The Missouri Times | March 30, 2021

The Missouri Times

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March 30, 2021

Sen. Dave Schatz

2020 STATESMAN OF THE YEAR

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The Missouri Times

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Scott Faughn, Publisher | scott@themissouritimes.com | @ScottFaughn Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Editor | kaitlyn@themissouritimes.com | @K_Schallhorn Conner Kerrigan, Business Manager | conner@themissouritimes.com | @ConnerKerrigan Cameron Gerber, Reporter | cameron@themissouritimes.com | @CamGWrites Elise Eaker, Reporter | elise@themissouritimes.com | @Elisedanae99

LISTEN UP! Campaigns, cocktails, and the Capitol: The Missouri Times launches Third Read podcast

The Missouri Times editor Kaitlyn Schallhorn and business manager Conner Kerrigan sat down to recap an eventful week in Missouri politics over French 75s on the firstever “Third Read” podcast.

The conversation covered this weeks’ campaign news as Attorney General Eric Schmitt and former Gov. Eric Greitens announced their bids for U.S. Senator Roy Blunt’s seat in 2022.

“It is officially campaign season and we are off to the races,” Schallhorn said. “As of right now, it is the tale of two Erics who are vying for Senator Roy Blunt’s seat. Both of these men are Republicans, both officially announced their campaigns with a Fox News appearance, and both are also really promising to be fighters and touting their connections or defense of former President Donald Trump.”

The pair discussed the announcements this week as well as other possible contenders and

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Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe’s 2024 gubernatorial bid.

The discussion also recapped this week’s action in the legislature where a provision from Sen. Brian Williams banning the use of chokeholds by police officers was perfected as part of another bill. Another measure seeing action this week was the House education savings account (ESA) bill that was heard in a Senate committee this week.

Schallhorn also spoke with national Politico correspondent Gabby Orr about the response to Blunt’s announcement in Washington D.C. “I think a lot of people were surprised because there are so many other vulnerable Republicans who are facing re-election in 2022 that the Senate map to begin with for the Republican Party was already not looking great,” Orr said. “You throw a fairly safe seat into the mix on top of all that and it was kind of a headache that a lot of Republican leaders weren’t expecting.

Listen to the full “Third Read” podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on our website.

Missouri Times Ad 2.pdf 1 1/23/2019 3:41:28 PM

The Missouri Times

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UTILITIES

SPIRE SEEKS TO MITIGATE IMPACT OF COLD SNAP ON CUSTOMER BILLS Cameron Gerber

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ALS IMPACTS FAMILIES.

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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neuromuscular disease that robs a person of their ability to talk, walk, move and eventually breathe. There is no cure.

Because of it’s debalitating and relentless nature, ALS exacts an enormous toll on

Utility companies, including Spire Missouri, are examining ways to dampen the impact of last month’s devastating winter storms on customers’ bills.

Scott Carter, president of Spire Missouri, said ratepayers would see an increase on their bills to compensate for the cold weather event starting in the fall, but the company plans to spread the cost over the next few years rather than increase rates all at once.

“If you’re looking at 15 or 25 percent as an annual number, we spread that out over three years and make it a 5 to 7 percent impact a year, that would be a remarkable outcome,” Carter told The Missouri Times. “We don’t expect this to occur again within the timeframe, and natural gas prices are still low and stable, so it seemed like a reasonable approach to manage the challenges of this winter.”

Spire presented its plan alongside other gas companies at a Public Service Commission (PSC) workshop this week. PSC Chairman Ryan Silvey said the commission hoped for some perspective on the impact and fallout of the extreme weather event.

“We’ve all heard about the unprecedented impact, but it wasn’t just the power sector that was affected by the event; it was the heating sector as well,” Silvey said.

“I think the impact on natural gas utilities and their customers is not yet fully understood so the intent is to open an investigatory docket to allow the commission, customers, and other stakeholders to have a clearer picture of what the cause and impacts of the cold weather event were.”

Winter storms struck the midwest in February, forcing companies to initiate rolling blackouts and leaving parts of the state without power. Spire was

families.

The ALS Association St. Louis Regional Chapter helps families manage the emotional and physical strain brought on by an ALS diagnosis, with free programs and services for patients, caregivers and children.

Learn more at

www.alsa-stl.org.

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among the utility companies advising customers to cut down on energy use during the storm to preserve both the supply and their monthly bills.

“In general, we felt like we were well-positioned for the weather event,” Carter said. “There’s a pretty universal theme that we’re all committed to finding ways to mitigate that impact on our customers; that’s the important thing for us to focus on right now.”

The western part of Spire’s service area is expected to see a 25 percent total increase to recoup the cost of the event, while the eastern section of Missouri is set to see 15 percent. Carter said a recently-built pipeline in St. Louis and the cost of natural gas created the disparity, a lesson the company would take into consideration as it prepares for the future.

“This event showed the value of planning, which really helped,” he said. “Our goal immediately is to make sure we’re looking for ways to lessen the impact on customers and spread it out over time, and we’ll also focus on learning from this and looking for opportunities to reinforce our system and other things we can do to make sure that, if these events occur again, we’re in a good position. That’s our commitment, and we certainly think it’s something we can work through and learn about from this event.”

The commission recently ordered its Regulatory Analysis and Customer Experience departments to compile a report based on the findings of Missouri’s regional transmission organizations (RTOs) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on the preparation and response of Missouri utilities to the event. The report is due April 22 and will be distributed to county commissions and the General Assembly.

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The Missouri Times

L E G I S L AT U R E

Senate leadership still sees path forward on local health department restrictions Cameron Gerber

Though an attempt was shot down last week, Senate leadership still sees a possible future for legislation curbing the power of local officials during health emergencies.

SB 12 from Sen. Bob Onder was meant to lessen the power of local officials in response to the situations like the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing entities to order shutdowns for 15 days within a 180-day period before requiring approval from other legislative bodies, among other restrictions.

The bill was voted down Thursday morning after nearly eight hours of debate on an amendment sunsetting the restrictions after a year, with nine Republicans joining Democrats

in rejecting its perfection.

Despite this setback, Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz said the conversation would likely continue in the upper chamber this session.

“I think there’s going to be opportunities for us to continue that conversation,” Schatz told reporters in a press conference after the overnight debate. “We may not have gotten it done on that bill last night, but I do believe we will drive a point of compromise to the position that we believe gives businesses better protections and also some ability to those elected officials. Those unelected health officials don’t face the same scrutiny as someone that faces an election. … That discussion’s not over.”

One opportunity for further discussion is awaiting a hearing in the Senate. HB 75, sponsored by Rep. Jim Murphy, passed out of the House earlier this month and is assigned

to the Senate Health and Pensions Committee.

Murphy’s bill would impose similar restrictions on shutdown orders, giving the Senate another opportunity to reach a compromise on the issue should it reach the floor.

While Onder’s bill focused on the St. Louis area and included several provisions added through a substitute, Murphy’s bill primarily focuses on the shutdown restrictions. The House version also allows the extension of shutdowns in 10-day increments, while Onder’s language set extensions at 15 days.

The narrow focus of Murphy’s language could be more palatable for lawmakers.

Majority Floor Leader Sen. Caleb Rowden attributed the failure of Onder’s bill to stalled negotiations behind closed doors.

“The Senate is a place of compromise,” Rowden said during the press conference. “I think a compromise could have been had, but both sides were not interested in getting to that

place, so the folks who were against the idea felt like they had enough votes to kill it and they did.”

Minority Floor Leader Sen. John Rizzo agreed the debate would likely surface again, also pointing to a lack of compromise for the death of the bill. He said his party, which held the floor from Wednesday evening to early Thursday morning, was willing to make concessions but negotiations failed to move the bill forward.

“At a certain point in time we do get tired when you’re not moving toward an end goal, and it’s just being volleyed back and forth, especially when you know one side is really making an effort,” Rizzo said. “I don’t think it’s anything that should be put on the bill, so to speak. I do believe we’ll have that debate again and I think a majority of people in that chamber would like to do something about business closures.”

Cameron Gerber

students.

“Adopting a one-size-fits-all policy from the state level has not been the best solution,” she said. “While this debate over school choice continues every year, Missouri students and education results suffer. As an educator and a mother, this breaks my heart and we must do better.”

Senate approves renewable natural gas program ESA bill takes first step in Senate subdivisions from adopting rules that prohibit Cameron Gerber

A Senate bill meant to help Missouri utility companies receive financial help transitioning to renewable natural gas is on its way to the House.

SB 141, sponsored by Sen. Jason Bean, would require Missouri’s Public Service Commission (PSC) to allow gas companies to offer a voluntary renewable natural gas program.

The commission would enact reporting requirements and a process to recover expenses from the program through an automatic rate adjustment clause, with the funds put toward installing and maintaining the equipment needed for the program. Recovery would not begin until the project begins operations.

Bean said the change would allow the PSC to make decisions on clean energy production, help companies offset the cost of the transition, and encourage natural gas production in Missouri.

“We have the unique opportunity to quite literally capture a problematic byproduct and convert it to clean, Missouri-made renewable energy,” Bean said. “Currently the PSC may consider these items, but could not make decisions based on whether the item was a prudent investment. The bill offers the use of waste products for clean energy, renewable natural gas, and a high-grade liquid fertilizer from the byproducts of the process.”

The bill would also restrict political

the connection or reconnection of utilities based on the type of energy or service being delivered to the customer.

Bean’s legislation was perfected earlier this month, with a pair of clarifying amendments connected. Sen. Bill Eigel attempted to attach an amendment that would have exempted St. Louis County from decentralized emissions programs, arguing the language fit the underlying bill as it related to fuel. The amendment was ultimately withdrawn after Bean and other legislators spoke against it on the floor.

Bean pre-filed the legislation in December, telling The Missouri Times it would lower gas costs in the long run while encouraging Missouri to be a fuel producer. Bean, a farmer, said many in the agriculture and natural gas industries had approached him to sponsor the piece.

“I’m a farmer myself, and I understand animal agriculture and some of the problems they have had as costs have increased, so that’s why they looked to me. I knew this had been successful in other states, and anytime you can increase renewable fuel and create jobs, how great is that opportunity?”

Other states, including Oregon and Nevada, have implemented similar policies. Bean said he hoped to see Missouri follow in their footsteps.

After narrowly passing the House last month, a bill seeking to establish an education savings account (ESA) program was heard by a Senate committee last week.

HB 349, sponsored by Rep. Phil Christofanelli, would establish the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program.

The program would allow taxpayers to claim a tax credit of up to 50 percent of their tax liability for contributions to educational assistance programs. The funds would be pooled in ESAs for use on tuition, textbooks, tutoring services, and other costs.

Christofanelli presented the bill before the Senate Education Committee, touting it as a remedy for the state’s education system.

“I think it is agreed across all ideologies and political beliefs that at times Missouri falls behind in its attempts to provide these students with an education that allows them to realize their full potential,” he said. “This bill seeks to fill that void.”

Eight witnesses spoke in favor of the bill before the committee, including several educators and a representative from the American Federation for Children. Sarah Hartinger, a former teacher and parent, said the bill would provide more choice for parents and bolster the performance of Missouri

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While most witnesses and legislators spoke in favor of the program, two people testified in opposition. Keith Rabenberg opposed the bill on behalf of the Missouri School Boards Association, arguing public schools were holding their own.

“People have said public schools are failing, and I think where that comes from is isolated incidents where particular places turn into talking points,” he said. “It’s nonsense; public school districts — mine and probably the ones you all come from — are doing a good job, and oftentimes do an excellent job.”

The bill was perfected in the House last month with a handful of amendments; one tied the program to an increase of the K-12 transportation line item in the state budget to be funded by at least 40 percent, while another would allow eligible schools to continue counting students who leave the school to continue counting them toward its funding considerations for the year.

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L E G I S L AT U R E

The Missouri Times

PLOCHER SPONSORS TAX CREDIT FOR BUSINESSES AFFECTED BY SHUTDOWNS Cameron Gerber

A pair of bills in the Missouri House seek to bolster businesses impacted by shutdowns over the past year through a tax credit.

House Majority Floor Leader Rep. Dean Plocher’s HB 1406 and HB 1407 would authorize a state income tax credit for eligible businesses that faced a shutdown from a political subdivision over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. The amount of the credit would be based on real and personal property tax liability and the number of days exceeding two weeks that the business was

closed during the declared state of emergency and would be capped at $50,000 per year, with excess carrying forward.

Plocher presented the bills before the House Ways and Means Committee last week, touting the credit as a way to offset the impact closures have had on small businesses.

“I think our small businesses have been disproportionately impacted with this pandemic,” Plocher said. “I don’t think the government should be able to force you to shut down while also collecting taxes that you shouldn’t have to pay, and that’s the

commonsense element to this bill.”

Matthew Panik, vice president of governmental affairs for the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, spoke in favor of the legislation during the hearing.

“I think it’s wise to take a look at what businesses should be responsible for if they can’t operate their business,” Panik said. “This is a measured approach. This does not say that counties can’t have a mask mandate or capacity restrictions, but if they do go ahead and shut down a business and don’t let that business operate, there are some consequences.”

Representatives from several organizations, including the Missouri Soybean Association and the Missouri Restaurant Association, also spoke in favor of the credits. No one spoke in opposition.

According to Panik, two-thirds of businesses said they expected an impact on revenue, half experienced temporary layoffs, and more than half expected a decline in revenue of at least 20 percent.

The chamber has also come out in support of another bill from Plocher that would waive business fees during a shutdown.

SENATE PERFECTS EFFORT TO CHANGE KCPD RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS Cameron Gerber

After several hours of debate and compromise, the Missouri Senate perfected a bill altering residency requirements for Kansas City police officers.

In its perfected form, Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer’s SB 53 would prohibit the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners from enacting residency requirements more restrictive than 30 miles outside of the city limit and would require officers to live within the state of Missouri. Luetkemeyer said the change would mimic the St. Louis version passed last year and bolster recruitment for the area.

“The purpose was to boost officer recruitment and retention; SB 53 does

the same for the Kansas City Police Department,” he said. “Whether the city wants to admit it, there’s some recruitment issues going on. We’ve seen a steady decline over the last three years in the number of applicants taking the written entrance exam; there are unfilled positions in the KCPD right now. It’s a tough time to be a law enforcement officer.”

Luetkemeyer’s substitute made a bevy of changes to law enforcement beyond the city, increasing the crime of doxxing a police officer to a Class E felony and including language from Sen. Brian Williams prohibiting the use of chokeholds by law enforcement.

Provisions added on the floor included an amendment allowing sheriffs to

receive up to $50 for serving or otherwise enforcing an eviction. Another from Sen. Karla May would create the Critical Incident Stress Management Program to provide trauma and stress management services for officers.

While the original limit on the requirement was set at 60 miles from the city limit, Sen. Barbara Washington, who represents part of Kansas City, championed an amendment setting the requirement at 25 miles from the board of commissioners’ headquarters. Washington said keeping officers close to the area encouraged economic development and improved community relations.

“With community residency, we have people that are involved in the community,”

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she said. “We have police officers that don’t just walk the streets and learn people — they involve themselves, they learn about the culture and the character of the people they are sworn to protect.”

After two hours on the amendment, Luetkemeyer came forward with a compromise setting the boundary at 30 miles from the city limits within the state.

The bill was swiftly perfected after the amendment’s adoption.

A similar bill was signed into law as part of last summer’s extraordinary session on violent crime, eliminating residency requirements for law enforcement and other public safety personnel in St. Louis.

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ERIC VS. ERIC: GREITENS AND SCHMITT JUMP INTO US SENATE RACE The Missouri Times

C A M PA I G N S

Kaitlyn Schallhorn

Attorney General Eric Schmitt Former Gov. Eric Greitens

After weeks of speculation, Attorney General Eric Schmitt officially jumped into the U.S. Senate race on March 24 to replace Senator Roy Blunt.

Schmitt has deftly risen through the ranks of Missouri politics, from alderman to state senator to state treasurer. After Josh Hawley was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2018, Gov. Mike Parson appointed him attorney general. Schmitt handily defeated his Democratic opponent in November to remain in office. The Missouri Times reported earlier this month that he was expected to join the fray of those running for Blunt’s seat.

In announcing his candidacy on Fox News, Schmitt touted his efforts in office to defend former President Donald Trump’s policies during the fledgling Biden administration.

“I am fighting every day to protect and defend our constitution in my service to Missourians as their attorney general. I fought alongside President Trump in defending election integrity, championing pro-growth economic policy, protecting our energy independence, and standing up to radical prosecutors who have allowed violent crime to rule our cities instead of upholding the rule of law,” Schmitt said in a statement. “As attorney general, I’ve already sued the Biden administration and I’m going to keep suing Joe Biden to protect all Missourians when necessary. I’ve been holding the Biden administration and the Democrats accountable on important issues like border security, the Second Amendment, and regulations that cripple our economy.

“In the U.S. Senate, I will continue the fight to preserve the conservative policies championed by President Trump that built the strongest economy in American history,” he said.

During his tenure in the General Assembly, Schmitt is known for, perhaps more than anything, championing SB 5 which lowered just how much money the state could generate from traffic tickets and other violations. The bill came in response to the events of Ferguson.

Schmitt’s catalyst for his role in public service, especially

as the state’s attorney general, is his son. Stephen was born in 2004 with a rare genetic condition — tuberous sclerosis — which causes tumors to develop on a person’s organs.

For Stephen, tumors have grown on multiple organs, including his kidneys, heart, and brain. It’s the latter of those that manifested the most challenges for Stephen, including seizures and epilepsy.

Schmitt, a lawyer, first entered public policy as the alderman for Glendale (about 10 miles west of St. Louis).

He then successfully ran for state Senate in what was then the 15th district, a swing district, and served in the General Assembly for eight years.

Due to term limits, Schmitt couldn’t run for the Senate again so he set his sights on a statewide office, winning the election for state treasurer in 2016. With the resignation of former Gov. Eric Greitens in 2018, shaking up Missouri’s executive branch, Schmitt was appointed the state’s chief legal officer.

As attorney general, Schmitt has also touted his office’s push to test the thousands of untested rape kits in the state to “honor the courage” of victims who have reported heinous crimes. Aside from testing them, his office is establishing a protocol for how to handle the kits.

Schmitt joined 11 other state attorneys general in a suit against the Biden administration earlier this month, fighting an executive order enacted by the new president.

He also recently joined 20 other state attorneys general on a suit against the Biden administration for the revocation of the Keystone XL Pipeline on March 17. The suit argued the administration did not have the authority to cancel the permit under the U.S. Constitution and violated the separation of powers by making a move relegated to Congress.

And he led 18 states in a letter asking the president to reverse the cancellation of Operation Talon, an ICE initiative focused on removing illegally present sexual offenders from the country in February. The letter argued the program’s cancellation could encourage predators seeking to illegally enter the country and exacerbate human trafficking.

MIKE KEHOE ANNOUNCES 2024 GUBERNATORIAL RUN Instead of making a bid for Roy Blunt’s U.S. Senate seat in 2022, Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe said he will run for governor in 2024.

Kehoe, 59, made the announcement last week.

“I am humbled to know so many Missourians see an even greater leadership role for me in Missouri,” Kehoe said. “I will continue to use my years of job-creating business experience, what I have learned on the farm, in leading for conservative views and values in the state Senate, and now as lieutenant governor to increase opportunity, freedom, and security for all Missourians.”

“I will work to unify the party behind a strong nominee committed to representing Missouri’s conservative, commonsense views and values in the United States Senate,” he continued.

“While Claudia and I have been honored by the encouragement and offers of support for me to serve as Missouri’s next U.S. Senator, my true calling remains to work on behalf of Missourians in Missouri as lieutenant governor and as candidate for governor in 2024.”

It’s official: Former Gov. Eric Greitens is attempting a political comeback by jumping into the 2022 U.S. Senate race to replace outgoing Senator Roy Blunt.

The disgraced former governor has been hosting a television show on “Real America’s Voice” network since last year. He served as Missouri’s chief executive until he stepped down in 2018 amid multiple investigations into sexual misconduct and campaign finance allegations.

“I have been so encouraged by the people of Missouri that I’m happy to announce tonight that I’m running for the U.S. Senate to continue serving the people of Missouri,” Greitens, 46, told Fox News’ Bret Baier on March 22, touting his background as a Navy Seal.

“I was honored to serve the people of Missouri as their governor. We took on the establishment, we killed a politicians’ pay raise, we ended a corrupt tax credit program.”

“The people of Missouri need a fighter in the U.S. Senate,” he continued. “They need somebody who is going to go — as I will, as I am committed to do — to defending President Trump’s ‘American First’ policies and also to protecting the people of Missouri from Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, and Chuck Schumer’s radical leftist agenda.”

Aside from Attorney General Eric Schmitt, U.S. Representatives Billy Long, Jason Smith, and Ann Wagner are considering jumping into the race.

Former state Sen. Scott Sifton and

Blunt, the Republican senior senator, announced he would not run for re-election earlier this month.

Kehoe has served as Missouri’s lieutenant governor since his appointment in June 2018. He handily won his election to the seat in 2020.

Prior to joining the executive branch, Kehoe rose to a leadership position within the state Senate where he represented Cole, Gasconade, Maries, Miller, Moniteau, Morgan, and Osage counties as a Republican. He also chaired a variety of committees, including the Senate Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions, and Ethics Committee, while in the upper chamber.

Born in St. Louis, Kehoe worked his way from car washing to sales management at a dealership growing up. By the time he was 25 years old, he was running Osage Industries in Linn. And in 1992, he started a Ford-Lincoln auto dealership in Jefferson City. Kehoe is also a first-generation farmer, previously telling The Missouri Times he’s responsible for cattle and hay on his farm.

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Marine Lucas Kunce are Democratic candidates.

The Missouri Ethics Commission initially levied a more than $178,000 fine against Greitens last year after finding two campaign finance reporting violations but agreed to a $38,000 settlement. The two violations were failure to report in-kind contributions by the Greitens for Missouri committee.

One stemmed from the LG PAC’s media buy; the other pertained to polling data paid for by A New Missouri.

Despite the reporting violations, Greitens and his legal team insisted the former governor had been “exonerated.”

He repeated that belief on Fox News and other media appearances since he announced his candidacy.

Additionally, a September 2019 report from Auditor Nicole Galloway found Greitens engaged in the same questionable practices of his predecessor, which he had disavowed on the campaign trail, and left taxpayers on the hook for more than $200,000 in legal bills related to the use of an encrypted text messaging service.

Greitens is a native of St. Louis and was a registered Democrat before switching parties to run for governor in 2015. After beating three other Republicans in the primary election, he defeated Chris Koster in the general. But he was Missouri’s governor for less than two years before he resigned while facing a possible impeachment.

The Missouri Times

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The Missouri Times

S T AT E S M A N O F T H E Y E A R

‘The rock on which a strong house is built or the fire that burns it down’

Kaitlyn Schallhorn

Dave Schatz is a competitor.

He’s an avid fisher and hunter, has coached virtually every sport imaginable for his children, and has an almost unparalleled affinity for golf. Schatz loves to win — and he brings that same drive to the statehouse.

Schatz has risen in the Capitol from a state representative to president pro tem of the Missouri Senate. Because of his dedication to Missouri’s infrastructure, skillful setting of the session’s policy agenda, and ardent allegiance to principle, The Missouri Times has named Schatz its 2020 Statesman of the Year.

“We have been fortunate to honor then-Sen. Kehoe, Gov. Mike Parson, and Caleb Jones for their contributions to the state that we all love. The winner of this year’s Statesman of the Year was obvious last year when the whole state got to see Sen. Schatz put the state before himself, before partisanship, before personal advancement and complete the state’s obligation to fund the Rocheport Bridge,” The Missouri Times publisher Scott Faughn said. “A year from now, when the construction of the bridge is fully underway, no one will think about what Schatz did on the floor, all of the countless conversations and dealmaking and time spent away from this business and family. However, anytime anyone drives through the middle of the state, they will benefit from the service he did. That’s why we are proud and honored to name Sen. Schatz as the 2020 Statesman of the Year.”

“Sen. Schatz has been a great ally of our administration, working closely with us on major issues such as transportation and infrastructure,” Gov. Mike Parson said. “Last year, he guided the Senate

through one of the most challenging times for our state and nation. He has proven himself a strong lawmaker, leader, and public servant, and I can think of no one more deserving of this honor.”

Schatz, 57, grew up around politics; his father ran for political office and was involved in the central committee. But Schatz’s involvement really came because of a sermon given by a pastor in Texas.

“The pastor said, ‘Never complain about what you permit.’ That was always resonating in my mind; if I’m going to complain, I need to be willing to do something about it,” Schatz said.

So Schatz — who at this point had begun to run the family utility contracting company and saw firsthand how politics translated into business — jumped into a fundraising event for a candidate for attorney general.

And then Rep. Charlie Schlottach, a close friend, was terming out of the General Assembly.

Schatz asked, “Who is going to replace Charlie?” It turned out to be him.

In the legislature, Schatz has taken on changes to the Missouri One Call System and workers’ compensation. He’s focused on business issues and increasing access to certain permits. But perhaps his legacy will be solidified in his relentless focus on improving transportation funding.

Schatz deftly maneuvered a bonding package to expedite repair or replacement of hundreds of bridges, including the Rocheport Bridge, in Missouri through the General Assembly in 2019. The package was contingent upon a federal grant the state received just a few months after the legislature approved the proposal.

“Sen. Dave Schatz understands how important transportation infrastructure is to maintaining our state’s greatest competitive advantage: our location,” said U.S. Senator Roy Blunt. “His leadership on the bonding measure for the Rocheport Bridge helped

us make a strong, successful case for federal funding.

This is a perfect example of how important statefederal partnerships are to securing support for critical infrastructure projects. I’m pleased Sen. Schatz is being recognized for his efforts and the lasting impact they will have on Missouri families and our state’s economy.”

Schatz is a master of balance. As president pro tem, Schatz handles any issue thrown his way, from assigning legislation to committees to juggling dozens of senators to reimagining the Senate’s proceedings in the midst of a pandemic.

“It has been a pleasure to work with Sen. Schatz in our Senate leadership roles,” Majority Floor Leader Caleb Rowden said. “People have a general perception of what ‘politicians’ are like. Dave breaks that mold — and in the best way possible. I have also seen Dave’s personality change and soften as he has moved into this leadership role. He recognized the need to adjust to fit his new role and made the adjustment. That’s the sign of a true leader and of a statesman.”

“Sen. Schatz and I began together in the House.

Over the years, I’ve learned that Sen. Schatz can be the rock on which a strong house is built or the fire that burns it down, depending on the issue,” Minority Leader John Rizzo said. “This has made him an effective leader for the Republican Caucus, and I’ve enjoyed working with him — and sometimes against him — in the Missouri Senate.”

Schatz is also the vice-president of his family’s Schatz Underground, Inc., serves as a deacon at his church in Sullivan, entertains his children and grandchildren at the family farm, and sits on a bank board. Schatz stresses the importance of having “good people” on his team — but he also relies on his faith.

“Everyone has a testimony. Mine is somewhat longer than others. The challenges that I faced in my life without being able to rely upon the faith that I have,

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and the reality of knowing that this life is not all there is to it has led me to be able to go through and have a different perspective,” Schatz said. “I don’t check my religion at the door. I’m not going out there and beating people over the head with it, but that really brings me through the process of if I have to evaluate decisions, how does that match up with what I say if I claim that I’m a follower of Jesus Christ.”

“I have done a lot of things. I can tell you a lot of stories, but at the end of the day, the important thing is our faith needs to be evident,” he added. “Hopefully, at some point in time — even though we get in this building and we think the things we’re doing are important — if somebody can’t see through our actions that there is something different about us because of our faith, then we’re not doing it right.”

Rev. G. Scott Perry of Temple Baptist Church said he’s known Schatz since 1991 and has watched him get more involved in the church, from mission trips to leading Bible studies. Perry said Schatz, before making any major political decision, will call him to be “checked from a spiritual point of view and make sure he’s following the right voice.”

“A lot of our relationship has been forged out of some tragic circumstances. His faith is more than just an exterior application of an otherwise indifferent heart. His faith genuinely is lived out in practical terms,” Perry said. “I’m thrilled to have him in a leadership role [in the General Assembly], and he has represented our church extremely well. He’s not only a good man and Godly man, he’s a good husband and father.”

Despite all he’s accomplished and all he’s overcome (including the death of his son when he was just getting started in Missouri politics in 2010), Schatz remains incredibly humble.

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Dave Schatz named 2020 Statesman of the Year Continued from Pg. 8

“When I think of people who are a statesman, I think of people like Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe and [former] Sen. Emery, people that have served selflessly,” Schatz said. “They have given up their time and sacrificed and were not looking for accolades and rewards but doing it out of a servant’s heart and not to see how far they can elevate themselves. … I look at those people and look at people who have done that who have humility as well and there are several people who I consider to be a statesman, and I don’t know if I stand in that category, but I appreciate the consideration.”

“I’m fortunate and blessed to be able to sit in the position that I am right now, and sometimes I just wonder how it occurred that I was a country boy from Franklin County that probably wasn’t an excellent student — didn’t do anything academically to excite anyone, didn’t go to college — that winds up here in the Missouri Senate to serve in this capacity.”

Kehoe praised Schatz for being a “conscientious and effective legislator who leads the Senate by cultivating consensus.”

“As anyone who knows Dave can attest, he is also refreshingly direct,” Kehoe said. “One doesn’t leave a conversation with Dave wondering what his thoughts

are on a particular topic. One of Dave’s greatest attributes is that his life does not revolve around politics. He is, at his core, a Christian, a devoted family man, a small business owner, and an avid outdoorsman who models the founders’ vision for a citizen legislator.”

As he was named the 2020 Statesman of the Year, praise for Schatz came pouring in: Former Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard: “In order to be successful as president of the Senate, you need to be a consensus builder. I believe he does that. Allowing other senators’ priorities to advance ahead of his own is a sign of leadership. The recognition is well deserved.”

2019 Statesman of the Year Caleb Jones: “When it comes to legislation, there is no better person to have on your side than Dave Schatz. Equally important, when you are in a turkey blind, there is no better person you want calling in a tom than Dave Schatz. Dave works to make Missouri better, not because he needs to but because he wants to. He is a true Missourian, and there is no one who works as hard as him to make his state better for his family, friends, and citizens.”

Sen. Lincoln Hough: “When I think of Dave, I think of someone who is very

passionate about three things: his family, his friends, and fishing. I first met Dave while we were both serving in the House, and one of the things that first struck me was his competitiveness. He will compete on about anything — how many fish, how big a fish, how cute the grandkids are (and they are cute), but really anything, he’ll compete on it. These traits of passion and competitiveness are what makes Dave the leader he is, and that’s why he’s deserving of being Statesman of the Year.”

Missouri Limestone Producers Association executive director (and former Schatz chief of staff) Dan Kleinsorge: “Working for Dave was the best experience of my career. Dave always has a story — from a fishing trip in Alaska or a hunting trip out west — and he had innumerable life lessons to share from his business. I learned a ton from Dave, and I’m glad he’s being recognized as a statesman.”

Former state Sen. John Griesheimer: “I have been honored and fortunate to know Dave for many years. He is truly one of the nicest individuals on the face of this earth. He will go down in history as the first top legislative leader from either chamber in the history of Franklin County.

Congratulations, Dave, to you and your wonderful family!”

‘A safe place when other places aren’t’ Life House Youth Center assists students in Sullivan Cameron Gerber For students in Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz’s hometown of Sullivan, the Life House Youth Center is an opportunity to grow in a safe after-school environment.

“We try to meet whatever needs they might have,” Jennifier Massie-Fadler, Life House’s director, said. “We do dinner every night, we do small groups, and we cover lots of different topics, from bullying to addiction and anger. We try to teach them to operate positively. We’re about teaching them and giving them a hand up.”

Operational since 2017, the nonprofit is open to all children in Franklin and Crawford counties between the ages of 10-17 and offers meals, internet access, and activities after school. The center typically averages about 30 students each night and teaches youth about everything from bullying and mental health to changing a tire and managing a checkbook.

Life House offers various programs and opportunities: The Student Leadership Program trains older students to be community leaders and guide younger students, while adults can volunteer for tutoring, teaching life skills, mentoring, and serving on administrative committees.

Massie-Fadler said she felt called to start the center to help the youth in her community achieve success, regardless of their social or economic backgrounds.

“I felt an immense pressure that I needed to be doing something,” she said. “I’m very faith-oriented, and I felt like God was calling me to make some type of change in our community. A lot of people like to point out the negatives

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in their community, but what are you doing to create change? This is kind of my answer to that. I felt God leading me to start with the youth in my own community, so that’s what I did.”

The LHYC Siwak Scholarship Program, administered through the center, is available for high schoolers active in the student volunteer program. Students can put the funds toward tuition, books, groceries, and other essentials. Massie-Fadler said the scholarship was meant to help prepare students for college or other educational endeavors.

The COVID-19 pandemic slightly reduced the number of students coming in, but Massie-Fadler said visitors were beginning to bounce back. The center reopened in June after nearly three months, having been remodeled in the interim to allow for social distancing and minimize small spaces.

She said Schatz has been a donor, toured the facility, and written letters of recommendation. In addition to his time and monetary contributions, the center was the beneficiary of the Senate’s annual charity bowling tournament this year.

Ultimately, she said the center was meant to serve the students in her community and give them the opportunity to thrive no matter what situation they came from.

“Our purpose is to be, first and foremost, a safe place to be when other places aren’t,” she said. “We want to give them the tools they need to break some of those generational cycles, sometimes just by being a positive person that they can depend on, because a lot of them don’t have that. When they realize the only reason we exist is for them, it’s a game-changer for a lot of them.”

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OPINION

School choice will have little to no impact on rural schools

Cindy O’Laughlin

There are many school choice proposals floating around the legislature this year. There’s also more momentum to make small changes to the way we do K-12 education in the state in response to COVID-19. Many public school leaders are worried about how this will impact their bottom line. For many of the proposals, there’s little to no financial impact on rural schools.

However, I always welcome conversations about the costs involved in changes in state government.

Last year, when Missourians were considering Medicaid expansion, the estimated cost was $200 million. Most legislators realized this would most likely impact K-12 education, as it is a big part of the state’s budget and one of the few budget items lawmakers can tinker with to have a significant impact on our state’s budget.

The Medicaid expansion campaign was funded by hospitals and oddly, the NEA (a progressive teacher’s union with relatively little membership in rural areas, but big influence on state politics). Do you know who was silent on the possible $200 million impact on public education? Organizations representing school boards, school

administrators, etc. were all mum. I believe that is because these organizations are beholden to teacher unions and their policies, whether they realize it or not.

Now, these same groups are losing their marbles over a proposal to give tax credits to donors who would fund a scholarship program for kids to flee school districts that are not meeting their needs to go to a different district, charter, private, or home school. One of these proposals costs $25 million, and it would NOT come out of the foundation formula for schools. This is almost 1/10 of the cost of Medicaid Expansion.

I have heard from many school administrators and school board members who oppose legislation to create this scholarship program and other tweaks to education policy that give parents more options. I want them to know that they have been heard and that there are also ways to continue to improve the legislation prior to a vote. For example, lawmakers could carve out rural areas in this scholarship program, since most of these bills are meant to address mostly urban problems. However, simply opposing every single piece of legislation that impacts K-12 education is no longer an option. Parents throughout the state are mad as hell and will no longer be ignored.

However, I think it is important to note the reason behind legislation creating these scholarships and providing more

options for families: • As of writing this report, we still have 60,000 students in Missouri that are not being educated in classrooms.

Columbia Public Schools recently returned to classrooms; the NEA there successfully opposed reopening for almost one year.

• Some schools, mostly in urban areas, are struggling to graduate students that can read or write, creating mostly one career path – criminal activity.

• A few bad actors — superintendents that should have known better — intentionally denied or delayed allowing kids to use virtual education vendors during the pandemic. I don’t think this happened in our area, but there are legislative proposals floating around to address this problem as well.

One-size-fits-all education works for most, particularly in our rural areas, but it doesn’t work for everyone. It seems inhumane to ignore the plight of families living in urban areas that live in districts that are failing them and cannot afford other options.

As always, I appreciate hearing your perspective on this and other issues presented in my weekly column. Please feel free to contact me in Jefferson City at (573) 751-7985. You may also email me at cindy.olaughlin@senate.mo.gov.

State Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin represents SD 18 and chairs the Senate Education Committee.

Senate will take up an important election integrity issue Laura Hausladen, Cynthia Richards, Dave Guest, Phillip Michaels, vote. It does use paper ballots, but machine-marked ones.

Frieda Keough, Paul Hamby Machines called paper ballot marking devices (BMDs) It seems like everybody wants paper ballots these days. record the voter’s choices as they interface with a There’s not a lot of trust right now that electronic election touchscreen (or a Game Boy style controller). The machine fraud can be caught. And if the Pentagon can be hacked, prints out a paper ballot which the voter then puts into the what can’t be? scanner/tabulator. Three states have already gone to using But these realities took years to sink in. In 2005, when these for all of their voters: Georgia, South Carolina, and the great electronic voting experiment began, there were big Arkansas. VerifiedVoting.org is concerned with this growing business interests ready with big contracts for the election nationwide trend which compromises the auditability of authorities. The deals were sweet, and the purchases of the elections. As Princeton’s Andrew Appel said in his 2020 new electronic voting machines were financed largely with paper, “... no audit can ensure that the votes on paper are money from the federal government. What was not to like? the ones expressed by the voter on a touchscreen: Elections But in St Louis County, on the eve of the purchase of conducted on current BMDs cannot be confirmed by audits.” thousands of these touchscreen Direct Record Electronic A University of Michigan study found that 40 percent of (DREs) machines, nearly 100 concerned citizens crowded voters don’t check their ballots at all when they come out of a into the public comment meeting — all but a handful decrying BMD machine. And 93 percent of errors aren’t caught. There the use of technology which put software between them and are ways to reduce this number, but the mother with toddlers their vote and between their vote and the counting of it. After in tow might miss a mistake that was made by calibration or the allotted time for public comment, the chairman of the malware error, and a construction worker on his lunch break Board of Elections closed the meeting, closed the doors, and might not have time to deal with correcting a mistake they immediately signed the contract with ES&S — beginning noted. Just a smattering of votes would need to be flipped in nearly 15 years of contracts for maintenance, programming, a tight race to change the outcome of an election. storage, etc.

This past week, three hand-marked paper ballot bills But what was the rest of the story? Some people-to-people advanced in the Missouri Legislature: HB 842 was voted out connections had been made based on their common passion of committee, HCS HB 738 was sent to the Senate, and SB for truth and fairness. Party labels weren’t important. Making 378 was heard in committee with Missouri’s Secretary of sure that Missouri adhered to the principles of impartiality, State Jay Ashcroft testifying in favor. anonymity of the vote, and open transparency throughout But this week another election bill, SCS SB 282, is likely to the voting and counting process was all that mattered. They reach the Senate floor. Its language would allow paper ballots formed Missouri’s Coalition for Transparent and Secure produced by BMDs to be used by all voters, not just those Elections (MCTSE); their goal was to see the hand-marked needing assistance to mark their ballots. Missouri senators paper ballot become the official ballot for all of Missouri. must not open the door to possible increased use of BMDs. They became known as the “paper ballot” people.

Hand-marked paper ballots are the only software-free record But recently, after a decade together, they have been of a voter’s intention and thus the only reliable record. rebranding themselves as the “HAND-MARKED paper As the Phelps County clerk’s testimony for SB 378 stated, ballot” people.

“People want their vote to count. They want their vote to Why? Because the new electronic voting “flavor of the carry the same weight as the next person’s. That is only decade” still puts computers between the voter and their fair: one person, one vote. With the hand-marked paper

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ballot, there is one person, possessing one hand, holding one marking instrument, over one paper ballot. … They do not have to worry about a computer program or a distant software developer in another state, or even another country who might interfere with their expression at the polls.

Their hand-marked paper ballot is their voice, it is the gold standard of voting.”

It is incumbent on Missouri legislators to be sure that the legislation they vote for will make the hand-marked paper ballot the official Missouri ballot so that Missourians will never again need to worry that there may be software between them and their vote.

Laura Hausladen, Cynthia Richards, Dave Guest, Phillip Michaels, Frieda Keough, and Paul Hamby are members of Missouri’s Coalition for Transparent and Secure Elections.

COMMUNITY PHARMACIES: A PIECE OF THE VACCINATION PUZZLE Michaela Newell Community pharmacies are an integral piece of the health care system helping to vaccinate millions in Missouri. Pharmacists are vaccination experts, accessible, well trusted, and know their community’s needs. The Governor’s Office and Missouri officials recognized all of these characteristics. In March, Missouri was the second state to prioritize a consistent supply of vaccines to local pharmacies. Since then, in March alone, independent pharmacies have been able to provide more than 80,000 doses of COVID vaccines to their communities. This is an example of how pharmacists have been an important part of the process to vaccinate the citizens of Missouri.

Pharmacists are arguably the most accessible health care professionals in their communities. By design, anyonecanwalkintoapharmacyatanytimeandaskfor a recommendation. Patients or community members do not need an appointment to see someone who has a doctorate level degree in pharmacy. Pharmacies are in every neighborhood and every small town. Patients do not need to commute far to find a pharmacist.

Finally, most independent pharmacies deliver to their patients for free, increasing access to homebound families. Throughout the pandemic, pharmacies remained open and accessible to their community.

This accessibility makes pharmacists a unique health

care provider during a pandemic.

Year after year, surveys show that community pharmacists are one of the top two most-trusted health care professionals in their community. From the beginning of the pandemic, the Governor’s Office knew that every part of the state would have unique needs and require different vaccine delivery methods. Through relationships, pharmacies have been assisting in health department vaccination clinics and National Guard vaccination clinics. Through relationships, pharmacies have discovered unique vaccine delivery methods and have reached hard-toreach or underserved populations.

In March, by simply prioritizing vaccine to community pharmacies, we have seen homebound patients, the homeless, vaccine deserts, adult daycares, senior centers, and communities that benefit from translators getting vaccinated. No one needed to tell pharmacies to prioritize these patients; the state gave them vaccine, and pharmacies got creative. This is because local pharmacies know and meet the needs of the communities around them. They are on the school board or volunteer at many community assistance

centers and programs. They speak or at least have access to foreign language interpreters to assist with Russian, Spanish, and other non-English speaking patients. As pharmacists, we KNOW our community and when given vaccine, we will meet their needs.

Finally, community pharmacies have been unknowingly prepping for a pandemic for years. Year after year, pharmacies vaccinate their communities in preparation for the flu season. They have prepared workflows and scheduling platforms because of this need and were prepared for the COVID vaccine. A large part of a pharmacist’s education is identifying and immunizing their patients to increase the overall well-being of the public. They go through training in school and continued education every year to keep up their credentials. Due to the emergency rules and HHS guidelines, pharmacists have been able to practice at the top of our professional ability. Pharmacists as health care professionals are vaccination experts.

On behalf of patients, communities, and the Missouri Pharmacy Association, I want to thank the governor, his office, the Missouri Department

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of Health and Senior Services, the Missouri Department of Bureau of Immunizations, and all the other state agencies and their employees who recognized pharmacies as a crucial partner in vaccinating Missourians.

It is too early to fully celebrate the success of all the state employees and health care professionals that have laid the foundation for this heavy responsibility because our job is still not done. Since receiving a regular shipment of vaccine, many pharmacists have not had a day off; when they are not in the pharmacy, they are holding clinics or entering data. Therefore, it is appropriate to celebrate the successes and the hard work of individuals thus far.

Thank you to all of the pharmacists and other health care professionals that are making personal sacrifices.

And on behalf of the pharmacy profession, thank you for allowing us to serve the state of Missouri.

Community pharmacies are an integral piece of the vaccinating puzzle, we look forward to completing a mission of vaccinating millions.

Dr. Michaela Newell, PharmD, is the director of Professional Affairs at the Missouri Pharmacy Association.

John Brunner, the citizen senator MO needs Charter school opportunities could have Conor Martin business, John has created hundreds of jobs in Missouri.

When Republican candidates set their sights on He has seen firsthand how harmful the effects of big kept my family in my hometown

Washington, D.C., what they tell us to get our votes and what they do when they get there are two different things.

They tell us they are pro-life, they support the Second Amendment, and they will reduce the skyrocketing national debt. Then, when they think we’re not looking, they pass bump stock bans and massive omnibus spending bills that fund Planned Parenthood. They tell us ladder-climbing politicians in Washington have been there for far too long, and then climb those same ladders to higher office themselves. They speak of their dedication to family and high values, only to turn around and cheat on their spouses.

Surely, there must be someone in this country who doesn’t mislead the people just to further a personal agenda. There is. His name is John Brunner.

John is a lifelong, third-generation Missourian. At a young age, John enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, going off to serve our country as an infantry officer. Upon returning home, John took over the family business, Vi-Jon, the creators of Germ-X. In three decades, he made it a nationwide leader in the industry.

He is a family man, married to his wife Jan for more than 44 years, with three children and 13 grandchildren. John is by far the best choice the people of Missouri can make to be our U.S. senator in 2022.

John truly supports the “America First” agenda. He is an advocate of policies that would focus on efforts back home and not policing the rest of the world. As a former Marine, John is an articulate advocate for ending endless wars and bringing our troops home. His advocacy for these brave men and women goes beyond policy, though. John has been committed to assisting our wounded veterans and their families for years through charitable and other private means. Someone who will care for service members, through both legislation and his own private life, is the voice we need for our military.

Through the successful management of his family

government regulations are on businesses, job creation, and the economy. Despite this, Vi-Jon has still supported the community by making tremendous charitable donations, such as sending truckloads of sanitization products to the relief efforts when Houston was hit by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. John understands the need to slash the regulations that harm our businesses, our state, and our local communities.

John is one of the most down-to-earth, genuine men you will ever meet. He will always give you an honest answer rather than what he thinks you want to hear. Even when opponents personally attack his character and integrity, John remains calm and respectful. In a political climate of childish behavior, we need statesmen like John who will stand firm while maintaining a level of respect for allies and opponents alike.

As someone who has never held office, John poses the largest threat to the establishment in Washington.

In 2012, former Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill specifically called the politician she wanted to face, “the most conservative congressman in Missouri,” knowing that Republicans would choose him to face her. She knew that John Brunner as the nominee would end her swamp career and did not want to face him. In 2022, this will ring true again in that the candidate chosen by the establishment will want John out of the race.

Above all, John’s Christian and family values are the best thing he can bring to the halls of Congress. His Christian testimony, hard work ethic, and missionary work span the globe, as he has “traveled the world in support of Christian missions and relief organizations.”

Now, more than ever, it’s time for Missouri to send a citizen senator to Washington. That man is John Brunner.

Conor Martin resides in Troy.

Stephanie Bell

Across the state, parents are agonizing over their children’s education. Parents are constantly asking themselves, “Are my children in a good school?” or “Are my kids getting the best education possible?”

The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated these concerns as the status quo was blasted apart and online learning became the norm for many. Tragically, thousands of families across the state are trapped in failing school districts, with little alternative. For far too many, the quality of education is tied up with something as arbitrary as zip code, whether a family can squeeze their way into an area with good public schools. (Many of us in southern Boone did just that: relocated here from elsewhere because of the high-quality school district.)

The current disparity in education should be unacceptable even during the best of times. This pandemic has cracked the issue wide open, and the plain truth is on display for everyone to see: We need alternatives to failing public schools, and the answer is not a one-size-fits-all education system that leaves some students behind. Thankfully, we have many options for a better future to choose from, and they all involve reforming public education to allow for school choice.

Our own family agonized over the lack of quality education available to our children. Years ago, when we first moved into our starter home, people told us our kids would have access to good public education. But the data told another story.

I was shocked to learn the district-wide APR was in the bottom 10 percent of districts statewide.

Third-grade Language Arts proficiency was less than 30 percent. More than 70 percent of the kids

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were not proficient in basic language. When I raised concerns, what I heard most was, “You and your husband are both educated; your kid will be fine.” He will be fine? Is our standard of success in education surviving a failing public school? This is an intolerable standard for any parent.

So after much consideration, our family made a decision I never thought I would make. For the sake of our children, we packed up and moved.

I wish that wasn’t our only choice. I wish we had alternatives, but we did not. Our choices were either stay in a failing district, send our kids to a private school (with a daunting price tag), or move elsewhere. We chose to prioritize our children.

We were lucky to find a better place to send our kids. What keeps me awake at night is that many families do not have that option. Families need options. Families deserve school choice. That is why I advocate for smart policy reforms to help expand choices for families like allowing charter schools in places like Jefferson City and Columbia.

Charter schools are publicly funded public schools that exist outside the traditional education system.

These schools are renowned for their innovation.

Charter schools have led the way for educating students through virtual learning, not just trying to keep them busy. Unfortunately, current state law limits charter schools in urban areas. If charter schools were expanded, more students would have access to these life-changing schools.

Our children deserve the best education possible, regardless of zip code or family wealth.

A good education should not be dependent on zip code. I support school choice because it gives all kids the opportunity for the great education that they deserve.

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Rep. Ashley Aune, HD 14

Kaitlyn Schallhorn

Just three months into her first term, Rep. Ashley Aune has taken the Capitol by storm.

A communications professional, Aune hasn’t shied away from speaking up in committee hearings or meeting with lawmakers on the other side of the aisle to find common ground.

“I’m trying to stay above the fray,” Aune said when asked about her goals in the statehouse.

“Rather than focusing on the things that divide us, focusing on the things that we can agree on and find compromise on and we can talk through.”

Like many younger Democrats, Aune views the 2016 presidential election as a sort of “wake-up call.” If someone as volatile as Donald Trump could win the presidency, what would that mean for candidates like her — an affable 35-year-old who was raised to place a premium on philanthropy and altruism?

So after serving as a volunteer on some campaigns — in Kansas and Missouri as well as nationally — and volunteering with Moms Demand Action and Northland Progress, Aune ran for HD 14 when Matt Sain decided to forgo a re-election bid. She beat out her Republican challenger in November with 53 percent of the vote.

“As I got older and got more interested in politics, I realized what an opportunity public service is and how I can be actually useful to my community in other ways that aren’t just philanthropic and are actually actionable, and that excited me,” Aune said.

“It was a combination of passion and weaseling my way into the right organizations and making those connections and figuring out where I fit in and where my skillsets fit in,” she added.

Aune is part of a freshman class seeking to partner with those on the other side of the aisle to work on legislation, even laying the groundwork for a new bipartisan caucus.

For her part, Aune is working with fellow freshman Rep. Bill Hardwick, a Republican, on a cybersecurity bill and has talked with Rep. Chad Perkins about a pathway for legalizing cannabis.

“She is a passionate advocate with a

Rep. Chris Brown, HD 16

dedicated drive,” House Minority Leader Crystal Quade said. “I’m really excited to see all that she gets done.”

A graduate of the University of Kansas, Aune is a communications specialist who owns her own virtual marketing agency, Propel Creative Studio. She started her company after becoming frustrated with traditional ad agencies in Kansas City, and now works with clients from all over the country.

“My communication skills are something that I feel really strongly about finding ways to use to benefit both the legislature and the Democratic Party in our state,” Aune said. “As a super minority and coming off a really rough election cycle, we have so much work to do with our party. People always say Democrats can’t craft a message, Democrats can’t sell policies, they make it too complicated, they’re too elitist, but I built a career on speaking to people in a way that moves them. I spent my career figuring out how to get people to take action, and that’s the thing I’m really hoping to impact the legislature with.”

Aune grew up on the Kansas side of Kansas City in Lenexa and moved to her district more than three years ago. But even before she moved to HD 14, she spent considerable time working in the Northland area.

“In a way, when I started campaigning in my district, I felt like I intimately knew the people in my district because I had spent so many years crafting communications and marketing messages to reach families, specifically women and heads of households who make health care decisions,” Aune said.

Aune said her suburban district isn’t unique when it comes to priorities for her constituents: health care, COVID-19, and education are all priorities.

Aune serves on the Emerging Issues and Rules – Legislative Oversight committees as well as the Special Committee on Small Business. She’s filed legislation to protect voting rights for minorities as well as to establish a committee to review gun laws and gun violence in the state.

Elise Eaker

After teaching AP government and politics for 32 years, Rep. Chris Brown is applying his knowledge in the Missouri statehouse.

“I’ve always had an interest in politics. I was like, you know what, when I’m retired this could really be a good thing for me to do when I’m done with teaching,” Brown, who represents HD 16 in Clay County, said.

Every spring, Brown would have Public Service Commission Chairman (PSC) Ryan Silvey — who has also served in both the House and Senate — speak to his AP classes. Periodically, Brown would mention his desire to be involved in politics to Silvey who encouraged him.

“For over a decade, Chris had me come speak to his government classes. Over the years we got to know each other pretty well, and he was very inquisitive about all aspects of being a representative, not just the soundbites,” Silvey said. “As he neared retirement, I urged him to consider running because I knew he is someone I would want to be represented by myself.”

When Brown decided to retire in May, it just so happened that Noel Shull was terming out. Brown spent his summer campaigning and won the November election by a 15 percent margin.

“It couldn’t have been more perfect. I was very lucky that it played out that way,” he said.

Brown has sponsored HB 1208 which would require higher education institutions to accept an AP test score of

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F R E S H M E N T O W AT C H

The Missouri Times is speaking to new state representatives this session. Get to know them through our “Freshmen to Watch” series.

three or better to receive college credit.

“As a former AP teacher, I would get discouraged at times when I had a great kid in class, who has worked his hind end off all year, they take that AP test — which is a big test — at the end of the year, and they get a three on it,” Brown said. “And then [they] tell me they ended up going to [the University of Missouri], but they didn’t get anything — I mean zero, zilch, nada, nothing — for that three on that AP test because Mizzou takes a four for AP government instead of a three.”

Education, public safety, and small businesses are Brown’s main focus in the legislature. He wants to be known for helping people and his community. He also wants to work on issues that relate to people on a daily basis.

“I want their kids to be in quality schools. I want their families to be safe,” Brown said. “And then I want to help Main Street. I want to help small businesses — in particular, small businesses that have been impacted in a very negative way the last year or so because of this pandemic.”

Brown also said that at the end of his service, he would like to look back and say: “I left the state and individuals in a better place than when I started.”

Brown serves on the General Laws and Workforce Development committees as well as the Special Committee on Small Businesses.

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WASHINGTON, DC

Q&A: Wagner champions legislation to help fund victim services

Kaitlyn Schallhorn

Earlier this month, the U.S. House passed legislation meant to support and increase grant funding to a bevy of victim service programs.

The VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act has been a labor of love for U.S. Congresswoman Ann Wagner this year and advocates are hopeful to see action taken quickly on it.

The legislation funds service grants that help survivors of domestic, sexual, and child abuse as well as other crimes.

“It is a crisis if even one victim can’t get the essential services they need due to decreased funding, and I am grateful we were able to take immediate action to get these victims the services and funding they need to move forward,” Wagner said. “I am hopeful the VOCA Fix Act will be signed into law without delay so this vital funding source is replenished and the thousands of Americans who rely on it have confidence they will have our help in their time of need.”

As the legislation has moved to the U.S. Senate, The Missouri Times asked Wagner about just what the legislation does and how it would help Missourians.

Below is a conversation between Wagner (AW) and The Missouri Times (TMT) with answers edited for clarity only.

TMT: From the Debbie Smith Act to the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund, you’ve championed several causes to help survivors. What has given you that drive to focus on these issues?

AW: As a mom, a grandma, and a lawmaker, I believe I have a moral obligation to fight for survivors of horrific crimes like trafficking, rape, domestic and sexual assault, and child abuse. Violent criminals must pay for their abhorrent crimes and provide just compensation to the victims whose lives they have upended. Too often, victims of these traumatic crimes are overlooked and underserved. In my home state of Missouri, I’ve met with many survivors and listened to their painful stories. They need help to rebuild their lives and find justice, and that’s exactly what I came to Congress to do.

It is a crisis if even one victim can’t get the essential

services they need due to decreased funding. We have to stand up for the powerless and provide a voice for the voiceless — and that means making criminals pay for their abhorrent actions.

TMT: How would this specific bill help victims, especially in Missouri?

AW: VOCA grants are the primary source of support for programs dedicated to survivors of domestic abuse, sexual assault, trafficking, child abuse, and other traumatic crimes. This year, these programs are facing catastrophic cuts, potentially leaving thousands of Americans unable to access lifesaving services. And the timing could not be worse!

The pandemic has put women and children at an increased risk of abuse and domestic violence. We simply cannot leave victims without support in this frightening and dangerous time.

From November 2019 through September this year, Missouri will have distributed well over $80 million in VOCA funds to organizations that serve victims of serious crimes. These funds are being used to help tens of thousands of Missourians navigate the court system as they find justice; access victim advocates, compensation, and trauma-informed care; and meet the costs of medical bills and funeral services. If Congress does not act swiftly to stabilize this funding, many of these organizations will have to scale back their essential services. Some programs will be eliminated entirely. My bill will ensure that the most vulnerable Missourians can continue to access the services they need to rebuild their lives while the criminals that harmed them are being brought to justice.

TMT: If this bill does not pass, how much of a cut to VOCA funds can we expect to see in Missouri?

AW: In Missouri, we are expecting about a 25 percent cut to VOCA funds in the upcoming year if this bill is not signed into law. Missouri law enforcement and victim service providers need Congress to enact this legislation so they can protect and care for their communities. A funding cut this large will have devastating effects on victims throughout Missouri who need our help. My team and I are using every resource at our disposal to make sure my legislation makes it through the Senate and becomes law so victims are not left out to dry.

TMT: Are these grants taxpayer-funded?

AW: VOCA grants are NOT taxpayer-funded!

They are paid for out of the Crime Victims Fund,

which is funded by federal criminal monetary penalties. Unfortunately, the Department of Justice is increasingly seeking non-prosecution and deferredprosecution agreements instead of prosecuting federal crimes. As a result, money that would otherwise serve victims is being deposited into the General Treasury instead of the Crime Victims Fund. My legislation simply ensures that criminal settlements from federal non-prosecution and deferred prosecution agreements can be used to support victims, just as they could if these cases were prosecuted.

TMT: How are VOCA grants used? What are some examples?

AW: VOCA grants enable thousands of victim service providers to offer critical services, including medical care, mental health care, and victim advocacy, to those who have suffered serious crimes.

For example, I have long championed the work of Children’s Advocacy Centers, or CACs, a network of more than 900 care centers where child victims of abuse get comprehensive care while working with prosecutors and law enforcement to hold offenders accountable. In 2019, CACs provided forensic interviews, medical evaluations, evidence-based mental health care, and victim advocacy services to more than 338,000 children to help them heal from the trauma of abuse. CACs rely on VOCA funds to help these kids and families. That’s why stable VOCA funding is so critical. For every $1 million in VOCA funding cut from CACs, 242 child abuse victims will go without help. VOCA grants help real people who were just in the wrong place at the wrong time as well as those who have survived tragic and traumatic situations.

TMT: Have we seen a decrease in these grants in recent years? What else can we do to help bolster these programs to continue providing aid to survivors?

AW: We have seen significant cuts over the last few years, and I am seriously concerned that VOCA grant recipients will face an even more dire situation in the coming years. VOCA funding is dropping so quickly that, according to the Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime, the money available for grants will be approximately $1.9 billion by the end of this year. That is $700 million less than DOJ awarded in VOCA grants last year. And if this year’s VOCA grant funding, which has seen devastating cuts the past two years, maintains at similar levels this year, the fund will

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be completely exhausted by FY23.

In addition to stabilizing funding for VOCA grants, the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act will make much-needed improvements to victim compensation and services. These include bolstering state victim compensation funds, allowing states to request a no-cost extension from the attorney general to ensure states can thoughtfully and effectively distribute victim service grants without being penalized, and providing flexibility to promote victim cooperation with law enforcement.

TMT: I know this was a bipartisan effort. Who did you work with on this legislation and how was that working relationship?

AW: The bill is both bipartisan and bicameral, and we worked in lockstep with our Senate counterparts to ensure this critical legislation has the best chance of becoming law. In the House, we’ve worked very closely with House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler and Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick, Sheila Jackson Lee, Mary Gay Scanlon, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Debbie Dingell, and John Moolenaar. It is led in the Senate by Senator Lindsey Graham and Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin as well as Senators Tammy Baldwin, Chuck Grassley, Dianne Feinstein, John Cornyn, Amy Klobuchar, and Lisa Murkowski.

Each and every one of these members of Congress are working tirelessly to ensure victims of crime can continue to access services. The VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act has truly been a team effort, and I am so grateful that we’ve got such a strong team of representatives and senators working to get the bill across the finish line.

My efforts here are extremely similar to my work on the Debbie Smith Act to fund rape kit testing. I identified a problem here in Missouri and worked with my colleagues to get that critical legislation across the finish line and signed into law by President Trump. It was solely as a result of my efforts to get the Debbie Smith Act signed into law that Missouri was able to step up its work on the issue to bring justice to victims of rape and assault. The Debbie Smith Act gave millions of dollars to Missouri to end the rape kit backlog and help victims, and the VOCA Fix Act will solve a similar problem here in Missouri. I am proud to be able to address both of these issues for victims of traumatic crimes and will continue to work on problems like these so our communities here in Missouri have the resources they need.

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C A P I T O L C U LT U R E

The Missouri Times

CORK & Board serves up fun in the capital city

Kaitlyn Schallhorn

Nestled on High Street between a frozen yogurt shop and a sandwich restaurant is CORK & Board, an oasis from the hustle and bustle of the Capitol just a few blocks away. With exposed brick walls and a bicycle over the bar, CORK is both lively and quaint, a place to relax over a glass of Bordeaux or get overly competitive during a game of “Guess Who.” Since taking over the space in October 2019, owners Adam Stark and Cara Alexander Start have transformed the narrow bar into anything the capital city needed.

They’ve allowed local artists to come in and pepper evenings with the sounds of a guitar and some blues.

On Thursdays, they transform the connecting cinema into an animated — albeit tricky — trivia night. The bar has expanded to include fishbowls of candy along with creative cocktails, craft beer, and extraordinarily addicting baked feta bites.

The Missouri Times caught up with Cara Alexander Stark, co-owner of CORK & Board and legislative director at Polsinelli, to talk more about her vision for CORK. TMT: What made you decide to take over CORK? How did the idea to expand it into a fun place filled with games come to fruition?

CAS: I worked at CORK all the way through college and have always loved its eclectic vibe. When it came open for sale, Adam and I knew that it would be the perfect place for us to run together. When we had to close our doors back in May [due to the pandemic], we spent a lot of time thinking about how we could better serve our community with what we offered. We really felt like people were craving a place with more community, and that’s what we tried to create with our redesign — an approachable bar where you could go with family, friends, or dates and truly feel comfortable.

TMT: Have you always wanted to own your own restaurant?

CAS: Adam has been managing restaurants for a decade so we always talked about owning our own someday. Of course, we thought that might happen a little later in life, but here we are!

TMT: What’s your favorite board game? And what’s your favorite drink?

CAS: Our favorite board game to play is Settlers of Catan. Adam’s favorite drink is an Old Fashioned, and I enjoy a glass of Petite Sirah or Pinot Noir.

TMT: How did the first year go for you? What’s something surprising you had to quickly learn?

CAS: It has been an interesting year, to say the least!

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We opened in October 2019, got married in February 2020, and COVID hit less than a month later. We reopened in June 2020 as CORK & Board and have been chugging along ever since then. One of the most important lessons we learned this year is that owning a business is never static. Adaptability in the face of uncertainty allowed us to see new possibilities during unanticipated changes.

TMT: Where do you hope to see Cork this time next year?

CAS: We reopened as CORK & Board with a full bar.

We are excited to continue growing our cocktail menu and offering more to the Jefferson City community. By next year, we are also hoping to have about 75 more board games for people to play.

TMT: What are your official restaurant hours?

Tuesday-Thursday: 3 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Friday: 3 p.m. - 1 a.m.

Saturday: 12 p.m. - 1 a.m.

Photos by Elise Eaker.

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The Missouri Times

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