Archive for November, 2009
For Immediate Release:
November 30, 2009
Contact:
Linden Zakula (314) 703-7178
There’s An App for That: Robin Carnahan Campaign Unveils New Mobile Applications
Robin Carnahan offers followers on-the-go access to her campaign via iPhones, blackberries and other mobile devices
Saint Louis, MO – Robin Carnahan’s campaign today unveiled new mobile web applications designed to help individuals stay up to date and engaged with the campaign. The new apps allow supporters to stay up to date with campaign news, learn about the issues, send feedback to the campaign, and even sign up their friends. They work with nearly all mobile devices – including iPhones, blackberries and other similar devices. As more features are added, they will be an essential tool in helping grassroots supporters organize events. The web applications also integrate other social media services like Twitter and Facebook which the campaign has used to keep supporters updated.
“Robin’s record of standing up to big corporations and special interests has people excited to be involved in her campaign,” said campaign spokesperson, Linden Zakula. “With more people on the go, they want to be able to easily connect with Robin’s campaign, and this will be another way to do that.”
The web applications are just one more way the Robin Carnahan campaign is engaging supporters early. Earlier this month, 400 grassroots supporters organized 35 separate events to talk with friends and neighbors about how they can help Robin Carnahan fight against Washington corporate special interests and be an independent voice for Missouri families in the U.S. Senate. Carnahan’s campaign also has a text messaging program where folks can get updates from the campaign on their cell phones by texting JOIN to 76246 (ROBIN).
Here are the technical details about the web applications:
RobinCarnahan.com now provides optimized versions of the website for various mobile platforms. An version for Apple’s iPhone is provided that will also work quite well on Palm’s WebOS browser and Google Android’s browser. A version for RIM’s BlackBerry is also provided. A text-based version of the website for older phones is the final mobile-optimized version of the site available.
If your mobile phone’s browser does not automatically redirect you to the proper version of the site, the following URLs will work:
You can also find links to these sites in the footer of the main website at http://www.robincarnahan.com
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 State Representative Jason Kander does a great job. He has been an outstanding Representative for the 44th distrcit continuing a history of great public servants in the 44th. Once again this last week, Representative Kander has shown why he is a rising star in Missouri politics. Here are some recent examples of the hard work Jason is doing on behalf of the people of Missouri.
Representative Kander’s letter to the Kansas City Star
“Public has to demand change in ethics” by Mary Sanchez of the Kansas City Star
Rep. Kander’s Ethics Reform Memo
His latest newsletter
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For Immediate Release: Treasurer Zweifel’s Contact
November 23, 2009
Jon Galloway
(573) 418-2923
jon.galloway@treasurer.mo.gov
Zweifel Announces $3.4 Million Small Business Loan
Loan saves borrower more than $300,000 over five years
JEFFERSON CITY – State Treasurer Clint Zweifel announced today a $3.4 million small business loan had been approved from the Missouri Linked Deposit Program he administers. The loan to Weber Seeds, Inc. of Marshall, Mo., is one of the largest ever issued through the Missouri Linked Deposit Program, and allowed the company to increase jobs by more than 25 percent and expand its customer base.
“The Missouri Linked Deposit Program provides low-interest loans that allow companies to create and retain jobs,” Treasurer Zweifel said. “Weber Seeds’ use of this loan to reduce its long-term interest cost is a great example of how we are reinvesting in communities and in people.”
Weber Seeds has been in the seed cleaning business for more than 20 years, originally cleaning soybeans, wheat and seed corn on a limited retail basis. The Missouri Linked Deposit Program loan was obtained so the company could refinance two loans totaling $3.4 million. The loans were used by the company to build a plant and buy equipment in order to expand into the wholesale business. Over the length of the five-year loan, the company will save more than $300,000.
“The Missouri Linked Deposit Program loan has allowed us to lock in a low-interest fixed-rate loan for five years,” said Daniel Weber, President of Weber Seeds. “The lower interest rate reduces our cash outflows, reduces our risk and helps us expand our staff.”
The Missouri Linked Deposit Program, which was expanded this past legislative session as part of legislation developed by Treasurer Zweifel called Invest in Missouri that became effective August 28, currently has about $200 million in loans throughout Missouri, and has another $520 million available. The loan program works as a partnership between Treasurer Zweifel and Missouri community lenders. Wood & Huston Bank of Marshall made the Missouri Linked Deposit Program loan available to Weber Seeds. Since January 2009, Treasurer Zweifel has approved more than $42 million in Missouri Linked Deposit Program loans. Borrowers of those loans generally saved about 1.75 percent on the interest rate.
“It is important that all borrowers and lenders know they may be eligible to receive or issue a low-interest loan through the Missouri Linked Deposit Program,” Treasurer Zweifel said. “The legislative expansion has greatly increased access to low-cost capital.”
About 100 lenders with 175 branches throughout Missouri use the Missouri Linked Deposit Program. An extensive list of participating lenders and program eligibility guidelines are online at www.treasurer.mo.gov/LinkedDeposit.
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Jon Galloway
Office of State Treasurer Clint Zweifel
Director of Communications &
Policy Assistant
Missouri State Capitol, Room 229
P.O. Box 210
Jefferson City, Missouri 65102
(573) 418-2923 (cell)
(573) 751-7595 (office)
(573) 751-9443 (fax)
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Cross posted from KC Tribune
Dave Coffman Wants to Represent Lee’s Summit in Jefferson City
Tom Bogdon
Published 11/12/2009 – 7:32 p.m. CDT
Dave Coffman has announced his candidacy for a Lee’s Summit seat in Missouri House of Representatives.
“I can think of nothing more fulfilling than representing my friends, family and neighbors in our State Capitol,” said Coffman, a Democrat. “I know the needs and priorities held by the people of the 56th District, and I can be their voice and their vote in Jefferson City. I think as we share ideas for improving our community over the course of my campaign, voters will see that I have the passion and skills needed to get the job done.”
Republican incumbent Brian Yates is retiring due to term limits. Coffman and Republican Michael Cierpot have so far indicated their candidacies in the August 2010 primary elections. Mike Cierpot’s wife, Connie Cierpot, also a Republican, formerly represented an Independence state house district.
In Jefferson City, the policies and proposals that Dave Coffman wants to promote will focus on keeping Missourians in good quality jobs and ensuring families have access to quality education and health care.
“The best ways we can make sure people in the 56th prosper include creating quality jobs, increasing access to healthcare and ensuring children receive a world-class education,” said Coffman. “But I can’t do it without the help of the great people in my district who want to better the state of Missouri.”
Dave Coffman, a lifelong Missourian, has resided in Lee’s Summit for 16 years and eastern Jackson County for over 30 years. Originally, Dave was raised on a farm outside of Kearney, MO.
Dave attended public schools throughout his 12 years of education, attending Kearney Elementary and Kearney High School. After graduation, Dave received a bachelor’s degree in education from Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg. Later, he received his Master’s and Specialist Degrees from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Dave also spent two years serving in the U.S. Army stationed in Kentucky, Kansas and South Korea.
Dave was a principal in the Raytown School District at Westridge Elementary for 22 years. He retired in 2000. Dave and his wife Rose Mary have been married for 42 years. Their children are Cortney Cooper and her husband Neil Cooper, and Amy Coffman and her husband Jay Hardenbrook. They also have two grandchildren, Brayton and Tatum Cooper.
Dave and Rose Mary belong to the Woods Chapel United Methodist Church in Lee’s Summit. In 2003, Dave established The Adoption Resource Foundation. The Adoption Resource Foundation has and continues to be instrumental in assisting families in the process of adoption by providing financial and informational support throughout the Midwest.
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November 12, 2009 — Governor Nixon’s Breaking News
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Gov. Nixon announces initiative to expand Share the Harvest, help families in need across Missouri
ASHLAND, Mo. – Share the Harvest, a public-private partnership that provides meat to families in need across Missouri, expects to increase its annual collection of venison by more than 75 percent over the next three years, using economic incentives awarded today by Gov. Jay Nixon.
“As Missourians of all ages head to the woods for opening weekend of firearms deer season, I encourage folks to contribute venison to Share the Harvest,” Gov. Nixon said, who will hunt in Clark County, Mo., on opening weekend. “Sharing the harvest is a great way to enjoy a time-honored Missouri tradition while also fulfilling a critical need for fresh, healthy meat in food banks across Missouri. By donating a deer to Share the Harvest, Missourians are literally putting food on the table for families in need during the holiday season.”
Administered by the Conservation Federation of Missouri, in partnership with the Missouri Department of Conservation, Share the Harvest encourages hunters to donate their deer to needy Missourians. Share the Harvest reimburses participating meat processors for a portion of the cost of butchering and packaging whole deer donated by Missouri hunters.
To participate, hunters simply take their deer to an approved processing plant and indicate how much venison they wish to contribute, ranging from a few pounds to a whole deer. Local processors store the venison until it is transported to a local distributing agency, such as a food pantry, homeless shelter or feeding center. For each whole deer contributed to Share the Harvest, the Conservation Federation reimburses local processors at a rate established each year.
Because of limited financial resources, the Conservation Federation in 2007 was forced to place a cap on the total number of deer Share the Harvest can accept annually. Once an individual processor’s cap has been reached, the processor must turn away potential contributions of deer.
During his stops today, Gov. Nixon announced that the Missouri Department of Economic Development has approved Share the Harvest for about $200,000 in Neighborhood Assistance Program economic incentives. The Neighborhood Assistance Program provides these incentives to support the work of non-profit organizations in endangered or underserved communities.
Conservation Federation officials project that with these additional resources, they will be able to generate sufficient private contributions to expand the number of Share the Harvest processors from 125 last season to 135 over the next three years; boost the number of deer processed from 4,729 to 8,169; and increase the pounds of venison distributed from 265,138 to 457,464.
“Each year, I am amazed by the generosity of Missouri hunters, and I’m thrilled that we’ll be able to expand Share the Harvest in the years to come,” said Dave Murphy, executive director of the Conservation Federation of Missouri. “Gov. Nixon’s support of Share the Harvest means we will be able to accept more deer and deliver that meat to families in need in every corner of the state. Share the Harvest is a win for hunters, the environment, and those in need. The hunting and conservation community thanks Gov. Nixon for his leadership and support.”
“Extending a helping hand to Missourians in need and in poverty – in both urban and rural areas – is what the Neighborhood Assistance Program is all about,” Gov. Nixon said. “I’m pleased we are able to make these resources available, and I look forward to working with the Conservation Federation and the Missouri Department of Conservation to help Share the Harvest grow even more in the years to come.”
The 2009 Missouri firearms deer season opens Saturday. A complete list of participating meat processors is available on the Missouri state Web site. Missourians can simply point their browsers to www.mo.gov and search for “Share the Harvest.”
View more information about Share the Harvest
To view this news release on the Governor’s website click here.
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Truly fix Missouri’s broken health care
When talking about the health care reform debate in Washington, D.C., U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Springfield, said: “Missourians want to keep what works and fix what is broken.”
Missouri Democrats could not agree more. Unfortunately, Mr. Blunt and Republicans in Congress really aren’t committed to fixing our broken health insurance system. In their recently released health care plan, nothing prohibits insurance companies from denying people coverage because of pre-existing conditions or serious illnesses.
Additionally, by all indications, the GOP proposal will increase premiums and undermine employer-provided health care. According to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office, a non-partisan organization, one of the proposals in the package would increase premiums for 80 percent of small businesses.
While Democrats are proposing real changes, Republicans are looking out for their friends in the insurance industry. Mr. Blunt has received nearly $580,000 over the course of his congressional career from insurance industry insiders. This health care plan is another example of Mr. Blunt putting corporate special interests before the people of Missouri.
Craig Hosmer — Jefferson City
Chairman, Missouri Democratic Party
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We did it. With House passage of health reform last weekend, we took a huge step toward providing affordable options to those without insurance, providing greater security for those who are already covered, and reducing costs for families and small businesses.
There have been many attempts in the last nearly 100 years, but Saturday’s vote was the first time a chamber of Congress succeeded in passing comprehensive health reform. As President Obama wrote after the vote, “This is history.”
But now we need to keep the pressure on — and one of the best ways to show our support is to fill local newspapers across the country with letters about why we need reform now.
Take a few minutes to write a letter to the editor in support of health reform.
Your letter can tell a personal story about why health reform matters to you and your family, or explain how important it is that our representatives stand with their constituents and not the special interests.
After the House vote, there are three big steps left, and it’s going to be a fight the whole way. Soon, the Senate will vote on its version of the bill, then there will be a round of negotiations to combine the two versions, and finally, each chamber will take a final vote.
It’s going to be an uphill battle, but my experiences as governor have taught me that moments like this weekend’s vote serve to motivate and spark action. When one chamber takes the first step, it encourages the other to quickly follow suit.
This is among the most critical issues facing our country today. I’m sure that years from now, we’ll all look back on this as one of the most important fights of our life.
Let’s make sure we give everything we can to keep the pressure on and win this thing:
http://my.democrats.org/HouseLTE
Sincerely,
Governor Tim Kaine
Chairman
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News from
Senator Claire McCaskill
For Immediate Release November 4, 2009
Strengthening Medicare Through Health Care Reform
A column by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill
Thousands of Missouri seniors, like my mother Betty Anne, rely on Medicare for their health care. However, if Medicare remains on the same course as it is today, it will run out of money by 2017 and seniors may be without coverage.
Additionally, without adequate reforms, Medicare is on track to cut payments to physicians by as much as 21 percent starting next year, which may cause some doctors to drop Medicare patients.
By rooting out more than $400 billion in identified waste, fraud, and inefficiencies, we can make sure Medicare remains solvent for years to come, ensure doctors are paid fairly so that seniors can keep their doctors, and not cut benefits for seniors.
Let me say that again – no Medicare benefits would be cut through these reforms.
Now I know that’s not what we’ve been hearing from recent advertisements and in these new “reports”.
I’ll let you in on a little secret. Those advertisements and “reports” are all coming from the same group – the health insurance industry.
However, despite the billions of dollars being spent to stop health insurance reform, the truth is starting to catch up. Just last month, a tax firm that prepared a recent “report” admitted that they were asked to provide skewed, cherry-picked information.
Ultimately, the assertion that reforms to Medicare would result in cuts is simply not true. The AARP has emphasized that there are no cuts to Medicare in the reform bills and that reform is critical to improving and maintaining Medicare benefits for seniors.
In fact, the most recent version of health insurance reform legislation in the U.S. Senate includes a package of new benefits.
Reforms would protect spouses from being forced to meet poverty requirements in order to access Medicaid home and community-based programs.
Medicare beneficiaries would be newly eligible for free preventative care services, like mammograms and colonoscopy screenings without deductibles, copayments and other cost-sharing fees.
Reform would reduce by as much as 50 percent the gap in prescription drug coverage. Seniors are currently paying an average of $4,080 per year because of the Medicare Part D “donut hole” coverage gap.
Further, by making current programs like the privately-managed Medicare Advantage program more efficient, Medicare could save more that $100 billion over the next ten years.
Medicare Advantage costs on average 14 percent more than traditional Medicare, despite no evidence that care under the program is superior. And although only some beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage, all Medicare beneficiaries subsidize that extra cost. It is important to level the playing field and ensure efficiency, as well as excellence, in both the government and private programs.
And we’ve all seen the television advertisements for medical devices subsidized by Medicare, like motorized scooters, which highlight the commercial profit to be made from Medicare payments. While scooters cost suppliers $1,048, Medicare is charged as much as $4,018.
With many opportunities to improve efficiency and root out waste in Medicare as a part of health insurance reform, seniors can enjoy improved benefits and continue seeing the doctors of their choice.
And the best part is that through common-sense reforms, this effective health care coverage will be available to future generations of seniors.
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For Immediate Release: Treasurer’s Contact
November 3, 2009 Jon Galloway
(573) 418-2923
jon.galloway@treasurer.mo.gov
Treasurer Zweifel Warns of Phishing Scam
Treasurer reminds Missourians they should never pay for Unclaimed Property
JEFFERSON CITY – State Treasurer Clint Zweifel’s office learned yesterday of a phishing scam where a person or group was posing as an assistant to the State Treasurer, and was attempting to obtain personal information in the form of a fraudulent e-mail concerning unclaimed property. The e-mail indicated the recipient may have unclaimed property and then asked for personal information.
“Missourians should know that no unsolicited e-mails from my office regarding unclaimed property are ever sent out, and that my office never charges to return unclaimed property,” Treasurer Zweifel said. “Additionally, the Office of Administration has confirmed that no personal data my office maintains has been compromised.”
Treasurer Zweifel said his office worked closely with the Office of Administration to notify the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Multi State Information Sharing and Analysis Center about the scam. His office also worked to notify the Federal Trade Commission and others about the scam so the phishing e-mails would begin to be reject automatically by e-mail providers. An alert has been posted on ShowMeMoney.com, and anyone with questions or concerns regarding Missouri unclaimed property should not hesitate to call Treasurer Zweifel’s office at (573) 751-0123 or visit his official Web site at www.treasurer.mo.gov.
“My office will continue to investigate the situation and will work with the proper authorities,” Treasurer Zweifel said. “We know our system is secure and protecting the private data it holds, but we want Missourians to be aware these scams are out there. If they receive a suspicious e-mail, they can call my office directly to ensure they are talking to us.”
Citizens can learn more about phishing scams and how to protect themselves by visiting the state’s cyber security site, Microsoft’s online safety site and the Federal Trade Commission’s site. Suspected phishing scams may also be reported to one of the following sites: www.antiphishing.org, www.us-cert.gov and www.ftc.gov/spam.
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Jon Galloway
Office of State Treasurer Clint Zweifel
Director of Communications &
Policy Assistant
Missouri State Capitol, Room 229
P.O. Box 210
Jefferson City, Missouri 65102
(573) 418-2923 (cell)
(573) 751-7595 (office)
(573) 751-9443 (fax)
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As we approach the one-year anniversary of my election as Governor, I wanted to take a moment to say “Thank You” yet again. It is a tremendous honor to serve the people of our great state. We are facing unprecedented economic challenges, but we have not wavered from the values we share.
Times are tough. Too many families are struggling to make ends meet, and unemployment remains unacceptably high. But know this: We are making progress. With your help, we’ve begun to set the stage for Missouri’s economic rebound, and I believe the Show-Me State is well positioned to lead the national economic recovery and resurgence.
As Missouri families tighten their belts and make tough choices, state government must do the same. I am committed to keeping taxes low and getting the most out of every dollar.
The national economic downturn has had a dramatic impact on the state’s budget. State revenue has fallen to about 10 percent below this time last year. But while these numbers pose real challenges, they didn’t take us by surprise. Over the past year, we took an aggressive — and fiscally conservative — approach to managing our budget. We trimmed the budget early, reducing the overall size of our state workforce by about 1,700 positions. We shrank programs where necessary. And as a result, we’ve protected our top priorities of jobs, education and health care, and we’ve avoided the dire situations now playing out in other states.
Because of our bold actions, Missouri is gaining attention and respect from national economic experts. Just a few weeks ago, Fitch Ratings affirmed Missouri’s excellent triple-A bond rating. That makes us one of only seven states — and the only state in the Midwest — to achieve triple-A status from all three rating firms.
In addition to balancing the budget while keeping taxes low, we have made strategic investments in creating jobs. During the last legislative session, I passed a comprehensive jobs bill that gave us better tools to recruit businesses. We created a small-business loan program to help emerging businesses grow. And we eliminated the franchise tax on more than 16,000 small businesses. These efforts are already beginning to pay off.
While we aggressively pursue new businesses and new investment, we can’t forget the businesses that are already here. We want to reward and protect companies with deep roots in Missouri that also have the potential to grow and create jobs. That’s what my new Missouri First initiative is all about. When the General Assembly returns in January, we will put forward a detailed legislative package to help existing Missouri businesses grow — and create the jobs of tomorrow.
We also worked to ensure that Missouri workers have the skills necessary to compete in the 21st-century economy. As a first step, we worked to keep Missouri state colleges and universities affordable by freezing tuition. We also established the Caring for Missourians program which helps Missouri’s colleges and universities train Missourians to meet the critical need for trained health care professionals. And earlier this year, put more than 7,000 youths to work in high-tech, green and other industries through an innovative summer employment program.
This responsible approach — keeping taxes low, balancing the budget, investing strategically in job creation — will help turn this economy around. There is still much work to be done, but we are positioning Missouri to lead the national economic recovery and resurgence.
None of this would have been possible without your support, so once again, thank you. It is truly an honor to serve Missouri as your Governor.
Sincerely,
Governor Jay Nixon
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