District 146 state rep. candidates offer contrasting views

The two candidates for the Missouri state representative District 146 seat have contrasting views on the �Clean Missouri� and medical marijuana measures on the November ballot.

But Republican candidate Barry Hovis and Democratic candidate Gayla Dace support Proposition D, the gas-tax-increase measure on the ballot.

Hovis and Dace detailed their views in emailed responses to a candidates� questionnaire from the Southeast Missourian.

The winner will replace state Rep. Donna Lichtenegger, R-Jackson, who is term limited. The legislative district covers most of Cape Girardeau County, including Jackson.

State representatives are paid an annual salary of $35,915, according to the state manual.

Gayla Dace

Prop D would raise the fuel tax by 10 cents over the next four years to fund the Missouri State Highway Patrol and provide millions of dollars in added revenue for local governments.

It also would free up existing tax dollars that now fund the patrol. Those fuel-tax dollars then can be used by the Missouri Department of Transportation for state road and bridge projects.

Dace, who lives near Oak Ridge, said she favors earmarking tax dollars for the patrol.

She said the measure also is needed to fund transportation projects.

�For Missouri to remain competitive with other states, our infrastructure needs to improve,� Dace said.

Hovis, who lives near Gordonville, said Missouri needs �good, safe roads� for travel and to support businesses, including agriculture.

The two candidates strongly disagree on Amendment 1, the Clean Missouri initiative, which would change the process for redrawing legislative districts.

Hovis opposes it. Dace favors it.

Dace, who is making her first run for public office, said the measure would allow for legislative districts to be drawn more fairly and make legislative races more competitive.

The measure also would change campaign contribution limits, establish limits on lobbyist gifts and a waiting period before retiring lawmakers can become lobbyists, and require legislative records and proceedings to be open to the public.

�Lowering campaign contributions will decrease the likelihood that our lawmakers will be bought,� she said. Opening legislative records will bring more accountability, Dace said.

Hovis said he opposes changing the redistricting process.

�Current redistricting is done on a bipartisan basis with an equal amount of Republicans and Democrats serving on a committee together,� he said.

If the committee can�t reach agreement, the redrawing of legislative districts is placed in the hands of judges, Hovis said.

�The current process has been in place since 1966 and has worked when both Democrats and Republicans were in control,� he said.

Hovis also said he doesn�t want all communication with lawmakers made public. Emails to lawmakers could be subject to public disclosure �and I do not support that,� he said.

There are three measures on the November ballot to legalize medical marijuana, including two constitutional amendments.

All three measures would authorize, tax and regulate medical marijuana to varying degrees.

Dace, a family nurse practitioner, said, �As a health care provider, I feel that if marijuana is to be used as a medicine, then it needs to be regulated as medicine.�

She said she prefers Amendment 3 because it would tax medical marijuana at a higher rate. As a result, more state income could be put toward disease research, she said.

Hovis, a retired Cape Girardeau police officer, opposes the medical marijuana measures.

�Being allowed to smoke marijuana has not shown the benefits outweighing the side effects from its usage,� he said. �Unless I see more scientific data supporting its safe use, I would vote no.�

mbliss@semissourian.com

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