Boozman to Run for U.S. Senate

       LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - A source says Republican congressman John Boozman will challenge two-term incumbent Democrat Blanche Lincoln this year for one of Arkansas' U.S. Senate seats. He will be the third of Arkansas' four congressmen to scrap a re-election bid.

Boozman is the 10th Republican to enter the race. The source said the Republican from northwestern Arkansas would announce his decision Feb. 6. The source spoke on condition of anonymity so as to not undermine the official announcement.

Democratic congressmen Marion Berry and Vic Snyder announced
this month they would not seek re-election.

Boozman has been in Congress since 2001. His office said the
congressman planned an "important announcement" in Little Rock on
Feb. 6.

      (Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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Conversation with candidates for Missouri 62nd House district race

Nita Jane Ayres, Republican, and Patty Tweedle, Libertarian, spoke with Brad Belote about the upcoming election.

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SOTU Response from Rep. Blunt

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State of the Union responses

Republicans lining for Rep. Roy Blunt’s seat in Congress shared their thoughts on Wednesday night’s State of the Union Address:

State Sen. Jack Goodman

"Southwest Missourians are looking for real solutions to our very real problems like job-loss and out of control government spending.  Tonight, we did not hear any solutions; just more rhetoric. Sadly, President Obama and those that run Washington D.C. are not listening to the American people.

Americans are putting politicians on notice that they will no longer stand by while Congress recklessly spends their tax dollars on bailouts, stimulus bills and federal healthcare takeovers.  While I commend the president for proposing a spending freeze for next year, we need to pass a balanced budget amendment, implement a moratorium on all earmarks and an immediate across the board spending freeze on non-essential services to return America to a sound financial foundation.

Until we see this administration actually leading on things like deficit and debt reduction, healthcare solutions with patients driving the marketplace, job creation and getting back to the free market principles that have made our nation great, America will be prevented from achieving its greatest potential and putting families back to work."

 

Billy Long

Tonight, President Obama outlined his plans to revive his failed health care proposal and curtail government spending, but his speech fell far short of offering real solutions to the nation's rapidly-growing problems.

"The solution to the high cost of health care is not a big-government takeover," Billy Long explained. "What we need instead is the proven success of free market competition and fair business practices. Congress should make insurance companies compete across state lines, which would reduce prices and encourage better service. Insurance companies should be required to fulfill their obligations to premium payers by covering pre-existing conditions. We should also allow more flexibility in how insurance plans are structured so that people are not forced to buy insurance for conditions that they don't want to have covered."

"The problem with the President's health care bill is the same problem you see with all of his proposals," Billy continued. "The President seems to have an unshakable faith in the power of big government when he should be placing his trust in the strength of the American people. I welcome the President’s call for a spending freeze to help curb the enormous deficits we have had – according to Fox News, the 2009 deficit of $1.4 trillion was 9.9% of our GDP and the 2010 deficit looks to be of a similar size. Unfortunately, the President is not serious about his ‘spending freeze’ – it would still have the government borrowing over one trillion dollars per year and would save only 250 billion dollars over the course of a decade, far less than what is needed to balance the budget.    Borrowed government money won't fix the economy. Only individual Americans and small business owners can create jobs and grow our economy. Every dollar the President borrows for pork barrel spending and political favors just makes the task before American entrepreneurs that much harder."

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Watch Out for Springfield's Money

The City of Springfield is seeking applications from citizens interested in serving on the new Citizens' Sales Tax Oversight Committee approved by the City Council on Monday night.

The application form is available online

Citizens without computer or Internet access can request a mailed application by calling 864-1010, or pick up an application at the Busch Municipal Building, 840 Boonville Ave., during normal business hours.

The application deadline is: 5 p.m., Feb. 9, 2010.

The Citizens' Sales Tax Oversight Committee's charge is to review and monitor the collection of the ¾-cent Pension Fund Sales Tax revenues and allocations to ensure that the revenues received by the City are properly deposited into the City's self-funded Police-Fire Pension Fund. The Committee Chair will be asked to report to the City Council at least once every six months. The Committee's role may be expanded in the future to include monitoring other sales-tax revenue sources.

The Committee is expected to meet quarterly. Mayor Jim O'Neal proposed creation of this group after learning about a similar committee established in Joplin to provide oversight of tax-revenue collections.

The City Council's Public Involvement Committee will select the nine-member committee and forward its recommendations to the full Council for approval. The Committee will be comprised of at least five members who live within Springfield City limits. It will serve as an advisory committee to the City Council, so its role will be governed by Sections 15.2 and 15.5 of the City Charter.

For more information, contact: City Manager Greg Burris, 864-1006; or Louise Whall, Director of Public Information, 864-1010.

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Mo. Senate leaders commit to full school funding

(AP) - Republican Senate leaders say they're committed to giving Missouri schools the full amount of money called for under the state's school financing formula.

Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Shields and Majority Leader
Kevin Engler said Monday that other parts of the budget would have
to be cut to carry out their pledge for K-12 schools. But they said schools must be the priority.

Last week, Gov. Jay Nixon proposed a budget that would give schools barely one-sixth of the funding increase called for under the formula next school year. Nixon said that still would be a
record amount.

Some public school officials have said they would have to make cuts or seek local tax increases if the state formula were not fully funded.

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Rasmussen Poll: Blunt 49%, Carnahan 43%

The latest Rasmussen poll has Rep. Roy Blunt leading secretary of state Robin Carnahan in the race for the U.S. Senate.

The poll of likely voters has Blunt at 49%, Carnahan at 43%, with 3% supporting someone else and 5% undecided.  Rasmussen reports anger over healthcare reform legislation is hurting the Democrat Carnahan.

Fresh off his state of the state address, Gov. Jay Nixon has a 61% approval rating.

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Billy Long raises $126,816 for Congressional Campaign

Billy Long announced his fourth quarter take for his campaign for Congress: $126,816. According to a press release, Long's fundraising effort for the 7th Congressional district has netted $478,641.

More fundraising reports will trickle in over the next few weeks.

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Election Watch: February 2

The February 2, 2010, ballot in southwest Missouri will be one of the lightest in a long time: two issues/races.

Voters in the Mark Twain school district are being asked to consider a property tax levy.  The district wants an 89 cent increase that would generate $60,000.  The money would not create new programs but instead just keep the status quo.  Superintendent Bruce Forrest says he's worried about the school's ability to stay open because of declining enrollment, less state money and less money coming from the federal government.  Much of Mark Twain's district includes land in the Mark Twain National Forest.

• Sample Ballot

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Voters in Missouri's 62nd state house district will decide who will fill the seat of Dennis Wood. Wood resigned in September to accept the appointment by Gov. Jay Nixon to be Stone County presiding commissioner.

Republicans chose Nita Jane Ayres to appear on the ballot.  Ayres had hoped to get the commissioner job.  Libertarians also have a candidate: Patty Tweedle.

According to Missouri Ethics Commission reports, through December 31, Ayres had raised $20,355 during the fourth quarter of 2009.  She had just $11,000 left after buying signs, t-shirts, and mailers for her campaign.

As of this writing, the Tweedle campaign did not have any reports on file with the MEC.

Where's a Democrat?  James "Jim" Rynard had gotten the support of local Dems.  But according to the Stone County Gazette, he was removed from the ballot for failing to file the proper paperwork. Rynard told Chad Livengood he did that intentionally since he was closing his law firm and moving out of the area.

The winner will only get to enjoy the victory for a few months.  The seat will be open again in the fall.  Filing for the August primary begins February 23.

• Sample Ballot

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Nixon Wants Tax Credit Limit to be Fuzzy for Some Businesses

From the Associated Press:
As part of his Tuesday visit to Springfield, Gov. Jay Nixon will call on new legislation that would allow the Department of Economic Development to exceed the normal tax credit cap for established Missouri businesses that choose to expand in-state instead of elsewhere.

Nixon will tour American Dehydrated Foods Tuesday afternoon.

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Nixon in Springfield Tuesday for Jobs Program

Gov. Jay Nixon will be in Springfield and Kansas City Tuesday to roll out a jobs program.  He'll appear at

   

As the release puts it, Nixon will announce '“Missouri First,” an initiative that will retool the state’s economic incentives to help existing Missouri companies expand and create jobs. 

Nixon will be American Dehydrated Foods in Springfield.  

Nixon and Missouri begin the year with 9.5% unemployment in November, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  The Missouri Department of Economic Development puts the figure at 9.2%.   The December figures are due January 18. 

The Springfield MSA numbers were 5.9% in November 2008 and 8.2% a year later. 

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