RICE SEEKS LIEUTENANT GOVERNORSHIP

Saying he wants to spark a populist movement to deal with the state's social and economic problems, the Rev. Larry Rice of St. Louis announced his candidacy for lieutenant governor of Missouri at a campaign stop Saturday in Cape Girardeau.

Rice, 43, made the announcement at his campaign office at 733 Broadway before a gathering of about 10 supporters.

Rice is director of the New Life Evangelistic Center in St. Louis and a founder of a number of shelters for homeless people in the state, including one in Cape Girardeau.

The Democratic candidate emphasized that he is running a grass-roots campaign. "I am not a professional politician and I don't apologize for it," he said.

He acknowledged he doesn't have the endorsements of Democratic Party leaders in the state. "What you will find is politicians endorse politicians," he said.

Rice said that as lieutenant governor he would encourage volunteer efforts to deal with social problems. "We are not going to solve those problems by throwing money at those problems."

He said he would work to strengthen Missouri's foster care program. "Right now we need over 1,000 foster care parents in the state of Missouri."

He said that as lieutenant governor, he would work to set up job fairs where the unemployed could meet with potential employers.

Rice said he would establish a toll-free hotline to assist citizens in seeking help from state agencies and in dealing with complaints about state services.

The St. Louis minister said the job of lieutenant governor should be that of an ombudsman for the citizens of Missouri. "His job is not just to be a yes man for the governor."

Rice said he is concerned with the poor and the struggling middle class.

Changes are needed in Missouri's tax structure, he said. Ever-increasing sales taxes hurt the poor and the middle class, he said.

"I think the social issues and the economic side of state government go hand in hand," he said. "Economic development is more than just giving big tax abatements to big corporations," he said.

Rice maintained that companies should not be able to use tax abatements and then leave the state once their abatements end.