On the Issues...

Education
Academic Excellence
In order for Missouri to remain competitive, our children must succeed academically from pre-K to graduate school. Our students need to have strong public schools staffed by well-trained, well-paid teachers. Vouchers are not effective solutions - they take money from public schools and have little record of success. Programs that keep the state's highest-achieving students in Missouri, such as Bright Flight, should be modernized. Programs that expand educational opportunities, such as the A+ program, should be made available to all of Missouri’s schools.   

Academic Freedom
The attempt by some in the General Assembly to use financial clout to punish students and professors unless MU gives up its academic freedom to those in Jefferson City needs to be stopped at all costs. The absolute right of University professors to carry out research within generally accepted parameters of their field must not be infringed upon. Without this basic right of an institution of higher learning, MU cannot compete with the rest of academia.     

Healthcare

All Missourians should have access to quality and affordable healthcare so they can care for their families and live a secure life.  Unfortunately, under the Blunt administration more than 100,000 Missourians lost their Medicaid coverage – leaving nearly 700,000 people without quality healthcare in the state. Many of these uninsured are children, the disabled, and the elderly. Missouri deserves better, and together we can do better. I will fight to roll back Governor Blunt's irresponsible Medicaid cuts, and continue to work until every Missourian has quality coverage.

Economy

Missouri must invest in its infrastructure in order to create an environment conducive to successful business growth and investment.  Improving work-force training and development, along with physical infrastructure improvements in roads, will help us strengthen Missouri's economy today and shape it for the future. Missouri is falling behind in job creation, especially in the technology field. I will work to re-stimulate our stagnating economic growth by investing in infrastructure improvements and by attracting business investment to the state.  Additionally, we must work to ensure minimum wage increases are enforced. Too many Missourians are economically vulnerable – together we can, and must, do better. 

Labor
I realize the important role unions have played, both in my family and all across the country, in lifting hardworking families out of poverty and into the middle-class. Unfortunately, not everyone appreciates these societal improvements. The so-called “right to work” movement isn’t about rights and it isn’t about workers. It is an effort by big business to disband unions, drive down wages and weaken workplace safety standards.  

I believe all public construction projects should pay workers the prevailing wage. The advantages of doing so go beyond just treating people fairly. It also increases worker productivity and allows responsible local contractors to compete on an even playing field. Whether it’s fighting out-of-state efforts to implement “right to work/right to fire” legislation, ensuring public projects aren’t constructed with undocumented laborers, or protecting job targeting funds, I stand proudly with organized labor.

Environment
One theme of my campaign has been the push for long-term solutions for our state, and few things are more important than protecting Missouri’s environment.  Whether it's limiting gravel mining in our Ozark streams, preventing clear cutting of our forests, keeping chemicals out of our water supply or ensuring we have clean fresh air to breathe, protecting the health and beauty of our environment will be one of my top priorities.  

Federal environmental standards should be a floor not a ceiling, and I will work hard to protect local governments' rights to ensure the environmental health of their own communities.  I oppose big business attempts to circumvent their responsibilities through so called "audit privilege," which absolves them of their obligations if they report environmental damage that they have caused.  

Missouri is a beautiful state, and I want to ensure that our streams, forests and wetlands are kept pristine for generations to come.    

Death Penalty
The death penalty is wrong, and it is not a deterrent of violent crime. Several states have seen disturbing trends of innocent people being sentenced to death row. In addition, studies have shown that with the extra legal fees and court costs it actually costs taxpayers more to put someone to death than it does to sentence them to life in prison. In Jefferson City, I will support efforts to limit, and hopefully end, the use of the death penalty in Missouri.   

Campaign Finance Reform
Recent efforts to raise contribution limits to statewide offices and legislative campaigns will only increase the amount of money in politics and make it more difficult for working Missourians to become involved in the political system. Eliminating donation caps would weaken the voice of the average voter, as rich contributors would gain even more power. It would also inhibit those, like myself, who are not independently wealthy from being able to run a successful grassroots-funded campaign. As your State Representative I will vote to limit the amount of money in politics and make sure we know where our politicians are getting funds.