State of Missouri Archives: on Budget & Economy
Austin Petersen:
Favors balanced budget amendment
Our massive debt is harmful to the economy. It hampers job creation and economic growth, and it forces the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates at near zero. It also forces the government to spend about
$250 billion a year of taxpayer money on debt interest alone--money that could go back into the economy, allowing the private sector to create jobs and innovate. We need a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.
Source: 2018 Missouri Senatorial website AustinPetersen.com
Dec 1, 2017
Billy Long:
Put an end to the out of control spending sprees
Our national debt continues to climb, and inflation is running rampant, but the Democrats keep spending trillions of dollars that we do not have. We are burdening our children and our children's children with massive amounts of debt.
We can't tax our way out of this spending problem, we must put an end to the out of control spending sprees.
Source: 2021 Missouri Senate campaign website BillyLong.com
Oct 18, 2021
Bob Holden:
Missouri is and should be fiscally conservative
Missouri remains a low tax, efficiently run state, according to all prominent national rankings. Missouri ranks 40th in the nation in per capita tax burden and 47th in state government expenditures per capita. We are a fiscally conservative state
and will remain so during my administration. We’re only one of a few states that have maintained our Triple-A bond rating from the major rating agencies. More Missourians are working than ever before. Personal income is up.
Source: 2001 State of the State speech in Missouri House Chambers
Jan 30, 2001
Chris Koster:
Invest $2 billion and create up to 40,000 new jobs.
Q: What would you do to increase economic and job growth?Chris Koster: We need to continue to maintain a small and efficient government with a business-friendly regulatory environment and AAA credit rating.
Prioritizing workforce training programs and fully funding education will grow our economy. Finally, expanding health care will allow Missouri to invest nearly $2 billion in federal dollars annually and create up to 40,000 new jobs.
Source: LWV's Vote411.org on 2016 Missouri Gubernatorial Race
Sep 19, 2016
Dave Schatz:
Balance the federal budget, get inflation under control
If we stick to these principles and bring the Missouri Way to our nation's capital, the results will speak for themselves.
- We will have an actual federal budget and it will be balanced.
- We will get inflation under control.
Source: 2022 Missouri Senate campaign website SchatzForSenate.com
Apr 4, 2022
Dave Schatz:
Infrastructure one of the most critical things to invest in
[On spending priorities]: "I believe infrastructure is one of the most critical things you can invest in, from roads and bridges to broadband," Senate President
Pro Tem Dave Schatz told reporters. "We're not sure what the stuff is in the bill where we might have to hold our nose, but these investments would be phenomenal for Missouri because we're going to need it to continue pushing Missouri forward."
Source: The Center Square on 2022 Missouri Senate race
Aug 11, 2021
Eric Greitens:
Government over-regulates, over-spends, & over-reaches
WE DESERVE EXCELLENT GOVERNMENT. When government over-regulates, over taxes, over spends, overreaches--it hurts our businesses, damages our hospitals, injures our middle class, and holds back those struggling
to make it into the middle class. It makes life difficult for our teachers, and it threatens our freedom and our prosperity. We must eliminate burdensome regulations that are destroying jobs right here at home.
Source: 2016 Missouri Governor campaign website EricGreitens.com
Oct 9, 2015
Jason Kander:
Supports federal spending to promote economic growth
Q: On Economy: Support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?Blunt: No
Kander: Yes
Q: On Financial Regulation:
Support the Dodd-Frank Act, which established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and increases regulation of Wall Street corporations and financial institutions?
Blunt: No
Kander: Yes
Q: On Taxes: Increase taxes on corporations and/or high-income individuals to pay for public services?
Blunt: No. Signed Americans for
Tax Reform Pledge to oppose "any and all" tax increases to raise revenue.
Kander: Unclear. As legislator, focused on balancing budget without raising taxes.
Source: CampusElect Voter Guide to 2016 Missouri Senate race
Oct 9, 2016
Jay Nixon:
Missouri has earned its triple-A credit rating
The national recession hit Missouri hard. But after losing jobs back in 2008 and 2009, we turned the corner in 2010, and are poised for job growth this year. We will continue to be aggressive and relentless, fighting every day for every job. And we'll
continue to be aggressive and relentless in making government smarter and more efficient.We've kept our fiscal house in order with prudent financial controls, rigorous cost reductions, and smarter, more efficient government. That's earned Missouri a
Triple-A credit rating--the best you can get--from all three rating agencies. We're one of the few states in the nation that can make that claim. It's a big vote of confidence in our state, and saves taxpayers millions of dollars a year in interest.
Compare that to what's going on in other states. Texas has a $15 billion deficit; Kansas; and Illinois just raised personal and corporate income taxes. Now look at our state. Fiscal responsibility is a value we share here in the Show-Me State.
Source: 2011 Missouri State of the State Address
Jan 19, 2011
Josh Hawley:
Reduced budget via staff reduction and exposing fraud
Hawley is requesting a $25.3 million budget, which is a reduction of about $100,000. He tells the House Budget Committee he wants to eliminate two full-time employees. "So I'm proposing to eliminate FTE's (full-time employees) from the executive
administrative staff, not lawyers, but from the administrative staff one IT (information technology) line and one executive assistant," says Hawley. Hawley also testifies his office has recovered a record $24 million in Medicaid fraud in 2017.
Source: MissouriNet on 2018 Missouri Senate race
Jan 30, 2018
Lester Turilli:
Only market-led recovery leads to long-term economic growth
Q: Your comments on the statement, "Stimulus better than market-led recovery"? A: Ultimately, only market led recovery will result in long-term economic growth. Stimulus is only a good short-term tool when it results in immediate job formation.
Small businesses need to be given assurances and strategies for succeeding. We must convince manufacturers to return to domestic production. Creating free and balanced trade will help with this.
Source: Email interview on 2016 Missouri candidacy by OnTheIssues
Apr 25, 2016
Lucas Kunce:
We can create a Marshall Plan for the Midwest
Together, we can stop printing money for Wall Street and start funding our schools. We can create a Marshall Plan for the Midwest to rebuild our forgotten towns and cities. We can fix our roads. We can make our communities safer and our homes
and businesses more energy-efficient. We can address racial inequity by demanding an agenda that puts working people first, and that stops the Washington special interests from calling the shots.
Source: 2021 Missouri Senate campaign website LucasKunce.com
Mar 10, 2021
Lucas Kunce:
Abandon the notion that the market is an untouchable force
Abandon the religion of market mysticism. Market mysticism is the idea that "the market," short for the sum of all commercial interactions, is a sacred, natural, and untouchable force. The idea espoused, disingenuously, by the Chinese Communist
spokesman that humankind can never govern the market, because it is already perfectly ruled by magical laws like self-interest. On the contrary, the Chinese Communist Party has proved brilliant at governing the market in China's national interest.
Source: The American Prospect on 2022 Missouri Senate race
Dec 9, 2020
Lucas Kunce:
Acknowledge policy role in market successes
We need to acknowledge that industries, intellectual property, and universities are assets created by national policies and resources, and that they can be answerable to society. Many of the great inventions and products we enjoy are the product of
direct market interventions. Sometimes through carrots like government funding and incentives, and sometimes through sticks like antitrust actions that crushed monopolies and allowed new businesses and innovations to sprout from garages and flourish.
Source: The American Prospect on 2022 Missouri Senate race
Dec 9, 2020
Mike Parson:
Supports economic growth with accountability on taxes
Mike has worked hard to pursue policies that will help promote economic growth and protect Missouri taxpayers. He led the way on the Right to Farm effort, helping to protect Missouri's number one industry--agriculture--
from out-of-state interest groups. He also supported 2014's landmark tax cut legislation, the first across-the-board tax cut in nine decades.
Source: 2018 Missouri Gubernatorial campaign website MikeParson.com
Sep 18, 2018
Mike Parson:
Near completion on work on 75% of state's bridges
We are incredibly proud of the progress that has been made thanks to Focus on Bridges. This program set out to repair or replace 250 bridges across the state. We are now nearing completion of 75% of those bridges, and this program's success has allowed
us to leverage hundreds of millions of dollars in additional infrastructure investments in every region of the state. We are proposing $75 million dollars to continue our Transportation Cost-Share program for road and bridge projects.
Source: 2022 State of the State Address to the Missouri legislature
Jan 19, 2022
Nicole Galloway:
As auditor uncovered $350 million in waste
As Missouri's State Auditor, I've been the taxpayers independent watchdog. I have uncovered $350 million in wasted or stolen taxpayer money--and my audits led to
40 criminal counts against corrupt public officials. Just imagine if all of that money went to making health care more affordable or public schools stronger.
Source: 2020 Missouri Governor campaign website NicoleGalloway.com
Jan 21, 2020
Peter Kinder:
Make Missouri competitive again, by cutting spending
Peter is running for Governor with a common sense agenda to unify our state and grow liberty and opportunity. We must make Missouri competitive again so that people want to move here, stay here, and create jobs. That is what Governor Peter Kinder
intends to do.WHAT PETER WILL DO, IF ELECTED: Enhance Missouri's Economic Standing. Creating a job friendly environment through Right to Work and comprehensive tax reform is the ONLY way for government to grow jobs.
Using the models of Texas, Florida and Wisconsin, Missouri will become a contender.
Clean Up Government. Through comprehensive ethics reform we can create greater transparency and accountability in our state and its government.
Peter has a history of cutting spending and returning unused budgets, this mentality will extend to every facet of government.
Source: 2016 Missouri Gubernatorial campaign website PeterKinder.com
Dec 10, 2015
Robin Carnahan:
TARP financial bailout let banks run wild
"I've been in Jefferson City while Congressman Blunt has been in Washington," she said. "To me, if you put somebody in charge of something for 14 years and they don't get the job done, you fire that person."Carnahan took some positions to
Blunt's right: Promising to ban spending earmarks, for example, and criticizing the financial bailout known as TARP. "Congressman, you were there to let these banks run wild," Carnahan said. "You were there to bail them out with
$700 billion of our money."
Recent reports estimate the actual cost of the TARP program at much less than that,
Blunt pointed out, adding the bipartisan program prevented financial calamity. "It was a plan that worked," he said. "Hopefully, we'll never get in that situation again."
Source: Kansas City Star coverage of 2010 Missouri Senate debate
Oct 14, 2010
Robin Carnahan:
2008 bank bailout helped Wall Street, not ordinary people
Carnahan criticized Blunt for his role in a 2008 bill bailing out troubled financial institutions, suggesting that it demonstrated a willingness to help Wall Street more than ordinary people. "Congressman Blunt time and again is on the side of
Wall Street. He can figure out every rationale to give bailouts to Wall Street, he can say that it was great that it helped our economy--he's said it over and over again," Carnahan said. "But as I travel around our state, it hasn't helped.
Source: Kansas City Star coverage of 2010 Missouri Senate debate
Oct 15, 2010
Robin Carnahan:
2008 bank bailout helped Wall Street, not ordinary people
Carnahan criticized Blunt for his role in a 2008 bill bailing out troubled financial institutions, suggesting that it demonstrated a willingness to help Wall Street more than ordinary people. "Congressman Blunt time and again is on the side of
Wall Street. He can figure out every rationale to give bailouts to Wall Street, he can say that it was great that it helped our economy--he's said it over and over again," Carnahan said. "But as I travel around our state, it hasn't helped.
It hasn't delivered as promised."Blunt defended the financial legislation, noting that much of the money already has been repaid. He contrasted the bailout with the 2009 federal stimulus package, which Blunt described as a "huge mistake"
and a "huge waste of money." Blunt said the stimulus is not helping the economy. "It didn't have the impact on the economy that the president promised, and we should have known from day one that it wouldn't have," Blunt said.
Source: Associated Press coverage of 2010 Missouri Senate debate
Oct 15, 2010
Roy Blunt:
TARP was a plan that worked
"I've been in Jefferson City while Congressman Blunt has been in Washington," she said. "To me, if you put somebody in charge of something for 14 years and they don't get the job done, you fire that person."Carnahan took some positions to
Blunt's right: Promising to ban spending earmarks, for example, and criticizing the financial bailout known as TARP. "Congressman, you were there to let these banks run wild," Carnahan said. "You were there to bail them out with
$700 billion of our money."
Recent reports estimate the actual cost of the TARP program at much less than that,
Blunt pointed out, adding the bipartisan program prevented financial calamity. "It was a plan that worked," he said. "Hopefully, we'll never get in that situation again."
Source: Kansas City Star coverage of 2010 Missouri Senate debate
Oct 14, 2010
Roy Blunt:
Bailout ok; stimulus package a huge mistake
Carnahan criticized Blunt for his role in a 2008 bill bailing out troubled financial institutions, suggesting that it demonstrated a willingness to help Wall Street more than ordinary people. "Congressman Blunt time and again is on the side of
Wall Street. He can figure out every rationale to give bailouts to Wall Street, he can say that it was great that it helped our economy--he's said it over and over again," Carnahan said. "But as I travel around our state, it hasn't helped.
Source: Kansas City Star coverage of 2010 Missouri Senate debate
Oct 15, 2010
Roy Blunt:
Bailout ok; stimulus package a huge mistake
Carnahan criticized Blunt for his role in a 2008 bill bailing out troubled financial institutions, suggesting that it demonstrated a willingness to help Wall Street more than ordinary people. "Congressman Blunt time and again is on the side of
Wall Street. He can figure out every rationale to give bailouts to Wall Street, he can say that it was great that it helped our economy--he's said it over and over again," Carnahan said. "But as I travel around our state, it hasn't helped.
It hasn't delivered as promised."Blunt defended the financial legislation, noting that much of the money already has been repaid. He contrasted the bailout with the 2009 federal stimulus package, which Blunt described as a "huge mistake"
and a "huge waste of money." Blunt said the stimulus is not helping the economy. "It didn't have the impact on the economy that the president promised, and we should have known from day one that it wouldn't have," Blunt said.
Source: Associated Press coverage of 2010 Missouri Senate debate
Oct 15, 2010
Roy Blunt:
Weak economy has left far too many Missourians behind
Q: What would you do to support economic and job growth?Roy Blunt: Families are tired of struggling with stagnant wages, a broken health care system and a weak economy that has left far too many Missourians behind.
Expanding American energy, making college more affordable, increasing manufacturing, cutting red tape and enhancing infrastructure will create better jobs and more opportunities for hard-working Missouri families.
Source: LWV's Vote411.org on 2016 Missouri Senate Race
Sep 19, 2016
Scott Sifton:
Economic growth requires investments in infrastructure
Asked what he would focus on during his campaign, Sifton said: "Ending this pandemic and healing the economic damage to families has to be our top priority. But it has to be done with an eye toward long-term inclusive economic
growth. "That means harnessing jobs and opportunity and making investments in infrastructure," he said. "It's also important that we protect Social Security and Medicare and address climate change."
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch on 2022 Missouri Senate race
Feb 8, 2021
Vicky Hartzler:
Co-sponsored Balanced Budget Amendment, Line-Item Veto
As a strong fiscal conservative, Vicky cosponsored the Balanced Budget Amendment and the Line-Item Veto because she believes the federal government should have to live within its means like Missouri families.
She has led the fight to protect American jobs by working to expand markets for American products, including Missouri agricultural products, and has worked to expand broadband in rural and underserved communities.
Source: 2021 Missouri Senate campaign website VickyHartzler.com
Jul 9, 2021
Bill Eigel:
Cap spending immediately, reduce each year
Reign In Out of Control Spending in Jefferson City: Missouri's budget has grown from $20 billion in 2010 to $49 billion in 2022. We must restore fiscal conservatism. Eigel supports capping spending immediately at current levels and reducing spending
each year to bring down reliance on Washington DC and waste in Jefferson City. This overdue restraint will produce significant revenue surpluses that will be used to fund the elimination of personal property and income taxes in the Show Me State.
Source: 2024 Missouri Gubernatorial campaign website BillEigel.com
May 24, 2023
Jay Ashcroft:
Current state budget unsustainable, would cut in half
He said the state's current budget--$56 billion--is "unsustainable," and that he hopes to return to a number similar to the one Missouri had in 2016, when the budget was $27 billion.
As for what a smaller government looks like in his eyes, Ashcroft said he's an advocate of local control in most cases, specifically in education.
Source: KMOX 1120 AM on 2024 Missouri Gubernatorial race
Apr 14, 2023
Bill Eigel:
Cut spending to allow eliminating income tax
I am the ONLY candidate who will eliminate personal property tax and income tax. You should not have to pay "rent" to the government every December
1st for the "crime" of just owning a car in the form of a personal property tax. 29 other states have already gotten rid of personal property tax, Missouri is going to be the 30th.
My plan is to cut the necessary spending at the state level and backfill the local areas to keep them whole. The local areas won't lose a dime. I have been advocating for eliminating the income tax for years.
My copycat opponents recently decided to come around to my position just in time for campaign season. As a Senator, I actually passed the largest single year state income tax cut in Missouri history (HB 2540).
Source: Ballotpedia Candidate Connection:2024 Missouri Governor race
Aug 8, 2024
Karla May:
Served on House Budget Committee and at National Conference
Before being elected to the Missouri Senate, Sen. May served as state representative for the 84th District in the Missouri House of Representatives. First elected in 2010, she served eight years in the Missouri House. As a state representative, she
served on the Budget and Transportation committees. She was also the ranking minority member of both the Subcommittee on Appropriations--Public Safety, Corrections, Transportation and Revenue and the Special Committee on Employment. She formerly served
as the vice chair of the Missouri General Assembly's Black Legislative Caucus; treasurer of the bipartisan Missouri Women's Legislative Caucus; and has served as a member of the Budget and Revenue Committee for the National Conference of State
Legislatures. Senator May served as the Region XI chair for the National Black Caucus of State Legislators from 2012-2018, serving IA, KS, MO and NE, formerly serving on the Executive Committee as chaplain and currently serving as an at-large member.
Source: 2024 Missouri Senate campaign website senate.mo.gov
Aug 8, 2024
Mike Kehoe:
Smaller government equals better government
Our belief is simple: smaller government equals better government. Not because it does less, but because it does what matters. It focuses on its core functions and how to best serve Missourians, without overpromising and without overspending. It means
discipline, not excess. Planning, not wishful spending. And respect for every dollar Missouri families entrust us with. That's the Missouri way. That's what Missourians expect. And that's what they deserve.
Source: 2026 State of the State Address to the Missouri legislature
Jan 13, 2026
Page last updated: Mar 14, 2026