LePage takes on Holden, McCaskill

By Steve Moyer

Nevada Daily Mail

A candidate for Missouri Governor stopped in Nevada Monday on his quest to be on the Democratic ticket after the primary August 3. Jim LePage says that he isn't a typical Democrat and that is why he would be the best Democrat to face the Republican candidate.

"I'm a pro-life Democrat, I'm a professor with a Ph.D. and a licensed CPA," LePage said. "As a professor of education for 40 years I understand the importance of education and the critical need for adequate funding."

LePage served as Cole County Auditor for the past 14 years, performing more than 1,200 audits.

Under his direction, Cole County has been awarded the Excellence in Financial Reporting Certificate for those 14 years.

LePage said that the budget, especially funding for education, is a serious problem for Missouri.

"Education is underfunded by $1 billion. According to the Missouri Constitution, education is to be funded adequately and equitably. In order to fund education equitably it first has to be funded adequately," LePage said. "It may be possible to find half that amount in the budget but for the rest there may need to be an increase in revenues."

Economic growth is the key to budget and financial soundness for Missouri's future according to LePage.

"Missouri needs to capitalize on the opportunities that exist in the biomedical and biomaterials fields," LePage said. "Rural areas need to look to areas that they can be the outsource provider for the larger cities."

LePage said Medicaid and other health care programs must be affordable and available but efficient and free of abuse.

"Missouri's Medicaid program needs reforms in case management including better coordination between patient and provider in order to contain escalating costs."

Health care for children is especially important LePage said. "Health insurance for children in low-income families must be protected and adequately funded because children are the hope of the future. They will either be assets or liabilities to society depending upon how well they are treated as children."

LePage was director of the Missouri Department of Revenue in the Teasdale administration. He is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, having served in Korea during the Korean conflict.

He is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. LePage is a member of the Lion's Club, the Knights of Columbus and is active in several professional and educational groups.

LePage has made 11 trips to Russia and the former Soviet Union states of Central Asia as a volunteer teacher in the Farmer-to-Farmer program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.