"In her zeal for political gain, state treasurer and gubernatorial candidate Sarah Steelman crossed the line when she resorted to insults, calling Missouri senators "cowards" after they voted to overturn an unreasonable conflict of interest policy. Her policy to punish thousands of farm families who invested hard-earned dollars to build Missouri's ethanol industry is an inexcusable act of political grandstanding.
"The state's BIG Missouri Program was designed to allow low-interest loans to Missouri-based companies to help them compete in today's tough business climate. Missouri senators recognized the state treasurer went beyond legislative intent by implementing an unreasonable conflict of interest policy that defies explanation. Under Steelman's guise of keeping "elected officials" and their families out of the BIG Missouri Program, hundreds of Missouri citizens were denied access. The treasurer, however, fails to consider three glaring issues.
"First, our state senators and representatives work part-time. Most have paying jobs outside of their legislative duties, and yes, a shrinking number are farmers. To not allow farmer legislators to participate in these types of programs parallels not allowing doctor legislators to see Medicaid patients, not allowing lawyer legislators to practice in the legal system, or not allowing banker legislators to engage in financial matters. With citizen legislators, it is unrealistic to expect a zero percent conflict of interest on any measure passed by the General Assembly. To single out agriculture is unjust. Why disallow every other investor in a cooperatively owned project when the investment by elected officials is minimal (less than 2 percent)?
"Second, agriculture is a capital intensive business and investing in a biofuels plant can be risky business. When neighbors join together to compete against the wealthiest industry in the history of the world (the oil industry), the knowledge that local leaders are willing to take the risk by investing in a biofuels facility provides reassurance to other investors. Without the leadership shown by elected officials on both sides of the political aisle, these ethanol plants (which can cost from $100-200 million) would not have been built. Instead of vilifying state leaders, we should thank them for joining in the effort to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and investing in Missouri rather than sending our jobs, tax revenues and economic development overseas.
"Finally, why would the state treasurer not allow biofuels cooperatives that include elected officials to participate in the BIG Missouri program, yet encourage legislators to utilize the Missouri Saving for Tuition or MOST 529 College Savings Plan? Isn't that having different rules for programs established with state dollars she is elected to protect?
"In the name of responsible government, Missouri legislators are establishing guidelines through the formal state lawmaking process rather than utilizing an inner office memorandum as a backdoor approach to limiting program eligibility. It is a travesty to see our state's farmer entrepreneurs penalized due to politics. I applaud Missouri's senators for standing up for the citizens willing to take personal risk to drive economic growth and domestic energy development."
No comments:
Post a Comment