Senate Hopes to Bring Super Bowl to Kansas City

     I want to express my appreciation to all the candidates who put themselves on the ballot for consideration in the municipal elections this past week.  I offer congratulations to those who were successful in their bid for office and my thanks to those who were not for giving the voters a choice.  Fair and open elections are the cornerstone of our system of government from the White House in Washington D.C. to the city halls of our smallest villages.  As someone who has run for elective office at both the county and state level, I can testify it isn’t easy putting yourself and your family out there for your friends, neighbors, and complete strangers to accept or reject.  I also want to express my thanks to everyone who made the effort to go to the polls and vote for the candidate or issue of their choice.  Every election is a reminder of why our country continues to be the envy of the world.

     This week the Missouri State Senate gave first round approval to my bill requiring the Department of Revenue to have probable cause of wrong doing before taking samples of diesel fuel from vehicles.  Diesel used in off road applications such as farming and construction is dyed red and is not taxed.  Use of this fuel is prohibited in highway vehicles.  I support this law as it provides the tax dollars to construct and maintain our highway system.  However, when it came to my attention earlier this year that pickup trucks were being profiled and stopped with no probable cause, something had to be done to protect the rights of individuals.  My bill allows the law and penalties to remain intact, but requires the Department to have reasonable suspicion of a violation before the vehicle can be stopped and sample taken.

     The Senate has also unanimously passed a resolution directing the Department of Economic Development to put together a task force to examine what measures would need to be taken for Kansas City to host a Super Bowl game.  With the NFL now willing to consider cold weather sites for the Super Bowl, and the extensive renovation of Arrowhead Stadium in 2010, a Super Bowl in Kansas City would be a good fit.  Not only would it provide an economic boost for the area, but would also be great exposure for Missouri to the rest of the country.

      Support for the Farming Rights Amendment that will be on the November General Election ballot continues to gain momentum.  We have had a series of successful meetings in and around the 28th Senatorial District during the past couple months.  It was great to host the event in my hometown last week with a crowd of 300 people in attendance.  Citizens from other areas are organizing educational meetings to get the word out on this important issue.  We will need involvement and assistance from all around Missouri as we approach the November election.  Together we can make this election one of historical significance as we protect a way of life for future generations.

‘Nothing is Politically Right Which is Morally Wrong’