Missouri's Senate District 10 race has pitted two veteran House legislators against one another.
Jeanie Riddle, R-Mokane, is the current House Representative for District 49, which encompasses western and southern portions of Callaway County and a section of northern Cole County. She was first elected in 2008.
Ed Schieffer, D-Troy, has represented Missouri's 41st district since 2006. The majority of Lincoln County makes up the 41st district.
Their opinions on various topics affecting Missourians were highlighted Thursday during a candidate forum held in Fulton City Hall. While they - in a sense - agreed on specific legislation affecting education and the union workforce, Riddle and Schieffer were clearly divided on Medicaid expansion.
Riddle called the program "broken," and said that rather than expanding Medicaid, it needs to be reformed through legislation.
She used an example to further her point. Riddle said that often times doctors don't want to treat Medicaid patients due to a poor reimbursement rate.
"If you give quality health care, then you get better health. And if you get better health, then you have lower costs. When you have lower costs, then you have an opportunity to help people who truly need the care," she said.
Schieffer said if Medicaid isn't expanded, Missouri will lose federal money in a year, which will have an effect on small hospital funding. Expanding Medicaid, he added, will create about 24,000 jobs.
"It is not our job as the state of Missouri to reform the federal government," Schieffer said. "It is not our job to vote on Medicaid expansion and separate it from the health care plan (the Affordable Care Act). We can expand Medicaid without accepting everything in the health care bill. Frankly, ladies and gentlemen, you don't have to like it. It's here. And, we cannot change it with a vote of the General Assembly like my opponent is proposing."
In her rebuttal, Riddle made two points.
"Well, number one - we did not have the conversation about losing hospitals until Obamacare," she said. "Number two, don't be fooled, this isn't free money that we're talking about. This country is in debt $18 trillion. Eighteen trillion. If you think we're getting free money, we're not. What we're going to be doing is borrowing money from China. I don' t think the constituents want, and this is from what they've told me, is to borrow from China..."
Right to Work
As the Right to Work issue has historically been a legislative topic, the candidates were asked to give their thoughts on the subject. Both said they've voted no on Right to Work.
Schieffer said he's voted pro-union for his eight years in the legislature.
"...I will always vote 100 percent union and that's the record I'm proud of," he said.
With more than 20,000 union households in Senate District 10, Riddle said she voted no on Right to Work.
"I always vote for my constituents as they've come to talk to me," she said.
Amendment 3
Before their tenure in politics, Riddle and Schieffer were both educators, and both agree Amendment 3 will hurt Missouri schools. Amendment 3 is a November ballot measure that will create more testing in schools. The results of those tests will determine teacher performance, according to the proposed legislation.
Schieffer called Amendment 3 a plight created by St. Louis multi-millionaire Rex Sinquefield, who is known for funding political initiatives in Missouri. He said the amendment could cost Missourians millions of dollars and will not allow collective bargaining for teachers.
"And it will cost you taxpayers money, because when there's not money to pay for it out of the state budget, they're going to be asking you to increase your property taxes to pay for all these extra tests they have to give," Schieffer said.
As a teacher for 28 years, Riddle also saw no benefit in Amendment 3, adding it will take away local control from schools.
"Never have I been in favor of Amendment 3," she said.
Growing business in Missouri
This issue is one that Riddle said she's been working on during her six years in office and it's her motivation for running for state senate. Riddle said she would like to continue to support legislation that brings business into Missouri and her district, like the Dollar General Distribution Center in Fulton.
One way to grow business in the state, she said, is to cut taxes.
"I want to continue to support tax cuts so we have more money in our individuals' pockets as well as our business owners' hands because when they have more money they put it back into the economy," Riddle said. "They invest in the community."
She also touched on supporting the agricultural industry as it's the No. 1 industry in Callaway County and the communities in Senate District 10.
"And we need to watch the anti-agriculture groups that do not understand Missouri's traditions and Missouri's way of life in agriculture and trying to stop our farming, and we're going to make sure that doesn't happen," she said.
For Schieffer, he said improving business in Missouri means two things - creating better infrastructure and, most importantly, improving education.
Million-dollar tax cuts, he said, cannot accomplish his second point.
"By cutting taxes, we know we will for sure hurt schools," he said.
Schieffer added that he hasn't seen any proof that tax cuts will better business.
"I would like to see the evidence that by cutting taxes, businesses grow," Schieffer said. "I know it's a good theory and I would like to believe it, I really would, but I want to see the hard-core evidence..."
In closing, Schieffer said the next greatest legislation the General Assembly can vote on is the expansion of Medicaid. He added that he has backing from major education groups. In her closing statement, Riddle pointed out her successful efforts for a new Fulton State Hospital and stated her commitment to protecting life and second amendment rights.