Nov. 2014: State Rep. District 147: Gary L. Gaines

__Name:__ Gary L. Gaines

__Age:__ 68

__Place of birth:__ Dexter, Missouri

__Spouse's, children's names:__ Wife: Darlene

Son: John

__Education:__ I have three engineering degrees from the University at Rolla. I'm an Army veteran.

__Occupation:__ Engineer and Manager (Now retired)

__Employer:__ Retired: Volunteer at St. Francis and Southeast Hospitals several hours each week.

__Businesses owned, all or part:__

I was one-third owner of a small consulting engineering firm in Dexter several years ago. I worked for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for 25 years and was Director of the Department's Southeast Regional Office at Poplar Bluff for 20 years.

__Public offices held or sought; give dates:__

I served on the Dexter School Board for 12 years in the 80's and 90's when my son was in school there. I served four years as board president. I ran for state representative in the 151st District in 2012. Although I did not make it past the primary, I enjoyed the experience and wanted to try again.

__Website:__ None

__Email:__ piman31416@gmail.com

__Phone:__ 573-803-1443

__Do you support Medicaid expansion? Why or why not?:__

I support Medicaid expansion because it would provide medical insurance to an estimated 300,000 low-income workers in Missouri who presently have no coverage. I don't want the working poor to have to quit their jobs to qualify for medical insurance. I think we are better off if they continue working and we expand Medicaid to help them. Plus, the expansion would greatly help our local hospitals and other medical providers.

__Do you support right-to-work? Why or why not?:__

I oppose the so called "right to work" proposal because it's not about workers' rights. It's just the opposite. It's about higher profits and lower wages. It's about the rich getting richer and the working poor getting poorer. It's about more middle class workers sinking into poverty. It's about a nation of haves and have nots. I want workers to make a decent wage. That's the way it used to be in this country.

__Missouri is the only state without a prescription-drug monitoring database. If elected, would you support legislation establishing one?:__

I have mixed feelings about having a prescription-drug monitoring database. I know prescription drugs are abused and the hope of reducing such abuse is appealing. But it's more government intervention. It's more loss of individual privacy. It's another database that could be hacked by outsiders or abused by insiders. It's more paperwork for the medical profession. I want to see if it's effective in other states before we adopt it.

__How would you continue to support education in Missouri?:__

I believe educating our children is the most important thing we do as a society. If we educate our children well, they will succeed and our country will do well. I would support legislation that helps students, teachers, or parents. I would oppose legislation that took funding from education. I would try to find funding other than gambling for education. Gambling income is not reliable and government should not promote activities that exploit people.

__Closing remarks:__

I have the experience, desire, and time to be a good representative. My experience in the private sector, government, and education has prepared me well. I support women's rights, minority rights, gay rights, and workers rights. And most of all, I want to help people. My past positions and volunteer work have shown me that helping others is more rewarding than anything else. If elected, I will try to help anyone who needs help.