assert that his Medicaid cuts were the right move to make for the greater good of those remaining on Medicaid and the financial health of the state. At the time he proposed the cuts, Blunt noted that Medicaid had grown to consume more than 30 percent of Missouri's total expenditures.

In a news release this past week, Blunt proposed Medicaid spending increases for the 2009 fiscal year. But he continued to stand by the 2005 cuts as essential.

"Not only have we saved the taxpayer supported health care safety net from bankruptcy, but we have also created a new, innovative health care system to deliver 21st century health care to Missourians," Blunt said.

Source: Associated Press

Stateline calls Blunt 'most vulnerable' governor in country

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Stateline.org columnist Lou Jacobson says Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt has a mighty big hole to get out of if he wants to be re-elected in November:

Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt (R) is the most vulnerable governor seeking re-election, with even some Republicans conceding the race now leans to Attorney General Jay Nixon (D). Blunt’s biggest problem has been the fallout from his decision to cut roughly 100,000 people from the Medicaid rolls early in his term. Blunt has been further battered by the complicated, and slowly unfolding, story of Scott Eckersley, a state lawyer who clashed with his superiors over how long to retain e-mails under the law. Eckersley was fired and now accuses the administration of smearing him.

Go here for Jacobson's assessment of 11 governors' races this year.

Source: Kansas City Star: Prime Buzz

Missouri's Health Care Crisis: An Update on My Statewide Listening Tour

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

For the last two months, I've been sitting down with regular Missourians across our state to talk about health care. In living rooms and around kitchen tables, I've heard directly from folks who had their coverage slashed by Matt Blunt in 2005 or who are seeing their premiums skyrocket as a result of those cuts. Watch video from the tour and meet the faces of Matt Blunt's health care cuts.

People from all walks of life are hurting because of Matt Blunt's disastrous policies. In total, Matt Blunt has slashed health care from more than 400,000 Missourians, including seniors, working families, people with disabilities and children. Blunt's cuts were so massive and widespread that if you weren't directly affected, chances are a friend or family member was. But it's individual stories -- not statistics -- that put Missouri's health care crisis in terms we all can understand.

At a listening tour stop in Rolla, I heard from Shannon, a 33-year-old father from Salem. Shannon worked in construction for years -- until a car accident left him paralyzed from the waist down in 2004. Early in 2005, a physical therapist detected some movement in Shannon's legs. After months of intensive therapy, Shannon could walk in braces. Through hard work and determination, Shannon resolved, he would walk on his own again.

Then, Matt Blunt slashed Shannon's health care, including physical therapy. Overnight, he went from making progress and having all the hope in the world to having no therapy and no dream of walking again.

In Springfield, Richard told me about how he worked for the same company for 20 years but lost his health care -- and his job -- when his employer decided his multiple sclerosis was to expensive to cover. Because of Blunt's cuts, Richard, a single dad, has to raise his three kids and care for his mother on a little more than $900 a month. He's forced to pick and choose each month which medicines to purchase and which doctors to visit, and special therapy and equipment Richard's doctors recommend are entirely out of reach.

We've got to remember that Shannon and Richard aren't alone. Because of Matt Blunt's cuts, Missourians are losing health care faster than people in any other state. More than 750,000 of our neighbors, including more than 121,000 children, don't have coverage.

I'd like to thank the folks across the state who have invited me into their homes and taken time to sit down and talk about this important issue. Also, I appreciate everyone who has used our Web site to share their health care stories. You can read some of these stories and learn more about Matt Blunt's cuts to health care by clicking here.

I hope you'll check back soon for another update on my statewide health care listening tour. Over the coming months, I'll be meeting with additional folks across the state. Working together, we can undo the damage Matt Blunt has caused and make Missouri a national leader in health care once again.

Sincerely,

Jay Nixon

Blunt Campaign Says Missourians with Disabilities Should Be "Thankful" for the Governor's Health Care Cuts

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Governor Should Apologize to Thousands of Missourians Struggling to Make Ends Meet Because of His Cuts

JEFFERSON CITY, MO - Last Friday, Attorney General Jay Nixon held a roundtable discussion at a home in Springfield with several local residents who had their health care slashed by Gov. Matt Blunt. Each person shared their personal story about how they had overcome their disability in order to go to work and provide for their family - until Blunt's health care cuts set them backwards and left them unable to afford health care and make ends meet.

Blunt's campaign response: The Missourians in that room should be "thankful" for the cuts and for the Governor's MO HealthNet plan, which does nothing to help Missourians with disabilities. See the KY3 report here: http://www.ky3.com/news/local/12268436.html

"The people of Missouri aren't thankful that Blunt slashed their health care and made their premiums skyrocket, they're angry - and they have every right to be," said Nixon campaign spokesman Oren Shur. "The comments from the Governor's campaign not only defy common sense, they're cold, heartless and downright offensive."

At Attorney General Nixon health care discussion in Rolla last week, Shannon Williams - a quadriplegic from Salem, said: "I had just finished putting my wife through pharmacy school and later that year I had the accident. By August, 2005, I had three months of physical therapy, and I was walking 900 feet a day with braces. And then came the health-care cuts and took all that away from me. I feel like Gov. Blunt cut my legs off." [Rolla Daily News, 12/4/2007]_
Does Gov. Blunt really think Shannon Williams should thankful his physical therapy was cut?

Read the story below from last Tuesday's Rolla Daily News.

Panel Relays Experiences -- Alan Lewis Gerstenecker, Rolla Daily News
http://www.therolladailynews.com/articles/2007/12/04/news/news02.txt

Paraplegic Shannon Williams will tell you he has the makings for a great country song.

"I lost my wife, my dog and my legs all in the same year," Shannon, 33, said, managing to break a smile in a room full of people Friday with stories of how Gov. Matt Blunt's health-care cuts have affected their lives. My friends tell me there's a country song in there somewhere," Williams said.

The former construction worker who has become an activist said the cuts in Missouri medical benefits are no laughing matter. Williams was one of four people who gathered at Gary Stevens' home at 200 West First St. in Rolla for a discussion with Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon, a Democrat, who will challenge Republican incumbent Matt Blunt. Nixon heard from a trio of people for whom the 2005 health-care cuts affected. They included Williams, Jill Mosher and Wade McBride.

Mosher said she was born with a heart defect that mandates she receive costly medication, which she has been mostly unable to get because of its expense. McBride is a laid-off Briggs & Stratton tool crib worker, who because of his lay-off, has found himself unable to pay for his wife's costly prescription medication.

"I was offered a Cobra program, but that meant paying $900 a month for continued benefits," McBride said. "I can't pay that. I don't know how many people can." McBride said he also had to give up property -- acreage -- that was given to him, a gift from a family member, because his assets were too high. "I was hoping to one day build a home on that property for my family, but that's gone now," McBride said.

As talk went around the room and each person elaborated heart-wrenching tales of their health-care dilemmas wrought on by budget cuts, none were as telling as the Williams' story. In March, 2004, Williams lost his wife and in November of that year was in an automobile accident that severely damaged his legs and back.

"I had just finished putting my wife through pharmacy school and later that year I had the accident," Williams said. "By August, 2005, I had three months of physical therapy, and I was walking 900 feet a day with braces. And then came the health-care cuts and took all that away from me. I feel like Gov. Blunt cut my legs off," Williams said.

To make matters worse, because Williams was willing to do physical therapy in an outpatient basis -- costing the state less money than an inpatient -- his therapy sessions were subject to the cuts.

"Because I was an outpatient, my therapy was cut. I lost everything. It's all gone," Williams said. "Even if I restarted today, I don't know that I could get it back, make up for what I lost."

When Williams finished, there was silence. No one spoke. It was as if people were taking in everything Williams had said. Perhaps they were silent out of respect.

Then, Nixon replied. "I can never begin to restore what you have lost," Nixon said. "But, if elected, I can begin to right a wrong that has been brought upon you..." "I can tell you this, if elected governor, there will be no priority higher (than restoring health benefits). This is a wrong policy.

In Shannon's case, we're talking physical therapy. This is not high-dollar medical expenses," Nixon said. "Instead of ending the legislative session with a $200 million surplus in an election year, we should be helping Missourians. It's beyond ironic. It's beyond hypocritical. It is wrong in a budget year," Nixon said.

Now, Williams is going to college. "I was working on my general studies, but after all this I may look into politics," Williams said.

The governor's health-care cuts have resulted in 400,000 Missourians losing benefits, according to Nixon's statistics. Many of them, the attorney general said, are children, elderly and Missourians with disabilities. As a result, it is estimated 750,000 in the state do not have health benefits of any kind, including more than 127,000 children.

"I've been lucky all my life," Nixon said. "I've been blessed with good health and the intelligence to help other Missourians. That's what I'm going to continue to do."

Meanwhile, Blunt is expected today to unveil his new health care program for the poor. The group is charged with overseeing Blunt's transformation of Medicaid into a prevention-oriented system called MOHealthNet.

A call to Blunt's office Monday for comment did not yield a return call.

Jay Nixon Holds Roundtable Health Care Discussion in Springfield

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Springfield, Mo. (Dec. 7, 2007) -- Continuing his statewide health care listening tour, Attorney General Jay Nixon visited Springfield today to hear about Missouri's health care crisis from those affected most: the regular Missourians who had their coverage or benefits slashed in 2005 by Gov. Matt Blunt.

"Our state's health care system is broken and regular folks from Springfield and across the state are suffering very real consequences," Attorney General Nixon said. "As I travel the state, I'm hearing directly from parents, workers and people with disabilities who are paying the price for the Governor's disastrous cuts. They can't access the health care they need and can't afford the limited health care they have. Their stories show how far backwards Matt Blunt has taken Missouri on health care."

Today's stop took place at the home of Patty Gross, a Springfield resident cut by Matt Blunt in 2005 from the Medical Assistance for Workers with Disabilities, or MAWD, program. Prior to the cuts, Ms. Gross was employed at as an AmeriCorps*VISTA Volunteer with the Missouri Community Advocacy Network.

Several other regular Missourians from the Springfield area also participated in the discussion, including Richard Green, of Ozark, and Marti Mowery, ofSpringfield. Mr. Green, a single father of three, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1997. Citing the increasing costs of his medical care and his disability, Mr. Green's employer fired him in July 2006, after he had been with the company for 20 years. As a result, Mr. Green was forced to file for disability.

Because of Matt Blunt's 2005 health care cuts, Mr. Green cannot access physical therapy and other services and technologies his doctors recommend to manage the multiple sclerosis. To maintain Medicaid eligibility, he must pay a monthly spenddown of $681, which is nearly half of the assistance his family receives each month from Social Security.

"Because of the governor's cuts, I have to pick and choose which doctors to visit and which prescriptions to fill each month to be able to care for my family and meet the spenddown," Mr. Green said. "Matt Blunt should have put himself in the shoes of people like me before he made this devastating decision. Jay needs to be our next governor because he'll put people first and realize that everyone matters."

The mother of three autistic children, Ms. Mowery has seen numerous setbacks since 2005. The state has imposed restrictions on the medications doctors can prescribe to treat her children's multiple conditions, and access to counselors and social workers, who help the children learn to manage their autism, has been slashed.

"Getting the health care my children need has been impossible since Matt Blunt's 2005 cuts," Mowery said. "As a mother, I'm supporting Jay so that families like mine will be able to access the medical care we need. We've got to undo Matt Blunt's devastating cuts and get Missouri moving in the right direction."

Today's roundtable discussion was the latest stop on Attorney General Nixon's statewide health care listening tour. Nixon has held previous roundtables in Columbiaand Rolla. Additional stops across the state will take place over the coming weeks and months.

Jay Nixon Statement on Gov. Blunt's Children's Health Care PSA

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

JEFFERSON CITY, MO – This week Gov. Matt Blunt began airing public service announcements in order to promote himself as an advocate of the Children's Health Insurance Program. Attorney General Jay Nixon released the following statement today:

"The first thing Matt Blunt did as Governor was cut health care from thousands of Missouri children. Now as we approach an election year, the Governor is using state dollars to promote himself as an advocate of the very same children's health care program that he slashed. Thousands of Missouri families will hear Matt Blunt's public service announcement and call the Department of Social Services, but they'll be told that their kids don't qualify and that's directly because of this Governor's massive cuts. It's hard to imagine Gov. Blunt taping these public service announcements with a straight face.

"I certainly believe we need to promote the Children's Health Insurance Program and enroll more Missouri children, but Matt Blunt is the wrong person to deliver that message. On this issue, the Governor has absolutely no credibility with Missouri families."

When Matt Blunt was running for Governor in 2004, he promised not to cut children's health care. Just a few months after being sworn into office, Blunt broke that promise. There are now more than 71,000 Missouri children who had state-sponsored health insurance the day Matt Blunt took office who do not have it today – including 33,392 low-income children who used to receive coverage through the popular CHIP program who lost that coverage because of Blunt. [Summary of Medicaid Cuts Adopted in the 2005 Legislative Session, 5/23/05; Missouri Medicaid Recommendations: Comments and Questions, 12/2006; Missouri Department of Social Services Family Support Division of Medical Services, Monthly Management Reports, 9/2005 and 11/2007]

Read this article from today's Kansas City Star:

Public service announcement causes stir

Kansas City Star
TIM HOOVER

12/06/2007

JEFFERSON CITY | A series of radio and TV ads launched this week feature Gov. Matt Blunt supporting health-care coverage for Missouri children.

But the spots are not a product of the governor's re-election campaign. They were produced by the Missouri Department of Social Services and are going out on TV and radio stations as public service announcements, which run for free as broadcasters can fit them in.

Democrats say the announcements are little more than campaign ads for the Republican governor.

Blunt was hit hard in the polls after leading the drive for cuts to Medicaid in 2005. Those cuts left more than 90,000 adults without health-care coverage and increased costs for 16,000 poor and disabled Missourians. The cuts also resulted in higher premiums for families of moderate-income children, tens of thousands of whom dropped out of the program.

Though the ads cost only $1,000 to produce, they are an inappropriate use of state resources, said Jack Cardetti, spokesman for the Missouri Democratic Party.

"Like much of what Governor Blunt's administration is doing right now, these are attempts to use public resources to aid the governor's re-election campaign," Cardetti said. "It's a sad state of affairs when children's health insurance is something the governor feels the need to brag about. This would be like the Bush administration bragging about their hurricane recovery efforts."

Blunt spokeswoman Jessica Robinson said the ads were simply a way to spread the word to Missourians about the program, MO HealthNet for Kids.

"Governor Blunt wants as many eligible children as possible to enroll in MO HealthNet for Kids, and this is part of a comprehensive effort to reach out to the families of potentially eligible children so that they can access health care," Robinson said. "We're disappointed that the Democratic Party opposes this effort to enroll children."

Though renamed this year as MO HealthNet for Kids, the program is not new. Before a new law took effect this year, it was known as MC+ for Kids.

Both programs are part of the Children's Health Insurance Program, an extension of the state- and federally funded Medicaid program that covers children from moderate-income families. Blunt led cuts to Missouri's children's health-care program in 2005 when he and the Republican-led General Assembly passed a law requiring families with incomes over 150 percent of the poverty level to begin paying monthly premiums.

Some 25,000 children were dropped from the program after their families did not pay the premiums. Ironically, the ad campaign actually touts a program Blunt cut.

The ads -- a 30-second radio spot, a 60-second radio spot and 30-second TV commercial -- started Monday.

In the longer radio spot, First Lady Melanie Blunt joins the governor in promoting the program.

The ad ends with the first lady giving a toll-free number and a Web address where people can find out whether they are eligible for coverage.

When Missourians call the 800 number, they reach a call center staffed by Department of Social Services employees who have been instructed to ask callers where they heard about the program. If it was through one of the ads, call takers ask where and when the caller heard the ad.

"That's so we can see how effective the ads are and if we're getting the information out to the right group of people," said Sara Anderson, a spokeswoman for the agency. "Anytime we do some sort of public outreach campaign, it's typical we will have our call centers track how people got that information."

As an example, Anderson cited letters that had been sent to people in the past about eligibility for social services programs. But she said those letters were sent to current or former clients.

Panel Relays Experiences

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Alan Lewis Gerstenecker, Editor

Paraplegic Shannon Williams will tell you he has the makings for a great country song.

"I lost my wife, my dog and my legs all in the same year," Shannon, 33, said, managing to break a smile in a room full of people Friday with stories of how Gov. Matt Blunt's health-care cuts have affected their lives.

"My friends tell me there's a country song in there somewhere," Williams said.

The former construction worker who has become an activist said the cuts in Missouri medical benefits are no laughing matter.

Williams was one of four people who gathered at Gary Stevens' home at 200 West First St. in Rolla for a discussion with Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon, a Democrat, who will challenge Republican incumbent Matt Blunt.

Nixon heard from a trio of people for whom the 2005 health-care cuts affected. They included Williams, Jill Mosher and Wade McBride.

Mosher said she was born with a heart defect that mandates she receive costly medication, which she has been mostly unable to get because of its expense.

McBride is a laid-off Briggs & Stratton tool crib worker, who because of his lay-off, has found himself unable to pay for his wife's costly prescription medication.

"I was offered a Cobra program, but that meant paying $900 a month for continued benefits," McBride said. "I can't pay that. I don't know how many people can."

McBride said he also had to give up property -- acreage -- that was given to him, a gift from a family member, because his assets were too high.

"I was hoping to one day build a home on that property for my family, but that's gone now," McBride said.

As talk went around the room and each person elaborated heart-wrenching tales of their health-care dilemmas wrought on by budget cuts, none were as telling as the Williams' story.

In March, 2004, Williams lost his wife and in November of that year was in an automobile accident that severely damaged his legs and back.

"I had just finished putting my wife through pharmacy school and later that year I had the accident," Williams said.

"By August, 2005, I had three months of physical therapy, and I was walking 900 feet a day with braces. And then came the health-care cuts and took all that away from me. I feel like Gov. Blunt cut my legs off," Williams said.

To make matters worse, because Williams was willing to do physical therapy in an outpatient basis -- costing the state less money than an inpatient -- his therapy sessions were subject to the cuts.

"Because I was an outpatient, my therapy was cut. I lost everything. It's all gone," Williams said. "Even if I restarted today, I don't know that I could get it back, make up for what I lost."

When Williams finished, there was silence.

No one spoke. It was as if people were taking in everything Williams had said.

Perhaps they were silent out of respect.

Then, Nixon replied.

"I can never begin to restore what you have lost," Nixon said. "But, if elected, I can begin to right a wrong that has been brought upon you..."

"I can tell you this, if elected governor, there will be no priority higher (than restoring health benefits).

"This is a wrong policy. In Shannon's case, we're talking physical therapy. This is not high-dollar medical expenses," Nixon said. "Instead of ending the legislative session with a $200 million surplus in an election year, we should be helping Missourians. It's beyond ironic. It's beyond hypocritical. It is wrong in a budget year," Nixon said.

Now, Williams is going to college.

"I was working on my general studies, but after all this I may look into politics," Williams said.

The governor's health-care cuts have resulted in 400,000 Missourians losing benefits, according to Nixon's statistics. Many of them, the attorney general said, are children, elderly and Missourians with disabilities.

As a result, it is estimated 750,000 in the state do not have health benefits of any kind, including more than 127,000 children.

"I've been lucky all my life," Nixon said. "I've been blessed with good health and the intelligence to help other Missourians. That's what I'm going to continue to do."

Meanwhile, Blunt is expected today to unveil his new health care program for the poor.

The group is charged with overseeing Blunt's transformation of Medicaid into a prevention-oriented system called MOHealthNet.

A call to Blunt's office Monday for comment did not yield a return call.

Source: The Rolla Daily News

Jay Nixon Holds Roundtable Health Care Discussion in Rolla

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Rolla, Mo. (Nov. 30, 2007) – Attorney General Jay Nixon's health care listening tour stopped today at a private home in Rolla, Mo., where the Attorney General heard about the state's health care crisis directly from the people affected most: regular Missourians who had their coverage or benefits slashed by Gov. Matt Blunt.

"We've all seen the facts and statistics that show how Matt Blunt's massive health care cuts have created a health care crisis in our state," said Attorney General Nixon. "But this crisis isn't only about the statistics that show how far backwards Missouri has moved on health care, it's about the regular people who continue to suffer every day. Families, children, people with disabilities and folks from all walks of life are hurting because of the Governor's disastrous health care cuts. They live here in Rolla and in communities across the state and I want to hear directly from them."

Today's stop took place at the home of Gary Stevens, a Rolla resident who lives with cerebral palsy and is an advocate for people with disabilities. Several other area residents, including Shannon Williams, of Salem, and Wade McBride, of Rolla, also participated in the discussion.

Mr. Williams worked for years in the construction industry until a car accident in 2004 left him paralyzed from the waist down. He began working with a physical therapist in 2005, and after three straight weeks of therapy, he was walking with braces. After Gov. Blunt's 2005 health care cuts, Mr. Williams lost his access to physical therapy. His progress was halted and Mr. Williams remains in a wheelchair, unable to walk.

"Before Matt Blunt cut my physical therapy, I was determined to walk on my own again," Mr. Williams said. "By taking away those services, Gov. Blunt is preventing me from fulfilling that dream. I'm supporting Jay because he'll help folks in my position get the care we need, not take it from us and leave us asking why."

Wade McBride, of Rolla, also shared his story at the roundtable. After losing his job, Mr. McBride and his wife, Amber, were without insurance. Blunt's health care cuts made it nearly impossible for the McBride family to afford the multiple prescription medications Amber needs.

"I never expected to lose my job or to have to depend on the state for health care," Wade McBride said. "But, when I did, Matt Blunt's cuts made it impossible for my wife and I to afford the medications she needs. Missouri needs a governor who will fight to make good health care accessible to all families, including those facing hard times."

Today's roundtable discussion was the latest stop on Attorney General Nixon's statewide health care listening tour. Additional stops across the state will take place over the coming weeks and months.

Nixon Applauds and Accepts Missouri Education Roundtable's Call on Candidates to Reject Contributions from Rex Sinquefield

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Attorney General Rejects Sinquefield's Money and Pro-Voucher Agenda

JEFFERSON CITY, MO -- Attorney General Jay Nixon today applauded the Missouri Education Roundtable for calling on all candidates to reject contributions from pro-voucher advocate and millionaire Rex Sinquefield or any of his 100 Political Action Committees. Attorney General Nixon has never accepted money from Mr. Sinquefield or his PACs and today pledged never to do so in the future.

Last month, the Education Roundtable issued a press release calling on candidates to reject contributions from Rex Sinquefield's Political Action Committee. Read the Education Roundtable release here.

In a letter sent today to the Education Roundtable, Attorney General Nixon wrote:

"I am proud to respond to your courageous call on all candidates for Missouri public office to reject contributions from millionaire Rex Sinquefield. I have never accepted money from Mr. Sinquefield or any of his Political Action Committees, and I certainly never will. Mr. Sinquefield's pro-voucher agenda undermines our public school system and as a product of Missouri's public schools, I believe we must strengthen our school system, not weaken it.
"Not only do I strongly oppose Mr. Sinquefield's anti-public school agenda, I also oppose the manner in which he's chosen to advance that agenda. Instead of competing with the merits of his ideas, Mr. Sinquefeld has chosen to circumvent the spirit of the campaign finance system by establishing 100 PACs that all have the same objective: funneling contributions to candidates who support a pro-voucher agenda."

Read the Nixon's full letter below:

November 27, 2007
Missouri Education Roundtable
Chairman Robin Krause
401 E. Wimer Street
Knob Noster, MO 65336-1444
Dear Chairperson Krause and Members of the Missouri Education Roundtable:
I am proud to respond to your courageous call on all candidates for Missouri public office to reject contributions from millionaire Rex Sinquefield. I have never accepted money from Mr. Sinquefield or any of his Political Action Committees, and I certainly never will. Mr. Sinquefield's pro-voucher agenda undermines our public school system and as a product of Missouri's public schools, I believe we must strengthen our school system, not weaken it.
Not only do I strongly oppose Mr. Sinquefield's anti-public school agenda, I also oppose the manner he's chosen to advance that agenda. Instead of competing with the merits of his ideas, Mr. Sinquefeld has chosen to circumvent the spirit of the campaign finance system by establishing 100 PACs that all have the same objective: funneling contributions to candidates who support a pro-voucher agenda.
As you know, I have a strong record of standing with you in support of Missouri's public school system.
Along with you and your members, I fought to defeat the voucher provisions of House Bill 808 earlier this year -- provisions that Gov. Blunt and Lt. Gov. Kinder lobbied for personally in the House Chamber. Those provisions failed because a majority of the legislators in Missouri -- like the majority of Missourians -- understand that vouchers will weaken our public schools and hurt our children. But last year's voucher battle wasn't the first time Gov. Blunt stood with Rex Sinquefield, and after accepting more than $100,000 from Sinquefield in this race already, it's fair to assume it won't be the last.
I have deep roots in the Missouri public school system. My mother was a teacher and President of our local school board, and my wife, Georganne, was a public teacher as well. Her father, Hubert Wheeler, served as Missouri's first Education Commissioner. From kindergarten through law school, I proudly attended Missouri's public schools. I am a true believer that a quality education is the key to achieving the American Dream. That's an opportunity every child in our state deserves.
The next election will be critical to the future of Missouri's public schools. Thank you for your involvement and for holding candidates accountable who align themselves with pro-voucher, anti-public school special interests.
I am proud to stand with you in support of our public school system.
Sincerely,
Jay Nixon
Attorney General

Nixon to Return Over-limit Contributions by End of Year: Calls on Blunt to do Same

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800

JEFFERSON CITY, MO - On the deadline day for candidates to inform the Missouri Ethics Commission (MEC) of whether they plan to return over-limit contributions or attempt to claim a hardship, Attorney General Jay Nixon's campaign today announced that it would return excess contributions by December 31, 2007 and that those adjustments would be reflected on the regularly scheduled January 15, 2008 report. Nixon Campaign Manager Ken Morley sent a letter (attached and below) to the Missouri Ethics Commission earlier today informing them of the campaign's decision.

"The campaign will return contributions received in excess of the newly reinstated limits in accordance with the Court's ruling," wrote campaign manager Ken Morley in the letter. "We believe that if a candidate has sufficient cash on hand, then returning excess contributions in order to be compliant with the law is not a hardship. We therefore believe that circumstances do not exist under which a candidate for Governor could in good faith request, or that the Ethics Commission could conceivably grant, a hardship in this instance."

Nixon's campaign also called on Governor Blunt to state clearly that he too will return the millions in excess contributions and will not seek a hardship exemption.

"Matt Blunt has a clear choice: he can spend the next month inventing creative reasons to keep his special interest millions, or he can announce today that he is following our lead and returning over-limit donations," said Morley.

The campaign also expressed concern that the Ethics Commission plans to keep the hardship process secret. "If any candidate seeks to argue that returning contributions in excess of the limits somehow constitutes a hardship, the public deserves to know. Furthermore, in the unlikely event that the Commission determines to grant a hardship, the public deserves to know how the Commission arrived at its decision," wrote Morley.

November 26, 2007
Mr. Joseph A. Carroll
Director of Campaign Finance
Missouri Ethics Commission
P.O. Box 1254
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Dear Mr. Carroll:
The people of Missouri, the Supreme Court, and now the Missouri Ethics Commission have all spoken. Campaign contribution limits are once again the law of the land. All who believe the 1st Amendment rights of wealthy special interests are no more important than the rights of regular Missourians should celebrate this development.
I am writing today to inform you that Nixon for Governor recognizes that the Supreme Court's ruling to reinstate contribution limits applies retroactively to January 1, 2007. The campaign will return contributions received in excess of the newly reinstated limits in accordance with the Court's ruling. These adjustments will be complete by December 31, 2007 and will be reflected on our regularly scheduled January 15, 2008 report.
We inform you of this decision without knowledge of whether other candidates seeking the same office or in the same class will also agree to comply with the newly reinstated contribution limits. In your letter of November 15 you outline a process by which a candidate could seek to claim that abiding by the newly reinstated contribution limits, and reimbursing excess contributions when necessary, constitutes a "hardship." It is our belief that if a candidate has sufficient cash on hand, then returning excess contributions in order to be compliant with the law is not a hardship.
We therefore believe that circumstances do not exist under which a candidate for Governor could in good faith request, or that the Ethics Commission could conceivably grant, a hardship in this instance.
It is possible, however, that not all candidates in our class will act in good faith and willingly comply with the new law. It is because of this that we are gravely concerned that the hardship process established in your November 15 letter is not open and transparent. If any candidate seeks to argue that returning contributions in excess of the limits somehow constitutes a hardship, the public deserves to know.
Furthermore, in the unlikely event that the Commission determines to grant a hardship, the public deserves to know how the Commission arrived at its decision. Because we believe this process should be open and transparent, it is our intent to make this communication public.
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions.
Regards,
Ken Morley
Campaign Manager
Nixon for Governor

Health care stance a liability for Blunt

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800

By Virginia Young and Jo Mannies
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Nearly three years after cuts in Medicaid and an overhaul of the program, a majority of likely Missouri voters disapprove of Gov. Matt Blunt's handling of the state's health care system for the poor, according to a new poll.

That helps explain why the Republican governor trails his Democratic rival, Attorney General Jay Nixon, in a Research 2000 poll for the Post-Dispatch and KMOV-TV (Channel 4).

The survey of 800 likely Missouri voters, conducted last week, showed that 51 percent supported Nixon, compared with 42 percent for Blunt. The remaining 7 percent were undecided.

Nixon's edge exceeds the poll's margin of error of 3.5 percentage points for each individual number.

The election will be held in November 2008. Pollster Del Ali, head of Research 2000, said Blunt's handling of Medicaid is "kind of his albatross."

Of those polled, 57 percent said they opposed Blunt's approach to government-funded health care for the poor. Strong opposition from those identifying themselves as Democrats and independents overshadowed the slight majority of Republicans who said they supported the governor's handling of health care.

In 2005, Blunt and the state Legislature cut about 100,000 people from Missouri's Medicaid rolls. The governor said the program was growing too fast, jeopardizing funding for education and other priorities.

But, Ali said, "There's a lot of voter anger from these cuts."

This year, Blunt created a new health care program for the poor, called MO HealthNet, that adds some services for women, disabled workers and children. He is also setting up a program called Insure Missouri to help the working poor buy insurance.

But Ali said it appears those programs have yet to catch on with voters.

"It's clear that voters don't think this is going to cover those who are poor and need help," he said.

How will the issue affect Blunt's re-election run against Nixon? Among those polled, 61 percent said that Blunt's handling of health care in Missouri will play an "important" or "very important" role in whom they support for governor.

One of the poll respondents, Phyllis Pearson, 63, of Oran in southeastern Missouri, said her two grandchildren lost coverage because of the Medicaid cuts. And the changes launched this year won't help Pearson's family.

"I was an avid campaigner for Matt Blunt," she said. "But we have just seen so much sadness that we will never vote for him again."

Health care appears to be a particularly powerful issue for female voters in Missouri.

Among the women polled, Medicaid nudged education funding as the top issue influencing their vote for governor. But likely male voters had sharply different priorities. Their top state issues in the poll: taxes and immigration.

IMMIGRATION

The poll signaled that the public's concern about illegal immigration — a particularly hot-button issue among Republicans — could help Blunt.

Among those polled, almost two-thirds said they favored Blunt's directive to the state Highway Patrol to check the residency or immigration status of people who are arrested or jailed. Nixon supports the policy.

In addition, 67 percent of those polled favor a proposed state constitutional amendment making English the official language for government proceedings.

Both Blunt and Nixon support the amendment. The Legislature has called for an election on it. It will be on the November ballot unless Blunt chooses an earlier election.

David Webber, associate professor of political science at the University of Missouri-Columbia, says the English-language proposal has the potential of driving up Republican voter turnout in the state.

About four of every five Republicans surveyed in the poll backed the English-only amendment, compared with about half of Democrats.

Both parties have increasingly pushed what Webber calls "strategic ballot measures" to motivate their supporters.

For Michael Jansen of Imperial, no other issue in the governor's race is more important than stopping illegal immigration.

Jansen, 60, recognizes that it falls to the federal government, not the states, to enforce immigration laws. But he believes federal officials have failed to take proper steps, and he looks to Blunt to step in instead.

"He's one of the few governors who will take action," Jansen said. "He's got the Highway Patrol checking illegals out."

On the issue of stem cell research, however, Blunt runs the risk of alienating cultural conservatives in his party who are strongly opposed to certain types of embryonic stem cell research now protected under Amendment 2, which passed last year.

Some social conservative groups are seeking to place on next year's ballot a measure to ban the cloning procedure known as somatic cell nuclear transfer. It uses an unfertilized human egg in which the nucleus is removed and replaced with that of another cell.

Blunt and Nixon both oppose a ban. So do 57 percent of the poll participants.

The danger for Blunt is that 60 percent of the Republicans polled support the ban. Most of the Democrats and independents do not.

But MU's Webber cautioned against tying the stem cell issue to other races.

"It is just too darn complicated, both the politics and the science," he said.

Poll participant Edmund Lauser of Sunset Hills also isn't convinced the stem cell issue will hurt the governor's re-election chances. Lauser was among the Republican minority who agree with the governor and oppose the proposed ban.

"I don't think it's going to be a big deal," said Lauser, 73.

NEGATIVES CLIMB

With the election still a year away, the fortunes of Blunt and Nixon are far from decided. But the poll figures offered warnings for both candidates.

Only 40 percent of those polled rated Blunt's job performance as "excellent" or "good." That figure has held steady for almost two years, according to earlier Research 2000 polls.

Also, Blunt's "unfavorable" rating is at a risky 53 percent in this poll. Only 43 percent said they had a "favorable" opinion of the governor.

But Nixon's own negative rating also is creeping up. In this poll, less than half viewed him favorably. But even more significantly, 41 percent gave him an "unfavorable'' rating. That's up from only 30 percent in January 2006.

Nixon has been hammered by Republicans in recent months on such issues as his now-scuttled use of his state car for political events. The state GOP is currently airing anti-Nixon radio ads on stations around the state.

The poll bears out that Nixon and Blunt each have strong support from party faithful. Both snagged close to 90 percent of the poll participants calling themselves Democrats or Republicans.

The chief reason that Nixon had a lead: The independents polled favored him over Blunt by almost 2-to-1.

"For Blunt to win, he's going to have to be more competitive with independents," Ali said.

Matt Franck of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Jay Nixon Launches Health Care Listening Tour

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800

The tour's purpose is for the Attorney General to hear about Missouri's health care crisis directly from the people affected most -- the real Missourians who had their health coverage slashed by Blunt in 2005 or who have seen their premiums skyrocket as a result of those cuts.

"When Matt Blunt slashed health coverage from hundreds of thousands of Missourians, he created a health care crisis in our state," Attorney General Jay Nixon said. "Those massive cuts continue to hurt real people from every corner of our state, like the folks I met with today in Columbia. The Governor's cuts targeted children, people with disabilities and working families just trying to make ends meet. This tour will allow me to hear directly from the regular Missourians who are paying the consequences for Matt Blunt's wrong priorities."

The first stop on the listening tour took place today at a private home in Columbia, where the Attorney General engaged in a roundtable discussion with regular Missourians who continue to lack access to the quality services they need because of Blunt's cuts. Additional health care listening tour events will be scheduled in cities and counties across the state in the coming weeks and months.

"For many years, I was able to overcome by disability and go to work every day and make an honest living," said Bob Pund of Columbia, who is confined to a wheelchair and hosted the roundtable discussion at his apartment. "Then Matt Blunt came into office and took my health care right from under me, forcing me to leave my job. It's about time Missouri had a Governor who helps people have access better health care instead of a Governor who just leaves people out in the cold."

Alice and Jeff Van Dyke , of Columbia, also shared their story at the roundtable. Both were productive workers for years, but Blunt's cuts have cost them their livelihood.

"When Matt Blunt ran for office, he made a lot of promises about health care," Alice Van Dyke said. "Then the first thing he did was take it away from thousands of working folks like me. Maybe Governor Blunt should walk a day in our shoes. It's now impossible for me and my husband to make ends meet and get the health care we need. I'm supporting Jay because we need a governor who will help us get the health care we need, not one who stands in the way."

Background information: When Gov. Matt Blunt took office in 2005, his first major order of business was to slash the health care and benefits of more than 400,000 Missourians – including children, the elderly and Missourians with disabilities. As a result, more than 750,000 Missourians have absolutely no coverage today, including more than 127,000 children . Because so many Missourians suddenly were without coverage, emergency room visits went up, and premiums skyrocketed for those fortunate enough still to have coverage. Despite sending Missouri's health care system into crisis, Gov. Blunt still decided over the past three years to turn away more than $1 billion in federal funds that would have provided health care to thousands of Missourians. Other states are moving forward and expanding health coverage, but because of Matt Blunt and his devastating cuts, Missouri is moving backward.

Nixon Campaign Statement on Missouri Ethics Commission Hearing on Returning Over-Limit Contributions

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JEFFERSON CITY, MO – After today's determination by the Missouri Ethics Commission that candidates must show a "hardship" to keep their over-limit contributions, the Nixon campaign released the following statement:

"Jay Nixon strongly supports contribution limits so that regular Missourians, not wealthy corporate types, have the power to influence elections," said Oren Shur, spokesman for the Nixon campaign. "Returning over-limit contributions is not a hardship, and our campaign is ready to start putting checks in the mail tomorrow if Matt Blunt agrees to do the same. We hope the Governor agrees that we need to avoid a lengthy and complicated process so the focus of this race can return to the issues that matter most, like fixing the state's health care crisis and making college more affordable."

Three important points to consider:

1. Jay Nixon has out-raised Matt Blunt since Blunt's no-limit System was struck down and campaign contribution limits were reinstated. According to the Kansas City Star, "When the limits were reinstated July 19, the playing field was leveled, with Nixon raising slightly more than the governor." [Kansas City Star, 10/15/2007]

2. Contribution limits take power away from the wealthiest few and give to regular Missourians. Following the most recent finance report, Jay Nixon has received more than 10 times as many low-dollar contributions as Matt Blunt. Jay Nixon has over 5,000 contributors who have contributed $100 or less over the campaign cycle. In the last quarter alone, Nixon received 1,554 contributions of $100 or less, while Matt Blunt's campaign received only 125 itemized contributions of $100 or less. [Missouri Ethics Commission]

3. Attorney General Nixon has long supported campaign contribution limits and even argued it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court – and won. In November 1998, a federal appeals court struck down the "1994 state law that capped at $1,075 individual contributions for candidates for statewide offices, $525 for state Senate candidates and $275 for state representative candidates." The appeals court questioned the low level of the contribution limits. "The limits at issue here are so small that they run afoul of the Constitution by unnecessarily restricting protected First Amendment freedoms,' Chief Judge Pasco M. Bowman wrote." Jay Nixon immediately "said he will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court." On January 24, 2000, "the Supreme Court ruled that Missouri could impose campaign donation limits, which have ranged from $275 to $1,075, depending on the office sought. The justices voted 6-3 to overturn a lower court ruling in July 1998 that had declared Missouri's five-year-old limits unconstitutional." [[South Bend Tribune, 12/01/98; The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 02/03/00]

Teamsters Endorse Jay Nixon for Governor

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800

ST. LOUIS, MO – The International Brotherhood of Teamsters and its 65,000 active and retired Missouri members today announced its strong endorsement of Attorney General Jay Nixon for Governor, citing the Attorney General’s strong record of standing up for regular working Missourians.

Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa was in St. Louis today to announce the endorsement at the Joint Council #13 and Teamsters Local 600 Union Hall in Maryland Heights.

“Jay Nixon has been a true friend to Missouri's working families his entire career,” said General President Hoffa. “The Teamsters Union is proud to endorse him in his bid for governor. We will do our best to reach out to our 65,000 active and retired members in the state of Missouri and let them know that Jay Nixon is the right choice for governor."

“From slashing health care from thousands of Missourians to making college less affordable for families, Matt Blunt has made it more difficult for regular folks to make ends meet,” said Attorney General Jay Nixon. “Throughout my career, I’ve stood up to the special interests on behalf of working Missourians and I’ll continue doing that as our next Governor. Missouri’s working families deserve a Governor who will fight for them, not against them.”

“For three years, Matt Blunt has enacted policies that have hurt regular working folks,” said Dan McKay, President of Joint Council 13 and Local 600. “Blunt has slashed health care, made college harder to afford, and failed to move our economy forward. Jay Nixon has a track record of standing up for regular, working Missourians. We’re proud to throw our support behind Jay in this race.”

For over 100 years, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters has represented Missouri’s workers. Currently there are over 40,000 Teamster members in the state of Missouri, and an additional 25,000 retired members. Teamsters encompass workers: long haul drivers, bakery workers, grocery and warehouse workers, automotive workers, petroleum workers, small package drivers, public employees and brewers, car haulers, airlines, auto dealers, and graphic communication workers, among others.

Jay Nixon: A Record of Supporting Missouri’s Working Men And Women

Attorney General Jay Nixon believes that every Missourian who works hard and plays by the rules should have an opportunity to get ahead and achieve his or her dreams. Throughout his more than 20 years in public service, Jay has a track record of consistently fighting for the needs of working Missourians. He strongly supports the recent minimum wag increase, fights for the collective bargaining rights of Missourians, enforces prevailing wage laws and prosecutes employers who do not carry workers’ compensation. As our next Governor, Jay Nixon will always be a friend to the hard-working men and women who keep our state moving forward.

Jay Nixon Was A Member Of The Laborers Union. Jay Nixon carried a card from the Laborers Union for seven years, beginning in 1973.

Jay Nixon Supports The Minimum Wage Increase Passed By Missouri Voters In 2006. Jay Nixon, in his January 2007 response to Governor Matt Blunt’s State of the State address, “applauded the minimum wage increase passed by voters in November” 2006. The Missouri Democratic Party endorsed the ballot initiative to increase the minimum wage in August of 2006. [Missouri Digital News, 01/24/07; Missouri Democratic Party Press Release, 8/14/2006]

Jay Nixon Has Successfully Pursued Over 100 Prevailing Wage Enforcement Actions Against Companies Involving $2.7 Million In Back-wages To Employees. As Attorney General, Jay Nixon has pursued over 100 prevailing wage enforcement actions against companies, involving over $2.7 million in wages determined to be owed to workers. The Attorney General’s office collected $336,870 in penalties from companies found to be in violation of the prevailing wage law. [Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Division of Labor Standards]

Jay Nixon Fought To Maintain Unions’ Rights To Be Politically Involved. Jay Nixon, in 1998, “said he is against proposals to require approval of all members of a union before their dues are spent on.” [The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 08/31/98]

Jay Nixon Has Consistently Taken Action Against Employers Who Do Not Carry Workers’ Compensation Insurance For Their Employees. According to a press release from the Attorney General’s office, “Attorney General Jay Nixon collected $560,283 in 2006 from Missouri employers who violated state law by not carrying workers' compensation insurance for their employees. It brings the total that Nixon's office has collected from non-compliant employers in the state to more than $1.87 million over the past three years. ‘Missouri's workers deserve protection on the job, and these employers were not providing that protection the law requires,’ Nixon said. ‘This put their employees at risk and created an unfair advantage for the lawbreakers over the employers who play by the rules. We will continue to take aggressive action in these cases to ensure that they obtain the necessary workers' compensation insurance and pay appropriate penalties.’ In addition to the $560,000 collected from employers prosecuted by the Attorney General's Office, Nixon required 131 employers in 2006 to obtain workers' compensation insurance to protect their employees.” [Office of the Attorney General of Missouri, Press Release, 12/29/06]

Nixon Campaign Nets Hundreds of Thousands More Than Blunt in 3rd Quarter

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Post Supreme Court ruling: Now that Blunt must rely on regular Missourians instead of wealthy corporations, his fundraising falters

Blunt has no grassroots support: Nixon receives 1,500 low-dollar contributions, Blunt receives just 125 contributions from regular Missourians

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JEFFERSON CITY, MO -- In the first campaign finance report since the Supreme Court reinstated contribution limits and leveled the playing field, Jay Nixon's campaign netted $155,182.62 more than Matt Blunt in the third quarter. When considering the over-limit contributions Blunt accepted, which must be returned, Nixon netted $474,690.25 more than Blunt during the third quarter.

While Jay Nixon received more than 1,500 contributions of $100 or less, Blunt has very little grassroots support -- receiving just 125 low-dollar contributions.

"When you take out the special interest money that has to be returned anyway, Matt Blunt's campaign actually lost money last quarter," said Oren Shur, spokesman for Jay Nixon's campaign. "Matt Blunt is taking the state of Missouri backwards at a record pace, so it's not surprising that his re-election campaign is moving in the wrong direction too."

"The Supreme Court clearly created problems for Matt Blunt when it struck down the campaign finance system that allowed him to take millions from lobbyists and wealthy corporations," said Shur. "Now Blunt must seek contributions from a group of people who don't like him very much -- regular working Missourians. Could you imagine opening your checkbook for a Governor who just slashed your health care and made it harder for you to afford college?"

Number of low-dollar contributions last cycle (itemized contributions under $100):

Nixon campaign: 1,554 contributions
Blunt campaign: 125 contributions

With 10,000 Individual Contributions, Regular Missourians Help Nixon Campaign Raise More than $4.1 Million

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JEFFERSON CITY, MO -- Attorney General Jay Nixon announced today that following a major grassroots push that generated more than 10,000 individual contributions, his campaign has raised more than $4.1 million for the 2008 Governor's race. The campaign raised more than $600,000 in the third quarter of 2007 and now has more than $2.7 million on hand.

"When Matt Blunt slashed health care from thousands of regular folks, including children and people with disabilities, he started a fight with the people of Missouri," said Oren Shur, spokesman for Jay Nixon's campaign. "Now those regular Missourians are fighting back by contributing their time and money to Jay Nixon's campaign. Next year, they'll be fighting back at the ballot box."

"Because of his disastrous record, it will be difficult for Matt Blunt to ask regular Missourians to invest in his re-election campaign. Could you imagine opening your checkbook for a Governor who just slashed your health care and made it harder for you to afford college?" said Shur.

After more than 50 grassroots fundraisers across the state and an intense online fundraising effort, the campaign has received over 6,100 contributions of $100 or less from regular Missourians. More than 500 volunteers for the Nixon campaign and the Missouri Democratic Party have made over 125,000 phone calls to Missourians across the state to listen to their concerns and seek their support.

"Matt Blunt's health care cuts hurt every single person in our state," said Phyllis Sheaks, a retired accountant from Delton who contributed $30 and now helps coordinate a volunteer phone bank for the Nixon campaign in Cass County. "Now either you don't have health care or if you still have it, you're paying too much for it. Everyone knows Matt Blunt was wrong, except for Matt Blunt. So I'm getting involved and doing something about it. We need a change in the Governor's mansion."

"It's hard to imagine a governor slashing health care from thousands of children, but that's exactly what Matt Blunt did," said Debbi Lehr, a homemaker from Harrisonville who contributed $50 at a recent grassroots fundraiser. "I may not be rich and connected, but I'm angry about what Blunt is doing to our state. So I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure we elect Jay Nixon to get us back on the right track."

"When Matt Blunt cut health care from all those people and sold off the student loan authority, I decided to get involved," said Jim Higgins, a retired mail carrier from Kirsksville who contributed $25 to Nixon's campaign. "This election is too important for anyone to sit on the sidelines."

442 percent is 406 percent too high

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Critics have a name for payday loans: legal loan-sharking. That’s harsh, but it’s not an entirely inappropriate description for annual interest rates on loans that, according to one Missouri state regulatory survey, hit 422 percent.

At a news conference in St. Louis recently, Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon restated his support for state legislation that would limit the annual interest rate on payday loans to 36 percent — the same limit placed by the U.S. Congress last year on payday loans to members of the military.

Mr. Nixon’s appearance had political overtones — he is expected to be the Democratic nominee for governor in 2008 — but that doesn’t invalidate the importance of cracking down on exploitive payday loans.

Consider a little background:
People who take out payday loans generally are working-class folks with shaky credit and cash flow problems. They turn to payday loans when bills come due and money runs short near the end of a pay cycle. Storefronts and offices, often situated near military posts, offer short-term loans in amounts that rarely top $500. In Missouri, a typical shop will charge a $17 fee for a two-week loan of $100. In Illinois, the fee is capped at $15.50 per $100.

Problems start when loans comes due and borrowers can’t pay them back. In those cases, payday lenders usually offer to roll over the loan for another two weeks for another $17. Thus, a $100 loan becomes a $134 debt after two weeks, $151 after a month and so on. Convert those fees to an annual basis, and they equal an interest rate of about 400 percent.

In Missouri, the average payday loan is renewed twice. State law allows up to six renewals, but caps total interest at 75 percent of the original loan.

Mr. Nixon supports legislation that would permit one $15 charge per $100 on a 30-day loan — less than half of what the average lender charges now — with no renewals. Lenders could charge 3 percent per month on unpaid balances.

Three percent per month equals 36 percent a year. Lenders say they can’t live on that. "A 36 percent annual percentage rate is a show-stopper for the industry," said a Missouri spokesman for the Consumer Financial Services Association, the payday loan lobby.

But a 36 percent rate hasn’t seemed to have stopped the show on loans to active-duty service members. The new provisions passed by Congress last year took effect Oct. 1. They limit annual interest rates to 36 percent, including all fees. They also prohibit lenders from requiring borrowers to provide post-dated bank checks or other access to a customer’s bank account.

Dire warnings in the face of tighter regulation seem to be standard practice for the payday loan industry. In 2005, Illinois enacted a fairly stringent law covering payday loans. It limits fees to 15.5 percent on a two-week loan and allows only two roll-overs for a total of 45 days. If the borrower can’t pay, he can demand an eight-week grace period in which to pay off the debt, with no additional interest accrued.

Despite alarmist complaints issued at the time, the industry is living with the law. The state says 763,000 payday loans were made in the past 18 months. "The assertion that the industry would collapse was not true," says Dean Martinez, Illinois secretary of financial and professional regulation.

The payday loan business provides a useful service for those who find themselves in a temporary financial squeeze. But that’s not justification for exploiting people when they’re vulnerable and trapping them in a cycle of ever-mounting debt. The industry can exist profitably with reasonable regulations, which is what the Missouri Legislature should enact when its next session begins in January.

Source: St Louis Post-Dispatch

Campaign to Voluntarily Reimburse State for Attorney General's Security Costs on Campaign Trail

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700

JEFFERSON CITY, MO -- Attorney General Jay Nixon's campaign announced today that it will begin voluntarily reimbursing the state for costs associated with the Attorney General's security and transportation needs on the campaign trail, and called on Governor Blunt's campaign to begin doing the same.

Ken Morley, campaign manager for Nixon for Governor, released the following statement today:

"We take his security and transportation needs very seriously and political attacks from our opponents will not change that. Jay Nixon is Attorney General for the state of Missouri 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As one of the toughest Attorneys General in the nation, the reality is that there are some bad people who don't like him very much.

"However, the debate surrounding the Attorney General's security detail has become a distraction from the issues that Missourians care most about, like fixing the health care crisis in our state and making college education more affordable. In order to move the focus back to the issues that matter most, the Nixon campaign will begin voluntarily reimbursing the state for the Attorney General's security and transportation needs while on the campaign trail. The campaign will examine the campaign schedule going back to the beginning of the cycle in order to determine the appropriate reimbursement level.

"Today, we call on the Governor's campaign to begin doing the same. His campaign should not only reimburse the state for security expenses associated with his political travel, but also for all security and travel expenses associated with the Governor's decision to commute to Springfield everyday instead of living in the Governor's mansion. The Attorney General has legitimate security concerns, yet his campaign is making this voluntary decision to reimburse the state for costs relating to his security at campaign events. The Governor also has legitimate security concerns, but there's no reason his campaign cannot also voluntarily reimburse the state for security costs associated with his political events."

Blunt Wrong to Support Bush Veto of S-CHIP Reauthorization Bill

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JEFFERSON CITY, MO -- Attorney General Jay Nixon today criticized Gov. Matt Blunt for supporting President Bush's veto of a bill passed by Congress to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP). If reauthorized, the program could bring insurance to more than 56,000 Missouri children who had their coverage slashed by Gov. Blunt in 2005.

"Governor Blunt opposes a program that could potentially reinstate health care for thousands of Missouri children who -- because of his massive cuts -- don't have it today,' said Attorney General Jay Nixon. "We now have more than 127,000 children in our state without insurance. That is unacceptable. But instead of supporting a program which could bring coverage to thousands of those children, Matt Blunt is touting a health care plan that ignores them completely. These kids don't have lobbyists in Jefferson City like the big insurance companies do, so it's up to our elected leaders to stand up for their needs. It's a shame that the Governor refuses to join me in doing so.'

Gov. Blunt's position may come as no surprise considering the fact that, as a percentage of the population, Matt Blunt has kicked more people off S-CHIP than any other governor from June 2005 to June 2006. Following Blunt's massive health care cuts in 2005, there are now more than 127,000 Missouri children without health insurance.

According to Families USA, more than 56,000 Missouri children could receive health insurance if S-CHIP is reauthorized. However, Gov. Blunt supported President Bush's decision to veto that reauthorization. Missouri Senators Kit Bond (R) and Claire McCaskill (D) both voted to reauthorize S-CHIP.

Two weeks ago, Gov. Blunt announced his latest health care initiative to expand health coverage. However, the Governor's plan does nothing to bring coverage to the more than 127,000 children in Missouri who don't have health insurance.

Jay Nixon Calls on President Bush to Sign S-CHIP Reauthorization Bill

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 26, 2007

JEFFERSON CITY, MO -- Attorney General Jay Nixon today called on President Bush to sign the bill reauthorizing the State Children's Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP), the state-federal partnership program that provides health coverage to millions of low-income children across the country. Following Gov. Matt Blunt's massive health care cuts in 2005, more than 28,000 Missouri children have lost access to S-CHIP, bringing the total number of uninsured Missouri children to more than 127,000.

The S-CHIP is scheduled to expire on September 30, 2007. However, President Bush is expected to veto legislation that passed with bipartisan support in Congress to reauthorize the program.

"Governor Blunt is moving Missouri backwards on health care, and kids are among the hardest hit. As result of his massive health care cuts in 2005, there are now more than 127,000 children in Missouri without health insurance," said Attorney General Nixon. "That is unacceptable. The S-CHIP program provides health coverage to millions of low-income children across the country, and Missouri's children need the help now more than ever. The reauthorization of S-CHIP moves Missouri forward towards providing every child in Missouri has health insurance."

Last week, Gov. Blunt announced his latest health care initiative to expand health coverage. However, the Governor's plan does nothing to bring coverage to the more than 127,000 children in Missouri who don't have health insurance.

Attorney General Jay Nixon, St. Louis Leaders Call for Major Reform of Payday Loan Industry

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Watch the press conference!

Read the Post-Dispatch's Oct 6 editorial

ST. LOUIS, MO -- Attorney General Jay Nixon, St. Louis-area elected officials and faith leaders joined today to call for strong legislation to hold the payday loan industry accountable for taking advantage of Missouri's most vulnerable families. During the next legislative session, the leaders will back legislation that caps payday loan interest rates, eliminates the practice of renewing loans, and provides tools to punish lenders who violate the law.

"The payday loan industry is making millions each year by holding Missouri's most vulnerable families hostage," said Attorney General Nixon. "Families living in poverty, who are simply trying to put food on the table, should not be slammed with an APR on average of over 422 percent. That's outrageous. The families impacted by payday loans aren't political insiders. They don't have lobbyists in Jefferson City. They are our most vulnerable citizens, and that's why it's so important that we stand up and fight on their behalf. If Gov. Blunt is truly committed to lifting Missouri families out of poverty, he will join us in supporting legislation that significantly reforms the payday loan industry."

Missouri has some of the most lenient payday loan laws in the nation. Because of Missouri's lax laws, some loan recipients could end up being charged as much as 1,950 percent APR (with an average of 422 percent). According to the most recent report by the Division of Finance, nearly 3 million payday loans were issued last year and the number of new loan licenses given to lenders has increased by 69% since 2003. The result of these lenient laws: Missourian families paid $317 million in fees and interest in 2005, second in actual dollars only to the state of California.

"Once again we see corporate greed rear its ugly head at the expense of our poorest families," said Rev. Douglas Parnham, pastor at the Community Church of God in St. Louis. "Payday loans are crippling our communities. I am so proud to join our elected leaders in addressing this problem."

"I'm hopeful that the majority leadership in the legislature understands the gravity of the situation and works to get meaningful legislation passed next session," said Sen. Rita Days.

"These modern-day loan sharks have preyed on too many Missourians for too long," said Sen. Jeff Smith. "At a time when so many families are strapped for cash and facing foreclosure on their homes, it's unfortunate that the Blunt Administration has spent three years asleep at the wheel."

"We need to stand up for the citizens of Missouri by standing up to the payday loan industry," said Rep. Esther Haywood. "Each year Democrats in Jefferson City try to put forward legislation to fix this immoral system, but each year Matt Blunt and the Republican legislature prevent the bills from coming to a vote. That needs to stop. It's time for Blunt and his allies in the legislature to show some leadership and join us on this critical issue."

Attorney General Nixon, the legislators and faith leaders pledged to strongly support legislation to cap payday loan interest rates at 36 percent and eliminate the harmful practice of renewing loans -- a practice prohibited by every bordering state. Renewable payday loans punish families unable to make payments by charging them astronomical interest rates to extend the period by which they can repay the loan.

The coalition of leaders also supports legislation to provide the Attorney General Office with the tools and authority to punish payday lenders who violate the law. Specifically, the Attorney General's Office must be granted jurisdiction by the legislature to issue cease and desist orders against violators. The Attorney General must also be granted authority to sue for injunctions, restitutions, rescission of loan contracts and civil penalties. Under current law, the Missouri Division of Finance regulates payday lenders and the Office of the Attorney General can only take action when cases are referred by that division.

"Families who are forced to take out payday loans certainly don't have the means to hire an attorney to protect their rights," said Attorney General Nixon. "The legislature needs to give the Office of the Attorney General the authority to punish payday lenders who take advantage of vulnerable Missourians and violate the law."

Attorney General Nixon, the legislators and faith leaders made their announcement at a press conference in front of a payday loan center on Kingshighway Blvd in St. Louis. In attendance at today's press conference: State Senators Rita Heard Days and Jeff Smith; State Representatives Esther Haywood, Juanita Head-Walton, Talibdin El-Amin, Robin Wright-Jones, Jamilah Nasheed; Alderman Sam Moore; Rev. Douglas Parham, Rev. Robert Franklin; Committeeman Joe Palm.

Attorney General Jay Nixon's Statement on Gov. Blunt's Latest Health Care Proposal

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700

"In 2005, Gov. Blunt slashed health care coverage from 400,000 Missourians, including more than 70,000 children. Since that time, he has turned down more than $1 billion in federal health care funding – sending this much-needed money to other states to pay for their health insurance. As a result, those Missourians lucky enough to still have coverage have seen their premiums skyrocket. Under Matt Blunt, Missouri's health care system has been in crisis. In just a few short years, we went from one of the best states in the nation on access to care to one of the worst.

"It's unfortunate that three years later, Governor Blunt is still unable to simply admit he was wrong and restore the cuts. Instead, he has put forward a misguided plan that has already failed in other states. It takes money directly from our poorest families and puts it in the pockets of the HMOs and big insurance companies. At this point, the Governor's latest health care initiative raises more questions than it answers.

"Restoring the cuts must be step one. Then, once the cuts are restored, we need to have a serious conversation about how to expand health coverage beyond only to those Missourians who lost it under Blunt – but to all Missourians, starting with our children.

"Other states are thinking bigger when it comes to health care. They're expanding health coverage to all children, or to all disabled citizens, or even to every resident of the state. Unfortunately, we're still debating ways to undo the damage caused by Governor Blunt – ways to bring us back to where we were three years ago. It's time to start moving forward."

Missouri: Nixon says he will refund contributions; Blunt noncommittal

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Democratic Attorney General Jay Nixon said Wednesday that he is prepared to return any money raised for his gubernatorial campaign that exceeded the state's recently reimposed contribution limits.

Republican Gov. Matt Blunt made no such commitment. And Nixon's campaign declined to say whether he would follow through on the refunds if Blunt does not.

The Missouri Ethics Commission decided Tuesday to notify candidates who received excess contributions that they may be in violation of campaign finance laws as a result of a recent state Supreme Court decision.

The court in mid-July struck down a law repealing Missouri's individual contribution limits as of January 2007, ruling the allowance for unlimited donations had to fall because it was linked to another provision previously struck down by a Cole County judge.

By summer, however, Blunt already had raised almost $4 million in contributions above the limits and Nixon had taken in more than $1 million over the contribution limits. Other candidates for statewide and legislative races also had taken large donations during that time.

In a follow-up ruling in late August, the Supreme Court left it to the Ethics Commission to determine whether particular candidates must refund that money. But the Supreme Court noted its ruling generally would apply retroactively, unless people could demonstrate they relied on the law in place at the time and that refunding the money now would pose a hardship.

The Ethics Commission said it would give candidates the chance to keep the money if they can prove they relied on the law and that paying refunds would pose a hardship. If any candidate is granted an exception, other candidates in that same classification also would receive one out of fairness, the commission said.

"Make no mistake, contribution limits are not a hardship," Nixon said in a written statement Wednesday. "I have instructed my campaign staff to make preparations to return all over-limit contributions and I encourage other candidates to do the same."

Asked at a news conference Wednesday whether he intended to refund contributions or seek a hardship exemption, Blunt was noncommittal.

"I intend to wait and see exactly what the letter says" from the Ethics Commission, Blunt said. "It's not something I'm following very closely - there's been very confusing decisions from the court and from the Ethics Commission."

The state Republican Party is preparing a lawsuit that could challenge the Ethics Commission decision, partly on allegations that the closed portion of its meeting violated the state's Sunshine Law.

Nixon campaign spokesman Oren Shur declined to say whether Nixon would wait to refund contributions until he could be assured that Blunt would do likewise.

Nixon had urged Blunt to veto the 2006 legislation repealing the contribution limits.

But Blunt signed it, asserting along with the Republican-led Legislature that it would lead to more transparency in campaigns by eliminating the need for big donors to funnel their money in small increments through various political committees.

Once the repeal took effect, Nixon joined Blunt in raising large contributions, though Blunt received more money and a greater number of large checks.

As attorney general, Nixon's office had to defend the law repealing the contribution limits in court - a situation the Missouri Republican Party claimed posed a conflict because of his previously voiced opposition.

After the Supreme Court struck down the law repealing the contribution limits, Nixon's staff filed a court brief urging it to require candidates to refund excess donations. On Wednesday, he praised the Ethics Commission's decision.

"When Matt Blunt eliminated contribution limits, he cleared the way for lobbyists and corporations to give millions to candidates. This was a clear step in the wrong direction," Nixon said. "I believe that we need to reduce, not increase, the amount of access and influence that lobbyists and big corporate types have on our system."

Source: Joplin Globe

Flight patterns raise questions for Gov. Blunt

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Jefferson City — When it comes to flying, there's no denying, Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt is the king of the air.

Consider the recent holiday-shortened Labor Day week.

In a mere three days, Blunt flew from Jefferson City to St. Joseph and Kansas City to Springfield; to St. Louis and Kirksville and Dexter; to St. Louis again, and Kansas City again, then to Nevada and Joplin.

At most of the stops, Blunt simply put a new twist on old news — highlighting the local benefits of statewide bridge repair and tax-break bills he already had signed into law elsewhere.

The statewide flyaround has become a common and costly occurrence for Blunt.

The Republican governor's most recent campaign finance report reveals he spent more than $126,000 on air travel in the three months from April to June. The bill for Blunt's most recent flights won't show up until the next round of reports come due in mid-October.

Asked for an explanation for his high-flying habits, Blunt proclaimed as he prepared to dart from one news conference to the next: "It's about communicating with Missourians.

"It's an opportunity for me to talk directly with the people of the state, and that means I need to go where the people of our state are," Blunt said.

Democratic Gov. Bob Holden, the predecessor with whom Blunt often contrasts himself, said much the same thing when asked after his first few months in office why he was flying so often.

"When you take on these tough issues, you can't sit in Jefferson City and build the support base to get things accomplished," Holden said in June 2001. "You've got to be able to reach out there and touch people."

But there is a key difference between Holden and Blunt.

Holden was flying on state airplanes, which cost taxpayers money but for which there is a record of the exact times and places he went and who flew along with him.

Blunt is flying on privately chartered or corporate planes, which cost taxpayers nothing but for which there is no record of the exact times and places he went or who flew with him.

Blunt pays for even his official-duty flights with money raised from the individuals, businesses and interest groups that fund his campaign.

"I think the way we do it is a responsible way to respect taxpayers and ensure that their resources aren't spent on any sort of political activity," Blunt said.

But Democratic Attorney General Jay Nixon, who is challenging Blunt in the 2008 gubernatorial election, contends Blunt's way is a poor way for an elected official to act. His main concern is that the privately financed flights keep the public in the dark about when someone's currying favor with the governor.

Nixon's campaign says it spent less then $8,500 on his airline travel from April through June. When Nixon travels on official state business, he usually rides on the roads.

But unlike Blunt, Nixon is not averse to using a state plane.

State flight logs show a dozen Nixon flights during the 2007 fiscal year, costing the state $12,225.

Blunt flew on a state aircraft just once in that time — to Monett on May 10 at a cost of $900.

"The way Matt Blunt travels has nothing to do with being responsive to the people of Missouri," said Nixon campaign spokesman Oren Shur. "It's just another example of him giving special access to the special interests."

Added Shur: "That is not good for the taxpayers of Missouri."

In some respects, a frequently flying governor puts himself in a no-win situation, said political scientist Dave Robertson, of the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

If he takes state planes, he can appear to be wasting tax dollars. But if he takes private planes, he can appear cozy with special interests.

"Governor Blunt is trying to make sure the voters of Missouri understand he is trying to act in their best interest," Robertson said. "But as a vulnerable incumbent, he's going to find inevitably that political opponents will find a way to try to use this against him and raise questions about the way he's approaching these flyarounds."

Blunt's staff members are sensitive to that political possibility. They don't always provide notice when he flies out of state, preferring that some trips remain off the public radar.

Nixon's office also fails to provide notice of his various travels, though there typically is a lesser expectation of that for an attorney general than for a governor.

In 2004, then-Auditor Claire McCaskill used Holden's frequent flights against him in a catchy TV campaign ad in the Democratic gubernatorial primary.

Blunt's opponents may try a similar tactic in 2008.

But the fact Blunt isn't spending taxpayer dollars makes their case a bit harder, Robertson said, unless they can highlight particular flights on the private planes of particularly unpopular companies.

"I don't think the Democrats are going to get traction on this issue unless they can connect it to a larger narrative that will raise deeper questions about the governor's actions," he said.

Source: Springfield News-Leader

Predatory lending is a plague

Wed, 05 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Attorney General Jay Nixon
Kansas City Star

I commend Kansas City's efforts to protect its citizens from predatory lenders. And I disagree with the payday loan industry's claim (As I See It, 8/30/07) that it is "helping" Missouri consumers.

By every measure, the payday loan industry is thriving at the expense of cash-strapped Missourians who have been caught in their debt trap.

Consider these facts:

Missouri law allows the payday loan industry to charge up to 1,950 percent APR.

There were $2.87 million in payday loans issued in Missouri in the one-year period that ended last Sept. 30, at an average APR of 422 percent.

The Missouri Division of Finance issued 1,545 new payday loan licenses in 2006, an increase of 69 percent since 2003.

Missouri allows payday loans to be renewed up to six times (while our neighboring states forbid renewals), meaning Missourians paid $317 million in renewal and late fees, second in actual dollars only to the state of California.

The results have been devastating to many families, leading to loss of homes and cars, and putting struggling working families further into debt.

These consumers quickly learn that our weak payday loan laws in Missouri do nothing to protect them from spiraling debt.

It is time for Missourians to stand up to this industry that has made a fortune off the misfortune of others.

Click here to read full article

"Wrong Way" Missouri

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

One July morning in 1938, pilot Douglas Corrigan took off from New York on his way to California. He landed 28 hours and 13 minutes later in Dublin, Ireland. History has labeled him "Wrong Way" Corrigan.

If Corrigan had been directing health care, his plane could have been called the State of Missouri.

New U.S. Census Bureau numbers released Tuesday showed that the number of uninsured people in Missouri increased a staggering 15.4 percent from 2005 to 2006, from 668,146 to 771,682. Nationally, the number of people lacking health insurance increased by only 5 percent, to 47 million.

Why is Missouri headed the wrong way at a much faster rate than the rest of the country? In his analysis of the census data, Professor Timothy D. McBride, who heads the Center for Health Policy Analysis at St. Louis University's School of Public Health, said that the large decline in the number of people covered by Medicaid was "the biggest change in Missouri's insurance coverage from 2005 to 2006."

Click Here to Read Full Article

Dumbing down Missouri

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

If some malevolent power were setting out to undermine the future well-being of Missourians, it might start by cutting money for state colleges.

Study after study has demonstrated direct links between the economic prosperity of a state's people and the educational opportunities available to them. When attending public universities becomes too expensive, fewer kids can afford to do so. When states starve their public universities of resources, good professors leave, classes become overcrowded and students wind up with mediocre educations.

In Missouri, no outside malevolent force has been required to achieve these results. Successive Missouri administrations and legislatures have managed to inflict the damage just fine.

The University of Missouri system's flagship campus in Columbia placed 91st among large universities on the widely distributed annual quality rankings of U.S. News & World Report. The University of Illinois ranked 38.

In average salaries for professors, Mizzou ranks 32 out of 33 among the large state research universities that belong to the Association of American Universities.

On the cost side, it now takes about $19,000 a year to attend Mizzou in Columbia, including tuition and living expenses. A 2006 report by then-state auditor Claire McCaskill found that tuition for four-year public colleges in Missouri was higher than in any other nearby state except Illinois.

In its annual report card, the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education gave Missouri an F in affordability. According to its figures, an average middle-class family would have to spend 22 percent of its income to keep one student in a Missouri public college. Most families don't have that to spare.

It's been a long time since Missouri was generous in its support of the state college system, but state government budget crises over the last decade led to deep cuts in appropriations for operating and capital funds for higher education. The slashing got serious during the tenure of Democratic Gov. Bob Holden, and the higher-education budgets of his successor, Republican Gov. Matt Blunt, have barely kept pace with inflation.

Click Here to Read Full Article

Uninsured in Missouri: Rise triples U.S. average

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Matthew Franck
St. Louis Post Dispatch

JEFFERSON CITY -- The number of Missourians who don't have health insurance skyrocketed at three times the national rate in 2006, according to census figures released Tuesday.

Health experts say the jump offers evidence that many people cut from the state's Medicaid program two years ago have failed to find other medical coverage.

The jump in Missouri's uninsured was expected, given that more than 100,000 Medicaid recipients were bumped from the program amid budget cuts by Gov. Matt Blunt in 2005.

Click Here to Read Full Article

Blunt not quite truthful on state's education facts

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Springfield News-Leader

Gov. Matt Blunt has been traveling the state in the past week patting himself on the back for all he's done for education funding in the state of Missouri. Indeed, Blunt is right when he says he's increased funding for higher education in the past couple of years. He's right when he tries to earn political points by pointing out that the previous governor, Bob Holden, withheld money from schools during a recession and budget crunch. He's right when he points out that his plan to sell Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority assets pumped millions of dollars into university construction projects, including $29 million at Missouri State University. He's right that he did all of this without a tax increase.

All true.

Here's another fact that's equally true. Even with the increases, in fiscal year 2007, the state spent more money on prescription drugs -- $884.5 million -- than it did on higher education -- $883.3 million.

So pardon us if we don't quite buy into the governor's campaign rhetoric when he tells college students, as he did last week:

"Education is my highest priority, and I am committed to ensuring that our children receive a world-class education."

World class?

For those college students who understand a little bit of math, here's how world-class Missouri's funding for higher education is:

- The state ranks a pitiful 47th in the nation in higher education funding per capita, spending less per state resident than every state except for Colorado, Vermont and New Hampshire.

- Missouri ranks dead last in terms of the percentage increase in higher education funding between fiscal years 2005 and 2007, the very two years the governor is bragging about.

- Missouri only spends 1.2 percent of its total state revenues on higher education.

- Regionally, Missouri's spending on higher education fails in comparison to every border state. The race isn't even close. Missouri's 2.7 percent increase in the last two fiscal years is minuscule compared to 3.9 percent in Illinois, 8.2 percent in Iowa, 10.2 percent in Kansas, 10.6 percent in Tennessee, 11.9 percent in Kentucky, 13.4 percent in Nebraska and 14.6 percent in Arkansas.

So Blunt is right when he says his budget is inching in the right direction. But he misses the point if he really wants to make education a priority. Higher education in this state hasn't been a priority in at least a decade, not under Republican or Democratic governors, not under Republican or Democratic legislative control.

Click Here to Read Full Article

Nixon site to list all recalled products

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Beverly Denny
Columbia Missourian

After a massive toy recall earlier this week, Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon has launched a Web site to serve as a recall clearinghouse, combining information from several federal agencies.

Mattel, the company that owns famous toy brands such as Fisher-Price and Barbie, issued a recall Tuesday of 9 million toys made in China and sold in the U.S. The toys contain small magnets or could have lead paint that can be dangerous if ingested, according to the Associated Press.

Nixon's site, ago.mo.gov/recalls, lists recalls and safety alerts issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard.

"This Web page offers a one-stop resource for keeping tabs on exactly what products have been recalled and what consumers should do if they have any of the recalled products," Nixon said in a news release.

Click Here for Full Article

Blunt backs ticket scalping. His brother appreciates it.

Sun, 19 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700

by Virginia Young

JEFFERSON CITY — In a special session devoted to economic development, Gov. Matt Blunt has called on the Legislature to repeal the state’s ticket scalping law.

What does ticket scalping have to do with economic development?

Jessica Robinson, the governor’s spokeswoman, said the provision "will be good for tourism and economic development. It will make it easier for fans to gain access to tickets in a legal and convenient secondary market."

Labeling the issue urgent had nothing to do with the fact that the governor’s brother, Andy Blunt, lobbies for Ticketmaster, Robinson said. Andy Blunt "did not have a role in the decision." Robinson said.

Current state law prohibits individual ticket holders, as well as teams, from reselling their tickets at more than the face value.

California-based Ticketmaster has been pushing for the repeal of ticket scalping laws nationwide so that unused tickets can be sold over the Internet.

A call to Andy Blunt was returned Friday by Joe Freeman, vice president and assistant general counsel for Ticketmaster.

"The notion that this is some conspiratorial back-room maneuvering between the governor and his brother is absolutely ludicrous," Freeman said.

Missouri is one of the last states to have price caps on the resale of tickets, he said. Freeman said New York, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Connecticut repealed their scalping laws this year.

In Missouri, "our clients want to provide their patrons — Rams and Chiefs season ticket holders, for example — the ability to resell their tickets in a secure and, above-all, legal manner," Freeman said.

The St. Louis Rams pressed for the matter to be included in the special session.

"We would like to be able to take advantage of it for the current season," said Michael Naughton, vice president for finance and ticketing for the Rams.

He said letting fans resell their unused tickets on the team’s website would provide "a secure and legitimate" way to handle the sales. As it is now, "we have to deal with the counterfeit tickets, the stolen tickets that do show up on game day."

Not everyone is convinced. Rep. Trent Skaggs, D-North Kansas City, doubts consumers will benefit from ticket scalping.

"Ticketmaster will be able to up the price for sporting events and concerts and drive the cost of those tickets through the roof," Skaggs said.

Source: St. Louis Post Dispatch

Nixon makes stop in St. Joe

Sat, 18 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700

by Alyson Raletz

Attorney General Jay Nixon invited St. Joseph Democrats to the largest potluck dinner the state has ever seen.

That is, if he makes it to the 2009 governor’s inaugural celebration.

Affordable higher education, quality public education and accessibility to health care poured from Mr. Nixon’s lips on the eve of his Northwest Missouri fundraising tour.

He speaks again at 8 a.m. today at the Holiday Inn before hitting up Savannah, Maryville, Albany and Plattsburg.

If he unseats Gov. Matt Blunt in the 2008 election, he pledged to restore Medicaid eligibility. He stood in the hometown of the two Republican legislators who handled the governor’s MO HealthNet program - Sen. Charlie Shields and Rep. Dr. Rob Schaaf - and called it a "Band-Aid approach" to health care.

He criticized the governor’s Lewis and Clark Discovery Initiative, which will bring $54.4 million to universities in Northwest Missouri through the sale of student loan assets. Mr. Nixon told the News-Press he didn’t fault local St. Joseph Democratic representatives Martin Rucker and Ed Wildberger’s open support of the initiative. But he said the asset sale, currently being challenged in court, was the "wrong trade" for students, arguing the money should be used to make college more affordable, not for capital improvements.

"Welcome to the world, you get to start behind," he said of recent college graduates, who begin their careers deep in debt.

Like other Democrats, Mr. Nixon opposed the special session Mr. Blunt called. The session, which is aimed at addressing legislation on economic development and bridges, starts Monday. He said it would’ve been less wasteful for legislators to deal with those issues during the September veto session.

While in St. Joseph, Mr. Nixon also responded to a recent request from Mr. Shields.

Earlier this week, Mr. Shields had called on Mr. Nixon to launch an investigation into the Judicial Appellate Commission’s compliance with the Missouri Sunshine Law. A three-member panel allegedly met in secret in July to interview candidates to fill a Supreme Court vacancy.

Mr. Nixon told the News-Press that he didn’t believe the situation warranted an investigation, claiming that the facts already were evident. He said he believed the process in place for selecting judges has worked for decades, but recently has become controversial because of political interests.

He did, however, say he’d be willing to work with Mr. Shields to make sure the process is as open as possible.

Source: St. Joseph News-Press

Statewide Democratic Candidates Attend Event at Lake Show-Me

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700

A picnic and rally held at Lake Show-Me in Scotland County, Missouri drew the top tier of statewide candidates plus other officials and over 110 enthusiastic Democrats from across northeast Missouri.

Missouri 18th District Senator Wes Shoemyer introduced the speakers including Missouri Attorney General and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jeremiah “Jay” Nixon.

“We will, none of us, concede one square inch of this state and will campaign in all 114 counties until next November,” Nixon told the crowd. “Every citizen in this state is equally important and rural Missouri has been neglected too long. You now have an outstanding Senator in Wes Shoemyer and we need to continue the progress for a truly representative government and a better Missouri.”

Nixon, a native of DeSoto entered government in 1986 when he was elected by the people of Jefferson County as a state senator. The graduate of the University of Missouri Law School was elected as Missouri Attorney General in 1992. He is currently in his fourth term as the state’s chief law enforcer.

Nixon’s campaign is highlighting access to health care, pointing to state health care cuts in 2005 that effected 700,000 Missourians, including 121,000 children, which the campaign blames on republican Governor Matt Blunt.

“As Governor, Jay will make it a priority to fix our broken health care system so Missourians can live longer, healthier lives and so that our state can lead the nation in medical research,” the campaign states.

Other featured guests at the Lake Show-Me rally included Representative Sam Page of St. Louis County, Representative Jeff Harris, Senator Chuck Graham of Columbia, and Representative Tom Shively of Shelbina.

Page, a physician in Creve Coeur, is serving his third term in the Missouri House, representing St. Louis County. He is seeking the office of Missouri Lieutenant Governor. Page hails from Van Buren.

Harris, the Minority leader in the House, has served Columbia as a state representative since 2002. Prior to that he served as an assistant Missouri Attorney General. He is seeking the office of Missouri Attorney General.

All spoke about their understanding the difference between running for office and governing for all the people when elected, along with speaking at length about the importance of health care and education in this state.

The August 4th rally was sponsored by the NEMO Democratic Committee, a consortium of Democrats from around the 1st Legislative District.

Source: Memphis Democrat

Inappropriate interference from Missouri governor's office

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Editorial , Kansas City Star

Gov. Matt Blunt should not let his staff drag the Missouri Highway Patrol into next year's re-election campaign. Unfortunately, that appears to be the way things are headed.

The Star reported this week that Blunt's staff was heavily involved in writing an early June news release sent out by the patrol regarding its investigation into the Taum Sauk Reservoir collapse that badly damaged Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park.

In e-mails, Rich Chrismer, the governor's communications deputy, told Mark James, director of the Department of Public Safety, that the patrol should issue the statement and not answer any questions about it. James is an appointee of the governor and his agency oversees the Highway Patrol.

"They know to let the statement speak for itself, correct?" Chrismer wrote. That's just incredible. The governor's office has no business ordering a law enforcement agency to keep information from the public.

Full Text

Kansas, Missouri diverge in jobs reports

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Kansas had one of the nation’s largest month-to-month percentage increases in employment, 0.6 percent, in June, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said today.

That gain represented a monthly gain of about 7,700 establishment jobs. Missouri, on the other hand, had one of the largest employment decreases, losing about 6,600 establishment jobs, a 0.2 percent decline, since May, the bureau said.

Source: Kansas City Star

Nixon Warns of Scam Using Bogus State of Missouri Checks

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Lake Expo Online

Attorney General Jay Nixon wants consumers to be on the lookout for strangers sending them checks in the mail that appear to come from the State of Missouri. Nixon says numerous consumers from across the country have attempted to cash checks sent to them, apparently drawn on the accounts of various state agencies.

In what Nixon calls a typical overpayment scam, a con artist mails a check to a consumer, then asks the consumer to cash the check and wire some of the money to back to the con artist. The mailing supposedly comes from an international businessman who says he's having trouble cashing U.S. checks. Consumers say many of the checks are written supposedly on the account of the Missouri Division of Medical Services, and they arrive via UPS from Canada.
Consumers who fall for the scam will wire money to the con artist, only to find that the check supposedly from the State of Missouri has bounced.

"Consumers need to be extremely suspicious of any stranger who approaches them with a business proposition," Nixon said. "Even more of a red flag is any proposal from a stranger that involves cashing a check or wiring money. Wire transfer is one of the most popular methods of payment among con artists."

Complete Text

Nixon fines more area businesses for price-gouging

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Springfield Business Journal

Five southwest Missouri businesses that sold hotel rooms and fuel after January’s ice storm have been ordered to pay a total of $29,931 to settle allegations of price gouging.

The settlements are with Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon, who has been investigating the more than 400 complaints of price-gouging filed with his office during and after the storm. The state prohibits charging excessive prices for necessities in disaster areas.

Nixon in May ordered seven other businesses to pay to settle price-gouging allegations. The latest settlements are with the following businesses:

The Springfield Inn, 2355 N. Glenstone Ave., which will pay $7,900 in restitution, $1,000 to the Merchandising Practices Revolving Fund and a civil penalty of $1,100 to settle allegations that it substantially raised room prices after the storm

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Missouri governor's staff pressed Highway Patrol to criticize state attorney general

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700

By TIM HOOVER

JEFFERSON CITY | Gov. Matt Blunt's staff last month pressed the Missouri Highway Patrol to issue a public statement criticizing Attorney General Jay Nixon, Blunt's likely Democratic challenger in 2008.

E-mails obtained by The Kansas City Star through an open records request detail how deeply Blunt's office was involved in crafting a June 7 patrol statement that bolstered Republican criticism of Nixon for deciding not to file criminal charges in the December 2005 Taum Sauk reservoir collapse, which sent more than a billion gallons of water roaring down a Reynolds County mountainside, heavily damaging Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park and injuring the park superintendent and his family.

The patrol's statement contradicted the agency's own investigative report that said there were no criminal suspects in the case as well as previous public statements by patrol spokesmen.

Democrats said the correspondence between Highway Patrol officials and the governor's office proves Blunt's administration is politicizing a state agency.

"The e-mails show the governor used the Highway Patrol not as a law enforcement agency but as a political arm of his administration," said Jack Cardetti, spokesman for the Missouri Democratic Party.

Ed Martin, Blunt's chief of staff, denied that the administration's involvement was for political gain. He said Blunt's office merely assisted the patrol, which is under the Department of Public Safety.

"I am very comfortable that what we were trying to do was help the Department of Public Safety articulate a concern they had," Martin said. "Did we encourage them? Sure, but I don't think we stepped over any bounds."

Blunt said Wednesday in Kansas City that his staff's encouragement of top Highway Patrol officials to issue a statement critical of Nixon was not meant as an attack. It was intended to clarify that Nixon made the decision not to seek criminal charges in the case, and it was his job to drive the investigation, he said.

When Nixon stated that no criminal charges would be filed based on the patrol's investigation, some members of the patrol felt Nixon was blaming them for failing to find a culprit, Blunt said. However, e-mails show that the governor's staff intervened only after two patrol spokesmen agreed with Nixon's statement.

Highway Patrol officials, through a spokesman, declined comment on the e-mails.

Mark James, director of the Department of Public Safety, denied the patrol had been used for political purposes.

"No one over there (in Blunt's office) dictates anything to me," James said.

In January 2006, the patrol began a criminal investigation into the collapse at the hydroelectric plant, operated by St. Louis-based AmerenUE.

Throughout the investigation, Martin, other Blunt administration officials and the Missouri Republican Party repeatedly had attacked Nixon because his campaign had accepted $19,000 in indirect contributions from Ameren in 2006 as the investigation was under way. Nixon returned the money, but Martin and other critics have maintained the attorney general was compromised as a prosecutor.

Blunt has taken money from Ameren executives and employees in the past. But in February this year, he said he had not done so during settlement negotiations stemming from the collapse.

Nixon spokesman Scott Holste did not respond directly to the accusation that his boss was compromised as a prosecutor.

Holste said, though, "The attorney general reviewed and accepted the conclusion of the Highway Patrol's 16-month investigation. The patrol has publicly stated no crime has occurred. Our attention is now focused on making certain Ameren pays the state and other injured parties through our civil lawsuit."

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission already has fined Ameren $15 million, and according to The Associated Press, criminal investigators for the Environmental Protection Agency are looking into the collapse.

Report: No suspects

This April, the patrol released its 2,000-page investigative report. "There is no suspect in this investigation, at this point in time," the report said.

The report said that water-level sensors on the reservoir wall did not shut down pumps because the sensors had been moved higher so they wouldn't be tripped as often, allowing power production to continue. Ameren employees and contractors could not recall who, in December 2004 -- a year before the collapse -- had adjusted the sensors, according to the report.

The report did identify two employees who removed the sensors shortly after the 2005 collapse, which Ameren officials said was done to find out why the sensors didn't work. Department of Natural Resources dam inspectors found the probes a week later in a pile of material at the plant powerhouse, a DNR official said.

On May 18 this year, Nixon announced he would not file criminal charges in the case, citing the Highway Patrol report that found no evidence of a crime. Prosecutors decide whether to file criminal charges based on the findings of investigators.

Nixon noted, however, that he would pursue civil penalties against Ameren, saying "it is clear that Ameren repeatedly put profit over safety." Then, in a June 4 Associated Press story, Sgt. Jason Clark, a patrol spokesman, was quoted as saying, "If we thought there was a crime out there that had been committed, we certainly would not have ended our investigation." In another AP story the next day, Capt. Tim Hull, also a Highway Patrol spokesman, said the patrol found no evidence of criminal wrongdoing.

Over the next few days, e-mail exchanges made it clear that Blunt administration officials were not happy with the patrol's public statements and wanted to emphasize Nixon's decision not to prosecute.

The e-mails were sent to or came from the following parties: James, Blunt's public safety director; Rich Chrismer, Blunt's top spokesman; Col. James Keathley, Highway Patrol superintendent; Lt. Col. Richard Coffey, the patrol's assistant superintendent; Capt. Bret Johnson, Keathley's chief of staff; and Hull, the patrol spokesman. Martin, Blunt's chief of staff, was copied on some of the e-mails. A chronology:

June 5
8:35 a.m.: James forwards one of the AP stories to Coffey. James also informs Coffey that Henry Herschel, Blunt's legal counsel and the liaison to the department, wants to talk about the Taum Sauk case.
5:32 p.m.: Chrismer e-mails Hull wanting to talk about the story in which Hull said the patrol found no criminal wrongdoing.
June 6
11:11 a.m.: James sends an e-mail to Coffey that shows growing dissatisfaction in Blunt's office with how the patrol has dealt with the Taum Sauk case. He says Martin wants to "meet with us today to chew on us for not getting the thing done to their expectation…" and "Chrismer got backdoor intel that patrol was soft on the message."
11: 16 a.m.: In a reply, Coffey says Hull "apologized profusely if there had been any negative inference about our reports…"
11:22 a.m.: James responds: "I think the statement they want to establish is, ‘It's his (Nixon's) patrol's.' job to decide whether to prosecute and not the "
4:05 p.m.: Chrismer sends Hull another e-mail containing a snippet of the AP story in which Nixon's office said the attorney general would not file criminal charges against Ameren because "the patrol's report did not identify any suspects in the case."
June 7
10:11 a.m.: Chrismer e-mails James a draft of a statement attributed to Keathley, who is in Colorado at the time.
"Below is the draft everyone agreed to last night," Chrismer writes. "We need it to go out this morning.…Also, the patrol should let the statement stand for itself."
10:54 a.m.: James forwards the draft to Coffey and Keathley, saying, "Can you live with this? … I know it's a bit strong, but I don't think we will get them to change it much if any."
11:18 a.m.: James e-mails Keathley and Coffey: "They are breathing down my neck for you to get this out before noon. Can you live with this statement?"
11:58 a.m.: Capt. Bret Johnson, Keathley's chief of staff, forwards a few changes to Chrismer, who replies that it "looks good."
12:08 p.m.: Chrismer e-mails James: "They know to let the statement speak for itself, correct?"
12:17 p.m.: James forwards Chrismer's message to patrol staff and adds: "Everybody cool on the final orders, right? Hit the send button and take the phone off the hook."

Buttressing GOP message

The statement the patrol ultimately released on June 7 appears to reinforce a Republican press release issued the same day arguing that Nixon should use his subpoena power to determine "the identity of the Ameren employee, and potential suspect, who removed critical evidence from the scene of a disaster."

Keathley said in the statement, "Let me be clear to those who have been critical of the Highway Patrol for not identifying the unknown individual who moved water-level security probes before investigators arrived on the scene. We sought this person's identity, but could not compel cooperation.

"In point of fact, the patrol does not have subpoena power. Our responsibility in this is to conduct a thorough investigation and provide this information to the criminal prosecutor in the case who makes the decision to pursue charges."

In fact, Nixon's office had issued a subpoena in the one instance in which patrol investigators requested it.

Both Keathley's statement and the Republican press release seemed to be confused about the details of the Highway Patrol report. While investigators could not determine who adjusted the water-level sensors in 2004, they knew which two employees removed the probes after the collapse.

And Keathley's statement contained a curious assertion -- that there was "a list of suspects" in the Highway Patrol report from which the Public Service Commission could compel testimony to aid in determining whether criminal charges were warranted. The commission's Republican chairman had announced that utility regulators would reopen their own investigation of the reservoir collapse based on news reports -- later corrected -- that said "unknown" Ameren employees had removed the water level sensors after the collapse.

On June 7, Ameren, frustrated by the new investigation and accusations, released a statement pointing out that the company in 2006 provided the names of the employees who moved the water level sensors after the collapse. As in previous statements, the company denied there was any criminal tampering with evidence and said Highway Patrol officials previously had agreed that Ameren had cooperated fully.

On June 8, James e-mailed Johnson, Keathley and Coffey, expressing concern about publicity in the case.

"This case is only going to get more perilous in the media," James said. "The patrol must NOT make any more comments to the media on this case!!!!

"I want to get the patrol out of this limelight ASAP and let the PSC take center stage. I MEAN it!! No conversations with the media on this. I won't be able to protect you from the wrath if you do!!"

When a Star reporter called a few days later to ask about inconsistencies between Keathley's statement and the patrol's report, a patrol spokesman said "the statement speaks for itself."

In an interview, James said the patrol's statement was a collaborative effort with the governor's office.

"Some of the guys at the patrol participated in that," James said. "Certainly, I was looking at it and reviewing it. I'm sure at one point I asked Rich Chrismer to take a look at it."

James, though, said he couldn't say who wrote the bulk of the statement.

Chrismer downplayed his role, saying James asked for his help and the idea for the statement originated with the Department of Public Safety.

"I assisted with the draft, but ultimately it was a news release that the Highway Patrol dictated," Chrismer said, adding he didn't write more than "a sentence or two" of the release.

His involvement in writing a release for an agency under the governor is nothing out of the ordinary, Chrismer said. And there was nothing inappropriate about telling patrol spokesmen they shouldn't comment on the release after it went out, Chrismer said.

"I thought it was a very clear statement and that it speaks for itself," he said, saying his e-mail comments were a suggestion to the patrol, not a directive.

As for e-mail comments by James to patrol officials that "they are breathing down my neck," James said he was referring to his own public relations staff, not the governor's office. And James said he was referring to the news media when he told patrol officials they would face "the wrath" if they didn't stop commenting publicly on the Taum Sauk case.

Democrats said explanations about the e-mail exchanges don't wash. It's clear from the context and timing that this was a coordinated political effort by Blunt's office, said Cardetti, the Democratic spokesman.

"The job of the Highway Patrol is to protect and serve, not to further the governor's political agenda," Cardetti said. "The fact that the governor's office is dictating what press releases go out from the patrol and who the patrol can talk to should be alarming to Missouri citizens."

Key players in the Taum Sauk e-mails
Blunt's top staff:
Rich Chrismer: Blunt's top spokesman
Ed Martin: Blunt's chief of staff, who is copied on and referred to in some of the e-mails
Missouri Department of Public Safety, which oversees the Highway Patrol:
Mark James, department director
Missouri Highway Patrol:
Col. James Keathley, patrol superintendent
Lt. Col. Richard Coffey, assistant superintendent
Capt. Bret Johnson, Keathley's chief of staff
Capt. Tim Hull, a patrol spokesman

Source: Kansas City Star

Nixon Campaign Banks More Than $1 Million in 2nd Quarter

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Missourians from All Regions Make 7,716 Contributions to Jay Nixon's
Campaign for Change; $3.5 Million Total Raised

JEFFERSON CITY, MO -- Missourians from all regions have made 7,716 contributions to Attorney General Jay Nixon's campaign for Governor, helping the campaign bank more than $1 million during the second fundraising quarter of 2007. The Nixon for Governor campaign has raised a total of more than $3.5 million, remaining on pace to raise the funds needed to compete with Matt Blunt's special interest money machine in 2008.

"Thousands of Missourians are uniting behind Jay Nixon to change the direction of our state," said Nixon campaign spokesman Oren Shur. "Matt Blunt's policies have directly benefited the big developers and special interest lobbyists, so it's no surprise that they've pumped millions of dollars into his re--election campaign. But all the money in the world won't make the people of Missouri forget that Matt Blunt has slashed their health care, made college less affordable, and sat quietly while good--paying jobs left our state," said Shur.

Nearly 95% of the campaign's donors are Missourians -- representing every region of the state.

After another successful fundraising period, Nixon for Governor will report nearly $2.5 million on hand, more than any challenger in a Missouri gubernatorial campaign at this point. The Nixon campaign also raised more money in the 2nd quarter than any gubernatorial challenger has ever raised at this point in the campaign.

Some additional facts:

In the second quarter of 2003, former Gov. Bob Holden raised $616,056.96 for his reelection campaign -- compared to the more than $1 million raised by Jay Nixon in the second quarter of 2007. At this point in his re--election campaign, Holden raised a total of $2,501,084.48, one million dollars less than Nixon has raised for the 2008 race (more than 3.5 million). Jay Nixon also has significantly more cash--on--hand than incumbent Bob Holden had at this point in the campaign: Nixon has $2,425,686.85, compared to Holden's $2,013,681.73.
In the second quarter of 2003, then gubernatorial challengers Matt Blunt and Claire McCaskill raised $500,579.75 and $200,420.50 respectively, compared to more than $1 million banked by challenger Jay Nixon in the second quarter of 2007.
At this point in the 2004 gubernatorial race, Matt Blunt had raised a total of $858,094.59 and Claire McCaskill raised a total of $272,288.95 -- compared to the more than $3.5 million raised by Jay Nixon in this campaign cycle.
In the second quarter of 2003 reports, Matt Blunt reported $913,668.46 on hand and Claire McCaskill reported $1,038,933.71 on hand respectively. At the same point in the 2008 campaign, Jay Nixon has nearly $2.5 million on hand.

Quarter

Total Raised (Cycle)

CoH

Holden

Jul--03

$616,056.96

$2,501,084.48

$2,013,681.73

Blunt

Jul--03

$500,579.75

$858,094.59

$913,668.46

McCaskill

Jul--03

$200,420.50

$272,288.95

$1,038,933.71

Nixon

Jul--07

$1,005,327.32

$3,591,123.11

$2,425,686.85

Farmers targeted in online hay selling scam

Fri, 06 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Springfield Business Journal

Hay farmers are the targets of a new Internet scam, according to Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon.

Nixon says con artists are contacting businesses registered on the Missouri Department of Agriculture’s Hay Directory Web site, found at www.mda.mo.gov, where farmers register to advertise and sell their hay.

In this case, the hay seller receives an e-mail from someone claiming to be a hay buyer. The seller then receives a large check and is asked to wire money to a hauler, who will supposedly come and pick up the bales of hay. The seller finds out days later that the original check has bounced.

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HealthNet not ready to roll

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700

NewsLeader

Gov. Matt Blunt's choice of a southside Springfield Jiffy Lube as the location where he signed his MO HealthNet plan into law this week says a lot about the changes to the state's Medicaid system.

Blunt wants voters to concentrate on the technical reasons for choosing an oil change shop for a health care announcement. The new law the governor praises indeed puts some money toward improving the process by which patient records are accessed, so that like at Jiffy Lube and numerous other businesses, consumers can have quick access to their important personal information, rather than constantly having to fill out the same forms over and over again.

The governor is right: Moving toward such a system is one of the best parts of the MO HealthNet legislation.

And what's the worst part?

The fact that even with money available in the budget, the governor and lawmakers chose not to reinstate the thousands of working poor Missourians who were cut from the Medicaid rolls in 2005.

Click Here to Read Full Article

No Health Net

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700

St. Louis American

No surprises here, but this week Gov. Matt Blunt signed MO HealthNet (aka SB 577, or No Health Net) into law and was promptly pounced upon by Democrats and public health advocates for "making his Medicaid cuts of 2005 permanent, officially completing his broken promise not to cut Medicaid." More than 700,000 Missourians, including 121,000 children, are without health care, and those who still have it are paying higher co-pays and premiums. We will hear much more about this legislation from both sides as the Blunt vs. Jay Nixon race heats up.

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HealthNet legislation leaves community advocates cold

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Maria Ines Zamudio

Springfield News-Leader

Patty Goss wants to be independent.

After all, she was born on the Fourth of July.

Goss and other community advocates held a news conference Monday to express disappointment with legislation signed earlier in the day by Gov. Matt Blunt to enact MO HealthNet.

Senate Bill 577, or MO HealthNet, made 2005 budget cuts to Medicaid permanent. The new law lessens medical assistance for workers with disabilities and reduces coverage for physical therapy, except for pregnant women, children, the blind and some people with other special circumstances, said Shelby Butler, policy advocate for the Southwest Center for Independent Living.

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Not Happy about HealthNet

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700

KOMU- Columbia

COLUMBIA - Governor blunt signed off on a new plan for low-income healthcare in Missouri Monday.

The new MO Healthnet program replaces Medicaid, which Blunt overhauled within months of taking office in 2005.

Not everyone thinks the new plan is what the doctor ordered.

KOMU reporters spent the day with several uninsured, low-income mid-Missourians Wednesday in Columbia.

Many of them lost thousands of dollars in healthcare coverage after Blunt's medicaid cuts two years ago.

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Blunt Makes Devastating Health Care Cuts Permanent, Takes Missouri Further in Wrong Direction

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700

July 2, 2007

JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Today Gov. Matt Blunt signed legislation to end Medicaid in Missouri and make his devastating health care cuts of two years ago permanent. After the Governor signed the bill into law, Attorney General Jay Nixon released the following statement:

"Two years ago, Gov. Blunt moved our state in the wrong direction when he slashed the health care of more than 400,000 Missourians, including 55,000 children. Missourians who were fortunate enough to still have health insurance saw their premiums and co-pays skyrocket as a result. Today, the Governor compounded the mistake he made two years ago by making those devastating health care cuts permanent.

"In addition to slashing health care from hundreds of thousands of citizens, Gov. Blunt has also turned down more than $1 billion federal dollars which would have directly helped Missourians in need of care. At a time when so many Missourians lack affordable, quality health care, our taxpayer dollars should not be going to other states to insure their citizens. We need that money right here in Missouri.

"The most disturbing part of this crisis is that we have the money available to restore coverage to the Missourians affected by the cuts. Gov. Blunt just has the wrong priorities."

Some news coverage of the signing:

Developer pleads guilty to not paying taxes for workers

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Kansas City Business Journal

A Leawood developer pleaded guilty Tuesday to 14 criminal charges for failing to deduct and pay employment taxes for illegal aliens used for construction labor on luxury condominiums at the Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon said Tuesday.

Michael Schlup could face concurrent five-year sentences for each of the 14 counts, as well as $140,000 in fines and $24,873 in costs, when he is sentenced Oct. 17, Nixon said in a release.

Under terms of the plea agreement, Schlup's prison term may be suspended if Schlup pays all federal and state taxes and penalties before the sentencing date, but he will no longer be allowed to do business in Missouri once his current projects are finished.

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Nixon, colleges agree on loan code

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Columbia Daily Tribune

Schools to avoid revenue-sharing deals

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) - Eleven public and private colleges in Missouri have agreed to a code of conduct regarding student loans, Attorney General Jay Nixon said yesterday.

Nixon reached a similar agreement in April with Washington University in St. Louis and says more schools could follow. The University of Missouri's four-campus system has not signed on yet, but his office said it's working with all schools around the state.

The agreements come after a national look led by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo into loan arrangements that he says favored banks and schools over students.

The idea of the code is to protect students from kickbacks lenders pay to colleges in exchange for steering students their way.

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Nixon sues Illinois firm to stop fraudulent debt collection

Thu, 07 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700

bizjournals.com

Attorney General Jay Nixon filed a lawsuit against IFC Credit Corp., alleging that the Illinois company is trying to collect more than $1 million in fraudulent debt from at least 40 Missouri small businesses and nonprofits.

In a release Thursday, Nixon said that IFC Credit, based in Morton Grove, Ill., was trying to collect the fraudulent debt through a telecommunications scam. The suit seeks to stop those collection efforts, to cancel any debt falsely claimed, and to require the company to pay back any Missourians defrauded by its actions, according to the release. The suit was filed Wednesday in St. Louis County Circuit Court.

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Nixon denounces Blunt's higher ed plan

Wed, 23 May 2007 00:00:00 -0700

David A. Lieb
Associated Press

Attorney General Jay Nixon denounced Gov. Matt Blunt’s prized higher education legislation as a raid on the state’s student loan authority that will make it more difficult Missourians to afford college.

Nixon’s criticism Tuesday came as Blunt prepared to kick off a three-day state tour in St. Louis on Wednesday promoting enactment of the bill, which will use $350 million from the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority to finance dozens of college building projects.

The legislation also imposes limits on university tuition increases and combines the state’s two primary financial-need scholarships into a new program that would serve thousands of additional students.

The college construction plan could be a hot topic in next year’s gubernatorial election, which is expected to pit Nixon against Blunt.

Although he sent the Republican governor a letter on official attorney general stationary criticizing the plan, Nixon organized a conference call from his Democratic gubernatorial campaign office to further denounce the plan.

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Nixon wants Blunt to veto MOHELA bill

Tue, 22 May 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Columbia Tribune

Attorney General Jay Nixon today urged Gov. Matt Blunt to veto a higher education package that authorizes the use of sold assets from the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority to build capital improvement projects.

“By signing Senate Bill 389, you will be taking our state in the wrong direction," Nixon wrote in his letter to Blunt. "I urge you to veto this bill, and to work to provide our higher education institutions with the needed funds for deferred maintenance from sources other than our students and their parents.”

Nixon - a Democrat who is running for governor next year - has been critical of the governor's proposal for months. But given Blunt’s previous statements regarding the MOHELA bill, it is supremely unlikely that Nixon’s desire will come to pass.

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Nixon, Blunt clash on MoHELA

Tue, 22 May 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Tim Hoover
The Star

JEFFERSON CITY | Attorney General Jay Nixon on Tuesday called on Gov. Matt Blunt to veto a bill that would authorize using student-loan proceeds to finance a building boom on Missouri’s college campuses.

Signing the bill “will do serious and lasting damage to the ability of Missourians to access low-cost student loans,” Nixon wrote in a letter. The project list, he said, “consists largely of ‘deferred maintenance’ and down payments on construction projects for which there are no final plans or full financing.”

Blunt plans a fly-around tour of the state to sign the bill, starting today in St. Louis. Jessica Robinson, a spokeswoman for the governor, confirmed that Kansas City was not one of the cities Blunt would visit, though he will go to St. Joseph later today.

The bill would authorize the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority to pay $350 million over six years to the state, most of which would go to buildings at public colleges and universities. In exchange, the loan agency would get a 15-year pledge of tax-exempt bonding power, which it could use to finance more student loans.

The University of Missouri-Kansas City would receive $3.4 million to buy equipment for its dental school, but it failed to get $15 million to finish the pharmacy and nursing building on its Hospital Hill campus.

Republicans cut the Kansas City project and projects in Columbia after Sen. Jolie Justus of Kansas City and Sen. Chuck Graham of Columbia tried to filibuster the bill. The Democrats said they thought that using student-loan proceeds to finance university building projects was bad public policy.

In his letter, Nixon said, “Every penny MoHELA has is from students, and every penny should be used to benefit students in the form of low-cost loans.”

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Attorney general: Businesses to pay restitution

Tue, 15 May 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Melissa Dunson
The Joplin Globe

The Days Inn in Joplin will pay $7,373 in restitution to more than 330 customers who were overcharged for hotel rooms during the January 12-14 ice storm that hit Southwest Missouri.

Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon announced Monday that the Joplin Days Inn is one of seven Southwest Missouri businesses, including four hotels, that will pay a total of $92,754 in the latest restitution for price gouging during the winter storm.

The attorney general’s office found that the Days Inn in Joplin was charging $35.99 for a room before the storm and $92.99 during the storm. The Days Inn also will pay $3,000 to the Merchandising Practices Revolving Fund and a civil penalty of $2,500, with the understanding that if the Joplin Days Inn is ever found to engage in price gouging in the future, it will pay an additional $7,500 civil penalty.

Attempts by the Globe to reach Joplin Days Inn officials Monday were not successful.

Missouri price-gouging law prohibits charging excessive prices for necessities in the wake of a natural disaster.

“This sends a clear signal that when retailers take advantage of a situation like this, it is appropriate for the attorney general to get involved,” Nixon said. “Hotel rooms became a necessity when the power went out. It wasn’t an option to sit out in the cold. It’s an unfair trade practice.”

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Nixon to consumers: watch for con artists in home repair season

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Nevada Daily Mail

Jefferson City, Mo. -- Attorney General Jay Nixon says his office already has hundreds of complaints this year about home repair contractors, and he says that number will just keep growing. As spring and summer arrive and more Missourians have work done on their homes, Nixon is urging consumers to watch out for telltale signs of fraud.

"Along with warm weather, flowers, grass and trees coming back, an unfortunate spring tradition is the home repair con artist" Nixon said. "Every year we see criminals going door to door and using other tricks to rip off Missouri consumers."

The Attorney General says consumers this year may have more repairs than usual because of leftover damage from summer, fall and winter storms during the past year.

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Missouri: Nixon criticizes blunt on Medicaid cuts, MOHELA policy

Sat, 21 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Associated Press

ST. LOUIS — Using the state Democratic Party’s annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner as his platform, Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon harshly criticized Gov. Matt Blunt’s decisions to cut Medicaid spending and sell off some college loan assets.

Nixon, who plans to challenge the Republican Blunt next year, said Friday that Blunt was ignoring the problems his decisions were causing for hundreds of Missouri families and prospective college students.

He told the audience of almost 1,000 that he wouldn’t go the typical event’s route of merely poking fun at the GOP, instead saying he wanted “an adult conversation” about what he considered as Blunt’s mistakes “while other states are moving forward.”

He said Blunt and the Republican-controlled Legislature aren’t telling Missourians the full truth when they say the state can’t afford to reinstate health care coverage to the estimated 455,000 people left without insurance after the latest changes in Medicaid — including low-income, elderly and disabled people, as well as 55,000 children.

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Attorney general seeking reform of payday lenders

Sat, 24 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Melissa Dunson
The Joplin Globe

Divorce. Depression. Suicide.

On a daily basis, Mike Cherry, president and chief executive officer of Consumer Credit Counseling Services in Joplin, sees the impact debt has on people. He also is applauding Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon’s call to reform the payday-loan industry.

Cherry says his office helps 3,000 people a month deal with overwhelming debt. In 2006, his staff provided bankruptcy counseling for 10,750 people. More than half owed on at least one payday loan.

But some payday lenders think they’re unfairly characterized as loan sharks and crooks while other lending practices have been ignored.

Connie Bridges, manager of the Payday Money Store in Neosho, says the attorney general needs to take a look at banking and credit-card companies.

“I had a lady in here who was overdrawn by $1.73 and the bank penalized her $25,” Bridges says. “Some of them charge $7 a day on top of that for each day overdrawn. Now you tell me, who’s the crook?”

1,950 percent

Nixon recently sent a letter to the Missouri General Assembly asking legislators to support measures to limit the interest and other fees charged on a loan to about 36 percent, prohibit renewals of loans and clarify that limitations apply to both licensed and unlicensed lenders. The legislation would also give Nixon’s office jurisdiction to issue cease-and-desist orders against violating lenders and allow him to sue for injunctions, restitution, rescission of loan contracts and civil penalties.

Nixon points to a recent report from the Missouri Division of Finance that indicated there are 60 percent more Missouri payday-loan businesses now than four years ago and 870,000 more payday loans have been made. More people are borrowing more money at higher interests rates resulting in nearly 60,000 more defaulted loans.

“Missourians continue to fall into the debt trap set and sprung by payday lenders who promise a quick fix to a financial pinch, but instead inflict greater harm through exorbitant fees and onerous terms,” Nixon writes in a letter to legislators.

John Fougere, spokesman for Nixon, says the attorney general is just asking lawmakers to give Missourians the same protections afforded residents of the eight states surrounding Missouri. None of Missouri’s neighbors allows lenders to renew payday loans, but Missouri permits six renewals, allowing payday lenders to charge up to a 1,950 annual percentage rate. Also, none of the surrounding states allows a higher percentage rate/fee on loans and only Nebraska and Oklahoma allow a greater maximum term, Fougere said. “Our responsibility is to protect Missouri consumers. We just want what our neighboring states have. The other states have strict limits on things like the APR. We want that for Missouri.”

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Nixon sues area business owners for alleged land tax fraud

Fri, 04 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0700

Kansas City Business Journal

Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon is suing five Kansas City-area business owners, alleging that they deceived more than 50 people who had property sold on the steps of the Jackson County Courthouse in land tax sales.

In a release Friday, Nixon said the victims were duped into signing papers that resulted in them receiving pennies on the dollar for the excess proceeds from the sales. The victims, some of whom are elderly or ill, lost at least $375,000 combined, Nixon said.

Nixon filed the lawsuits in Jackson County Circuit Court against:

Edward Pendleton of Kansas City and his business, Kansas City-based Equity Recovery Co.

Gregg Kugler and Ronald Blum, both of Kansas City, and their Kansas City-based business, re Vitalized

Cyrus Contractor of Lenexa and his Lenexa-based business, National Recovery Title and Property Clearing House

Victor Kearns Jr. of Shawnee and his Shawnee-based business, Land Title Services

Nixon is asking the court to stop the defendants and their businesses "from making misrepresentations or failing to tell consumers critical information in order to defraud them in connections with the land tax sales."

"The victims in these cases don't realize what they're signing away," Nixon said in the release. "The defendants have taken advantage of that confusion and purposely don't tell the consumers they may be entitled to the excess proceeds. We're going to court to put a stop to these practices and to recover consumers' money."

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Nixon: home remodeler preyed on military families

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0700

Pulaski County Democrat

Attorney General Jay Nixon is seeking a temporary restraining order against a home remodeler from Lebanon who Nixon says took large deposits for home improvement projects, including one in Waynesville, but didn’t finish the work or refund the money after he canceled the contracts.

Nixon is suing James Jordan, who does business as James Jordan Construction Management Services, Jordan Construction Management Services and James Jordan Residential Remodeling Services, all at 25678 N. Hwy. 5, Lebanon. Jordan, who targeted military families around Fort Leonard Wood through advertising in local newspapers, often required customers to pay at least half the total amount up front as a down payment and then kept pressing for more payments even if he did little or no work, Nixon says.

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Nixon wins order to stop sale of confidential information

Fri, 16 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0700

St. Louis Business Journal

Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon Thursday obtained a court order prohibiting North American Information and its owners from offering to sell the confidential information of cell phone customers in Missouri.

Nixon said in a release that the Joplin, Mo.-based Web business, on a Web site entitled NAInfo.com, violated consumer protection laws by misrepresenting that it was legal for them to obtain, possess and sell the information, which includes personal cell phone records.

North American Information is the fourth such Web site that Nixon has targeted this year. The first three this year were: Locatecell.com, Completeskiptrace.com and Datatraceusa.com.

The assurance of voluntary compliance was signed Thursday by Cole County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Brown.

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Nixon blasts 65 Percent Solution at superintendents' meeting

Thu, 08 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0800

Gary Exelby
Daily Statesman

It wasn't billed as a campaign visit. But the Southeast Missouri School superintendents apparently liked what they heard when Jay Nixon shared his thoughts on education issues at their Wednesday morning meeting at Hickory Log.

Nixon, a declared Democratic candidate for the office of governor, appeared at the meeting by invitation in his capacity as attorney general. Nixon told the superintendents many challenges faced them, including making a persuasive case for increased education spending.

"One of those challenges is convincing an aging public that additional investment for education is a worthwhile investment," he said.

Adding it was important that conversation on education aim at consensus rather than division, Nixon wasted no time in declaring his opposition to a recent proposal introduced by the current holder of that office, Republican Matt Blunt. "That is one reason why this latest proposal, the 65 percent solution, is so disappointing to me," he said, "and, I believe, to most thinking people."

The proposal calls for 65 percent of total spending in a district to be used on classroom instruction, as defined by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). According to data available at the website of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), districts in Stoddard County would have to do little to nothing to achieve the 65 percent spending target. The districts range from a low of 58.33 (Bell City) to a high of 66.25 (Dexter).

The average of the six districts is 62.33 percent.

Nixon said the proposal "does not appear to be a serious plan that will garner any productive conversation or consensus about real issues facing our schools," and called it "a proposal to do just the opposite."

He added the plan was "designed to split the education community" and "insult your job performance." Nixon also said the proposal, which is still just a proposal, would "make it more difficult for you to garner the support from the local community that you need to move forward."

The line generated spontaneous applause.

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