Election Wrap Up

We didn't think we would become passionate about county elections that really won't affect us after we throw our graduation caps into the air in May.

We were wrong.

We thought we were dealt the last choice card when we were told to cover Adair County elections.

Once again, we were wrong.

Without intending to or even realizing it was happening, we became invested in these elections. We have met so many people throughout this process who were nice enough to sit down and answer questions from a couple of college kids. We have learned so much, and we hope some of this learning was passed to you.

The biggest thing we've taken away from this experience is this: You learn, you care. We learned. And now we care. We learned about a hopeful and goal-oriented commissioner candidate, passionate about his county and the people in it, passionate about his home. We learned about an ambitious and determined candidate for associate circuit judge, throwing himself headfirst into the campaign with the hope of bringing more respect to the courtroom. We learned about a talented and diligent judge, who will continue to serve Adair County into her 8th year and beyond. We've learned that the people of Kirksville are compassionate and motivated and have a great love and loyalty for Northeast Missouri.

Our goal in writing this blog was to encourage voters to make a decision based on more than blue or red. It was to vote for the person and not for the party because in a local election, the individual's work ethic and excitement about the job is far more important than the "D" or "R" attached to their name.

We hope that we did our job, but judging from the overall results in Adair County, not just commissioner and judge, but state senate and representative too, we are not sure we did. Adair County voted Republican with the exception of associate circuit judge. We hope these outcomes are an authentic result of researching the candidates and deciding who would serve the county best. We hope.

But our hopes differ from our suspicions and we suspect it is a direct response to the current political climate in which Democrats are, how should we put it, not exactly the favored party. Whatever the reason, we hope last night's winners work hard to represent Adair County and if they don't, we hope that voters will do their homework for the next election cycle.

We'd judge our first blogging experience as fairly successful. We hope we provided you with at least some information that you otherwise wouldn't have known. We hope we encouraged you to vote. Thank you so much to those who have read.

Politically yours,
Kelly and Tracy

The Results Are In!

Now that all precincts in Adair County have reported, we wanted to tell our viewers the results of the election today. 

For Presiding Commissioner

Pickens: 50% WINNER

Harrelson: 44%

Fountain: 5%

Associate Circuit Judge

Kristie Swaim 52% WINNER

Josh Meyer 48%

Proposition A PASSED
Yes 68%
No 32%


Proposition B PASSED
Yes 52%
No 48%

Amendment 1 PASSED
Yes 74%
No 26%

Amendment 2 PASSED
Yes 66%
No 34%

Amendment 3 PASSED
Yes 84%
No 16%

And for those who have been following the State House race between Rebecca McClanahan and Zachary Wyatt, Wyatt won with 60% of the vote. And Brian Munzlinger beat Wes Shoemyer in the State Senate race by a margin of 54-45.

A little more about Josh

We know its election day, but we really wanted to sneak in our thoughts on Josh as we did for Harrelson and Swaim. There’s still time to change who you plan to vote for!

Alright guys, here’s the deal. We were so, so, soooo impressed by Josh. We were even impressed by him at 10am on a Sunday morning after a night of college Halloween parties. That’s saying something.

We’re voting for Josh and so should you. Seriously.

Granted, we don’t know him well and we spent less than an hour with him. But you know how sometimes you just feel comfortable around someone for no reason? You trust their integrity and intelligence almost instantly? That happened. It sounds sappy and unrealistic, but that’s an accurate way to explain it.

It takes guts to run against someone who has been in office for eight years, but he’s doing it. He has young children who he’d probably like to spend more time with, he has a job, he’s involved in the community, but lately he’s spending nine hours a day knocking on doors and asking for votes. That’s dedication. Especially when some people say he has no chance of beating Swaim.

Josh was authentic. He didn’t hide anything from us or adopt a fake facade to talk to us. The interview was conversational and casual. He was honest with us about his feelings about Swaim, and we could tell how strongly he felt about the position. He does not regard her as a compassionate person, and although a judge cannot be overly caring, they must treat those in the courtroom with dignity and respect. Josh made it clear that Swaim simply does not do that. And what’s more, while explaining this to us, he did not insult her as a person. He simply stated his problems with her courtroom demeanor.

We feel that if Josh were elected, he would serve Adair County well and we’re so glad we got to sneak in a last minute interview with him.

On that note, we’re sorry we weren’t able to schedule an interview with Harrelson’s challenger for presiding commissioner, Stanely Pickens. We tried calling, but were never successful in setting up a time to talk.

Anyway, HAPPY ELECTION DAY! It’s like Christmas for us. Check back Wednesday for election results!

Polls open tomorrow! Which way will you vote?

In case you've been living in a cave for the last few months, here's a reminder that election day is TOMORROW, November 2nd. Whether you agree with the nature of politics right now or not, still be sure to get out and vote so that your voice can be heard.

Now, throughout our blogging adventure we have worked diligently to provide both sides of the facts and tell you exactly what you need to know for the election. After spending many hours deciphering all of the political jargon and listening and talking with supporters and opponents on both sides of the issues, we have decided to let our viewers know how we plan on voting tomorrow and why.

Amendment #1: Vote YES

If this amendment passes then assessors in charter counties (in other words, St. Louis County) will have to be elected into office rather than appointed. Why not make assessors be more accountable? If they are elected they will be. 

Amendment #2: Vote YES

This amendment calls for POWs to be exempted for property taxes. The number of those who qualify are small and the cost of it is "minimal" according to the official ballot. After the sacrifice that POWs made for our country, its the least we can do.

Amendment #3: Vote YES

If passed, taxes imposed during the sale or transfer of homes will be eliminated. We have seen nothing but support for the amendment and if double taxation can be prevented then let's do it.

And now come the most debated (and somewhat confusing) topics of the Missouri election....

Proposition A: Vote NO

We understand that having no say on an imposed tax can be difficult to stomach. Everyone who works or lives in Kansas City or St. Louis is affected by this e-tax. However, this tax is a vital component that keeps these cities clean, safe, and protected. Without this tax, many of the services that residents are used to having will be gone. Now, supporters of Prop A argue that they don't advocate the e-tax to go away. They just want voters to have the ability to choose. We agree. BUT if Prop A passes, no other cities in the state will have the option to implement the tax and that is too binding to our liking. If other cities need the tax to fund the necessary services then they should have that option.

Proposition B: Vote NO

This a very tough call. As you can tell by our post from the discussion panel, there are very strong opinions about this proposition. At first we were in favor of the proposition because it appeared to finally do something about puppy mills in Missouri. However, after further look into the literature, it appears that the main problem (the puppy mills) will not be solved through this proposition. In fact, because the new standards that would be set in place would be so strict, legal dog breeding facilities would have to shut down and illegal puppy mills would continue to rise. And let's not forget how many jobs would be lost for both breeders and veterinarians. We feel that the current regulations set in place such as Operation Bark Alert and the Animal Care Facilities Act of 1992 already cover most of what the proposition is set out to do. Obviously puppy mills are a terrible practice and we agree with supporters of Prop B that something needs to take place to shut them down. But this doesn't do it. 

A Last Minute Chat with Josh Meyer

Just 72 hours before the polls opened, Josh Meyer, Independent Candidate for Associate Circuit Judge was nice enough to take time out of his hectic election-day-is-almost-here schedule to meet with us. We sat in his living room and chatted about the campaign—specifically, why he’s running for associate circuit judge against an incumbent that has been in office for 8 years. Here’s what we found out.

Josh in a Nutshell

• Moved to Kirksville at age 2. His Dad was the football coach at Kirksville High School.
• He graduated from Kirksville High School and Truman State University with a biology degree
• Taught special education at Kirksville high school for two years. He also coached football and basketball.
• Graduated from UMKC’s law school
• Now works at Preferred Family Healthcare doing corporate law

Why Josh is Running

“It’s no secret, I’m not real happy with the job [Kristie Swaim] is doing,” said Meyer.  He said he is running because he thinks he can do the job better while treating people with more respect. He doesn’t like the way Swaim treats him, other attorneys and his clients. He said that he has to prep his clients about how they will be treated in the courtroom, and he shouldn’t have to do that. He argued that defendants already know they're in trouble, or they're going through a hard time. Its not the place of the judge to make them feel worse.

Josh also pointed out that much of Swaim's job includes ruling on custody and divorce cases, yet she is not married and does not have children. Josh said Swaim lacks the personal experience that is necessary to make a sensitive and appropriate ruling in these types of cases. Josh, on the other hand, is married with children and has had different jobs and different life experiences and he said he will be able to bring a greater and more understanding perspective to the bench.

Top 3 Things He wants to do for Adair County

• Make defendants more accountable. This will include incorporating private probation, which will occur at no cost to anyone except the defendants.
• Make sure cases that are heard by the Adair County Circuit Judge are brought back and heard in Adair County again.
• Treat everyone with respect, a part of the job he believes Swaim is seriously lacking.

We're sorry this post is so late, but hopefully you can read it before heading to the polls tomorrow. Please, please, please don't forget to vote! Your vote does count, especially in local elections. So, what are you waiting for? Go vote!

Wrap Up on Prop B Discussion Panel

As shown from our live twitter feed, Monday night's discussion panel on Proposition B was filled with emotion and heated debate. We took many notes during the discussion panel and we want our readers to know what we found. 

We would first like to comment on the format of the panel.  There were four representatives for each side of the argument-four who want Prop B to pass and four who want current legislation to stay as it is. Each panelist had up to 7 minutes to speak and since the event got a late start, there was less than an hour left for audience questions to be answered. While the opening statements helped the audience more fully understand each panelist's view on the controversial topic, everyone (including us) began to feel restless when an hour went by without any questions being asked.

We are not going to go through every question and answer that was discussed in the panel because it is all covered on our twitter page @adairalerts. Instead, we want to focus on the overall theme that was presented throughout the two hour discussion.

Main views from the opposition:

• Legislation is already put in place to regulate dog breeding operations in the form of the Animal Care Facilities Act of 1992. Opponents argue that it is actually more thorough than the proposed proposition
• Another way breeders are already held accountable is the through Operation Bark Alert, a toll-free hotline that residents can call with complaints or concerns relating to breeding facilities. 
• Breeders already ready thousands of money on their facilities in order to keep up with current regulations. If the proposition passes, many breeders (and veterinarians) will be out of business. 
• Not one breeding facility, including those in good standing, would be able to comply with all of the regulations set by the proposition
• Proposition B WILL NOT stop unlicensed breeders from continuing their illegal practices

Main views of the supporters

• While the Animal Care Facilities Act helps regulate breeding facilities, it is not enough. Proposition B does not get rid of existing legislation but rather builds on to it. 
• Operation Bark Alert is working. However, it only targets unlicensed breeding facilities. 
• Regulations very similar to those that are in Proposition B have been enacted in other states and have proven to be successful.
• Proposition B was not driven by outside forces like many think. It was put together by a coalition that live and work in Missouri.

The issue of bringing emotion into the discussion was brought up often. Dr Foster, a practicing veterinarian, argued that it is impossible to keep emotion out of it when thousands of peoples' jobs are at stake. Along with this, name calling occurred throughout the debate, even after the moderator asked the panelists to stick to the facts of the proposition. Calling supporters "eco-terrorists" and opponents "supporters of puppy mills" is immature and it does nothing to educate voters about the proposition. 

Another common theme that continued to be brought up was the relationship between the Humane Society and the proposition. Those who opposed the proposition argued that the Humane Society were the main contributors to the proposition. The supporters, however, said that while the Humane Society has been major supporters of Prop B, they were not the main contributors.

So who won the debate? Well, the four panelists who oppose the proposition all had credible backgrounds and first-hand experience with the issue. As a result, they had many stories to back up why they oppose the proposition. The supporting panelists, however, did not have the same credible backgrounds. For example, two out of the four were professors from Truman State University who support the proposition but have no connection to breeding facilities.Therefore, we think that those who oppose the proposition won the debate. They had solid evidence to back up their statements and they made the best case for themselves.

What do you think? Do you support Prop B?

Our thoughts about the interview with Judge Swaim

We realized that after the interview with Harrelson we posted our thoughts about how the interview went. Well then, it’s only fair to do the same for Kristie Swaim.

Kristie has been the associate circuit judge in Adair County for eight years, so she has to be doing something right, right? From our interview, it seems that she is. Kristie was very articulate and had very well thought out responses to the questions we threw her way. The interview was much more formal than our interview with Harrelson. That is, Kristie kept her comments only to those relevant to the interview. We’ve been told in our communication classes that some people are media savvy and some are media virgins. In other words, some people know how to talk to the media; to answer their questions without really answering their questions. Others, however, do not have this expertise. They are new to the media and eager to give any response that comes to mind. Well, Kristie was definitely media savvy.

Kristie was very careful about what she said and her responses sometimes seemed rehearsed. Now, don’t get us wrong… this is not a bad thing. Kristie has been through the campaign process many times and she knows what is appropriate for a judge to say and what is not. Being that blogging is a different form of media (more casual and conversational), and since we are university students, we had hoped she might reveal slightly more. But this simply did not happen. For example, we asked her what she thought about her opponent, Josh Meyer. Her response was that she didn’t have any thoughts about any of her opponents. Well, come on now. We know this isn’t true. There’s not one thought you have of him? We understand why Kristie wouldn’t share, we only wish she had said something along the lines of “I’d prefer not to discuss my opponents.” Her claim that she had “no thoughts” about them sounds rehearsed and artificial. And is probably false.

Judge Swaim is a very nice, respectable woman and she definitely has an objective view in the way that she handles herself (which is great for being a judge). We just would have liked for her to be a bit more candid.  

Come back on Thursday to hear our thoughts on the heated discussion panel that happened last night.

Adair Alerts Updates!

Hello readers! We have been super busy with the local elections interviewing candidates and attending local political events. We hope you have been enjoying all of our coverage so far. Our efforts have even caught the eye of local media! Check out your very own Kelly Fox give an interview to the Truman State news program News 36 at http://news36.truman.edu/play.asp?id=617

Also, for those who live in the Kirksville area, there will be a discussion panel about Proposition B TODAY from 6-8 p.m. in Magruder on the Truman State University campus. The event will be held in room 2001. 

Panelists include: 

• Tim Rickey-American Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals
• Cindy Sprigg-DVM, Cross Point Animal Hospital
• Christine Harker-Professor at Truman State University in the English Department
• Kelly Smith-Missouri Farm Bureau
• Sherri Palmer-Professor at Truman State University in the Psychology Department
• Theckla Triplett-Professional Pet Breeder
• Bob Baker-Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation
• Mindy Patterson-Alliance for Truth

The event is sponsored by the Agricultural Science Department and Collegiate Farm Bureau, who have been giving out literature opposing Prob B to Truman State students. We are happy to see that both sides of the argument will be represented through the panelists. Go to the links provided to learn more information about these groups. We will be there and to report to our readers what we learn. Feel free to join us! We're sure it will be an interesting event.


If you can't make it, check out our twitter @adairalerts! We will be tweeting LIVE from the event!

Check back tomorrow to hear our thoughts on our interview with Judge Swaim and keep checking back this week to see what other interviews we have in store!

In the Courtroom with Kristie

We sat down in the Adair County courtroom with Kristie Swaim, the current Associate Judge of Adair County who is currently running for re-election. We thought we’d share some “abouts” with you, so you can make a more informed decision on November 2!

Judge Swaim answering a question during the interview. Her desk with the Missouri seal can be seen behind her. We had the privilege of conducting the interview in her courtroom at the Adair County Courthouse located on the square in Kirksville, MO. 

About Judge Swaim

It was exactly twenty years ago that Kristie Swaim entered law school at the University of Missouri-Columbia. In law school, she was one of six students chosen to be a teaching assistant, was named to the Board of Advocates and she worked for the Missouri Supreme Court as an assistant editor in the publications department before going into private practice for ten years. This is Swaim’s 8^th year serving as the Associate Circuit Judge in Adair County. Even before her undergraduate education, Swaim knew she wanted to have a career in law and has never lost sight of this goal.

About the Job

Swaim describes the job of Associate Circuit Judge as being very challenging, but also very rewarding. She does legal research and writing for judgments and also spends many lively days in the courtroom.

About the Campaign

Swaim said she has “a lot of great supporters who have been helping me.” She has been doing a lot of door to door canvassing, making many personal contacts and participating in speaking engagements. As an incumbent, Swaim stated that many recognize her and are curious about how the campaign is going.

About her Opponent

Josh Meyer is running as an independent candidate against Swaim for the Associate Circuit Judge position. Swaim recognizes that he has met all the requirements that are included when running for judge including age, residency, and education. Beyond that, she does not have any thoughts about her opponents.

About her Re-Election

Swaim believes voters should re-elect her because her entire adult life has been about the law. She said the most important thing she can do for Adair County is to remain fair and impartial. Swaim assured us that she has no hidden agenda and is not partial to any special interests. She said she is blind to the identity of attorneys, plaintiffs, and defendants. Everyone is equal in her courtroom.

But who else is on the ballot?

As all of our readers know, the two local races that we have been following are that for associate circuit judge and presiding commissioner. The reason we have focused on those two is because it's the only two races that have more than one person running. Now although everyone else is unopposed, we still think that Adair County residents have a right to know who it is they're voting for. So let's go down the ballot and see who all these other people are. 

• Clerk of the Circuit Court-Linda Decker (D)

Decker works on the third floor of the Adair County courthouse. Her office is the place to go for any information you need about the courts. She also helps attorneys who need assistance with court dates. She is running for re-election. 

• Clerk of the County Commission-Sandy Collop (D)

Collop does all of the administration that takes place during an election season, including voter registration and candidate election filing.She is also a member of the salary commission that meets every two years to decide the salaries of elected officials and county employees. She running for her second term.

• Recorder of Deeds-Pat Shoush (R)

Shoush deals with all of the public records including real estate documents. She has been Recorder of Deeds for four years. 

• Prosecuting Attorney-Matt Wilson (D)

Prosecuting Attorney represents the state in criminal cases. That means dealing with everything from DWI cases to arrests. Governor Jay Nixon appointed Mr. Wilson to the office when the former prosecutor, Mark Williams, resigned from the position on March 5th of this year. Wilson will serve as interim prosecutor until the end of the year. He won the democratic nomination for the seat in the August primary when he ran against Arthur Peppard. Because no Republicans are running for the position Wilson is unopposed. 

• Collector of Revenue-David Erwin (D)

Erwin collects taxes from the county residents. He has been an elected official for 12 years in Adair County. He is seeking a fourth term.

• Treasurer-Lori Smith (R)

Smith is in charge of the revenue for the county. She is also a member of the salary commission. She is the incumbent treasurer. 

We would also like to point out that there is a third candidate for presiding commissioner. Along with Harrelson and Pickens, Darin M. Fountain, who is running as a Constitutional party candidate, will be running for the seat as well.   

So hopefully now you will have a better understanding of who it is you're voting for on November 2nd. And if you don't want to vote for them, write-ins are allowed. 

So what do you think of the candidates? Leave a comment below!

Our thoughts about the interview with Harley

After telling our readers about our interview with Harley, we decided that we would also share with you our opinions of it. 
 

The first thing we would like to point out is that Harley doesn't really come off as your typical politician. He looks and acts like any other person on the street. He has no sense of entitlement and he doesn't cloud his message with political clutter. When we walked into his auto shop late Tuesday night it was clear that he had had a long day but he never showed any signs that he wanted get the interview over with quickly. 

Harley didn’t shy away from our questions, nor did he take long in coming up with an answer for any of them. Instead, Harley answered our questions directly. He didn’t beat around the bush as many politicians do. He gave detailed answers to everything we asked him. The only question that seemed to catch him off guard was when we asked him to narrow down why he was running to three main reasons, but we think that would be a hard question for most people to answer.

With every answer he gave, Harley would use his own life examples to demonstrate the need for change. One instance that he did this was when he talked about the need to improve the roads out in the country. He lives near gravel roads so he knows first-hand that attention needs to be given to the streets. This goes for his campaigning techniques as well. Harley made a strong argument that he does not canvass door-to-door because he himself has always found that annoying as an Adair County resident. That's a risky move considering that his opponent has been going around door-to-door but Harley views it as an invasion of privacy so he won't do it.

When asked to give his opinion of Pickens, Harley had generally nice things to say about him as a person. His main concern is that Pickens will not see the job as a full-time commitment because he is already receiving a pension.

As we were driving up to the auto shop, we thought it was a bit strange that Harley, running as a Democrat, had a sign for Zachary Wyatt in the front yard. Wyatt is a Republican running against Rebecca McClanahan for state representative. We quickly learned that Harley’s daughter owns a graphic design business. Their policy is that if you purchase signs from their business, they will be prominently displayed, and it was no different for this Republican candidate. Harley stated that he supports McClanahan, but he does not intend to change his business policy simply to win the election. 

We were impressed with this decision and hope to find out more about the other candidates for commissioner and associate circuit judge in the future.

Keep on reading!

Harley Harrelson: The Facts

Hello, all! Earlier this week we sat down with Harley Harrelson, the Democratic candidate for Presiding Commissioner of Adair County and drilled him about what he would do should he be elected. Here ya go, folks.

The Budget

• Get the budget back on track
• Eliminate wasteful spending

Harrelson owns and operates an auto mechanic shop in Kirksville. He runs his business and handles the revenue in a way that he believes the government should. How’s that? Simple. He doesn’t spend the money until he has it. Harrelson noted that the government tends write a check and then worry about how they will pay for it later. One of his main goals as commissioner will be to get the budget back in line. In order to accomplish this goal, Harrelson will make concerted efforts to cut down on wasteful spending. He believes there is a lot of wasteful spending that occurs in Adair County and that government officials tend to spend rather frivolously. “With me, it’ll be like its my money,” Harrelson said, so he’ll only spend it on cost-effective and sensible purchases.

Jobs

• Create more jobs in Adair County

Some people have told Harrelson that procuring jobs for the community is not in the commissioner’s job description. Harrelson, however, believes this is an important duty, although it occurs indirectly. Harrelson offered the example of a wind farm that is being prepared for construction in Adair County. It will create jobs, and he wants to continue to do just that. Harrelson wants jobs to be readily available for those that want and need them. Additionally, if Truman graduates want to stay in Kirksville after graduation, he would like jobs to be here so that is a possibility.

Roads and Bridges

• Improvement and maintenance

In our interview, Harrelson told us that there have been a lot of issues with the roads due to all the rain we’ve had and also due to a lack of funding. We didn’t know this, but the majority of funding for roads comes from a gas tax. When gas prices increased people cut down on driving or purchased more fuel-efficient cars. As a result, less gasoline was purchased and the funding for the roads was depleted. Harrelson said that the state of Missouri is pushing Adair County to improve their Road and Bridge commission, or it will be dissolved. If that is the case, residents will not be able to drive on country roads because there will be no funding to maintain them. This clearly cannot be allowed to occur and Harrelson will take steps to make our roads drivable.

Emergency response

• Coordinate neighboring fire departments
• Create a list of First Responders that can be called to duty in emergency

As we saw two years ago when a tornado hit Kirksville, natural disasters happen. Harrelson thinks it’s important to be prepared for them. Harrelson stated that the tornado was handled well, but he wonders what would have happened if it hit a mile or two south where the hospital and nursing home are located. Harrelson would like to establish a list of First Responders who could be called in were a disaster or any other emergency to occur. He wants to organize and train First Responders to coordinate evacuation efforts. Harrelson would also like to collaborate with neighboring fire departments to be even further prepared.

Communication

• Public forums
• Clear and open communication

Harrelson believes that the current commissioner does not communicate with the residents of Kirksville nearly as much as he should. Harrelson stated that it is necessary to be open with voters. If elected, Harrelson wants to host open forums in town. At these forums, residents could express any thoughts, ideas, and concerns they may have. Harrelson realizes that no one knows the roads like the people that drive them everyday, and he needs to know their concerns to properly do his job. Harrelson also stated that there are a lot of people with a lot of good ideas, but they usually aren’t heard. Through these forums, they would be heard and he would have the opportunity to establish clear communication pathways with the residents of Adair County.

There you have it, Harley Harrelson on the issues. He has a lot of ideas, but its up to you to vote for who you think is the best candidate. As Harrelson said in our interview, “It shouldn’t matter what party you are. You vote for the best person for the job.”

These are the facts, but check back this weekend to hear our own thoughts and opinions on the interview, Harrelson, and the job of presiding commissioner!

Governor Nixon Takes a Stand on Prop A

For weeks Governor Jay Nixon has stayed silent on whether he supported or opposed Proposition A, an earnings tax initiative that will be on the November ballot. But now Governor Nixon has come out to say that he does NOT support the initiative.  This comes great news for the opponents of the proposition who have many campaign efforts aimed at defeating the initiative. 

Confused by what all of this means? Let's break it down for you.

The earnings tax (often called an "e-tax") is a mandated tax that is implemented on those who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis. Those who are in support of initiative, like Let Voters Decide, argue that the e-tax should only be implemented if voters want it. They also argue that the tax keeps businesses away and, as a result, less jobs are coming in. 


However, for Governor Nixon and groups such as the United for Missouri's Priorities, the tax brings in the necessary funds to provide the day-to-day services that residents receive. Governor Nixon added that the government should  "provide a broad arsenal of options for local governments to fund their services" and stated that the government shouldn't limit those options. 


Now you're probably wondering what this means for you. Well, if the initiative is passed no other cities in the state will be able to enforce the e-tax as a way of funding for cities. It will also mean that the state's two largest cities will be without the revenue used for services such as the police force. While you may think that funding for police in Kansas City and St. Louis won't affect you, lawmakers in Springfield, Mo argue that if "bigger cities can't control crime, it will undoubtedly spill over" into other cities in the state. 


There are pros and cons to this initiative. The tax definitely helps Kansas City and St. Louis fund their services. And supporters of Prop A are quick to point out that they're not advocating to get rid of the tax, but rather to allow voters to decide whether they want it or not.  However, making it so that not other cities cannot enforce the tax is something that we think should be left up to the individual cities. 


What do you think about Prop A? Leave us a comment and tell us what you think!

The Word Around Town

The candidates for district commissioner and associate circuit judge for Adair County have been very active on Truman’s campus during this campaign season. Now, it may be they maintained a strong presence at Truman in the past, but since Adair Alerts is up and running, we are much more in tune with the happenings of the candidates during this election cycle than we have been in the past.

Things we know:

• Harrelson and Swaim attended and socialized at both a meeting and a pasta dinner put on by the College Democrats.
• Josh Meyer spoke at chapter meetings of many Greek organizations.

In both these instances, we have to say we were impressed with the candidates. Why? Because they were able to answer the most basic and (what we believe to be) the most important and fundamental question of running a campaign. What’s more, they answered the question before we even had to ask it.

The question: WHY ARE YOU RUNNING?

Both Meyer and Harrelson told us why they were running without any prompt from us or anyone else. This may seem rather trivial, but many candidates running for much higher offices have been unable to answer this question. It’s encouraging to know that these candidates are not just running for the sake of running. They’re not just running for attention, publicity, power or for some strange ego need. They have thoughtful and legitimate reasons as to why they’re running. They have families here; some have generations of family. They are unsatisfied with current leadership. They are ready to lace their shoes, put their game face on, and get to work for the residents of Adair County. And that’s reassuring, isn’t it?

Not only did these candidates answer our favorite question, they were friendly too. When two college kids they’ve never seen before asked for their contact information, they didn’t look at us strangely or ask why we wanted it (to prank call them, obviously). Instead, they handed out home phone numbers, emails, and told us to call them anytime. They may not know what they’ve gotten themselves into because we’re going to call… and email… and ask questions… a lot of questions.

The point that we are trying to make here is that while people may not be as concerned about politics on a local level, interactions such as these can only come from a local level. We doubt that Robin Carnahan would be giving out her home phone number or tell us how to get into direct contact with her at work (like Swaim and Harrelson did). This is such a vital aspect of voter contact and it can happen most easily with candidates that live right next door. 

So to our readers: take advantage of this opportunity! We think you will find that these people are just like you and I and any questions that you may have concerning Adair County can be answered with just one telephone call.

So, what’s to come: interviews, interviews, interviews. We’re setting up interviews to talk to the candidates right now, and then we’re going to talk to you. We won’t censor anything or make it sound pretty. We’re going to interview these candidates and give it to you like it is. Check back soon!

The Rumor (Puppy) Mill

Hello readers! Hope you all had a fantastic weekend. Today we want to talk about an issue that has been getting a lot of people’s tails in a twist. If you got that corny dog reference, then you know that we are talking about Proposition B. 

Prop B, or the “puppy mill initiative” is an attempt to regulate the large breeding facilities that are plentiful in Missouri. There has been an increase in coverage over Prop B in the recent weeks as those in support and opposition of the initiative are voicing their concerns (Click here to read an article from the student-run newspaper at Truman State University detailing the two sides about Prob B).

Those who are the biggest supporters of the initiative are animal welfare organizations, particularly Missouri for Protection of Dogs, which includes the Humane Society, and the American Society of the Protection of Cruelty to Animals.  Their main objective is to stop the inhumane cruelty of animals. As the President and CEO of the ASPCA stated, the initiative is a "crucial step in combating the horrific cruelty perpetuated by many commercial breeders." 

Now, let's look at those who oppose this initiative. Some of the biggest opponents are The Alliance for Truth, a group started by America's Pet Registry, Inc. that claim that Prob B will eliminate all professional dog breeders. 

It's important to us that readers get both sides of the stories so that they can make their own informed decisions when they cast their ballots. However, we also want to give our opinions on these important decisions. That's what blogs are for, right?

With that said, let's look at a youtube video from America's Pet Registry and see what they have to say. 

So....let's recap what this means.

• Clearly states that America's Pet Registry Inc is against this initiative? Check.
• Clear distaste for the name "puppy mill cruelty act"? Check.
• Clear reasoning as to why voters should vote no? UNCHECK.

We get the part about how you want to warn voters that the term puppy mill cruelty may "inflame," "fool" and "upset" them. And you're quick to point out that you are not in favor of animal abuse. You also say that the government shouldn't be involved with the care of your pets but that's all you say! We would like to know why it's better for this proposition to not go into effect. We're not convinced....

And in regards to the name "puppy mill cruelty act," the dispute was settled after the Missouri Federation of Animal Owners sued Secretary of State Robin Carnahan in May 2010 claiming that the term was misleading to voters. In August 2010 Cole County Circuit Judge Jon Beetum upheld the ballot language and said that the term was fair and accurate. Furthermore, the judge made sure to note that "puppy mill cruelty" was quoted to show that the term was taken from the initiative and not from Carnahan herself. So that argument seems a bit invalid at this point.

Now, we understand that everyone needs to make a living and for some that's running animal operations. But we can't support you if you're not clear about what exactly it is you do and we will NOT support anyone who allows animal cruelty to take place. And if you don't want the initiative to take effect, then tell us something that will convince us that no change needs to be made.

That's our opinion on the issue but we'd love to hear what our readers think! Leave us a comment!

The drama. The mystery. The intrigue. The County Commissioner.

Welp. Here’s the thing. We’ve got a race happening here in Adair County for county commissioner. You’ve probably seen the candidate’s signs when you’re sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic on Baltimore.

Harley Harrelson vs. Stanley Pickens.

County commissioner. Sounds flashy, but what does the county commissioner do? Let’s start with a definition, shall we?

Commissioner: [kuh-mish-uh-ner]

1. a person commissioned to act officially; member of a commission.

There you have it folks. My work here is done. I’ve brought you information more insightful than anything that has come before it. We are electing an individual to act officially (what does that even mean?) and wear a membership badge.

…Okay, so maybe that’s not all.

Before writing this post, we gave our political communication class a survey to find out exactly what people know (or don’t know) about the county commissioner.

______________________________________________________________________________

Question 1:

Do you know what the general duties of County Commissioner consist of? No Yes

If yes, please elaborate.

______________________________________________________________________________

Responses:

• “I think they are in charge of delegating funds for the county or city.”
• “Usually a group of people from different areas who pass city ordinances and whatnot… Legislative House of the city.”
• “Main duty is regarding finances/taxes. Plus many things regarding county.”

And our personal favorite.

o “Turn the light on for the friendly neighborhood Batman.”

Oh, and ten people circled no.

______________________________________________________________________________

Question 2:

Do you know who is running for County Commissioner in Adair County? No Yes

If yes, tell me!

______________________________________________________________________________

Responses:

• “Clark?”
• “Swaim” (Wrong, but while we’re on the subject, Kristie Swaim is running for associate circuit judge against Josh Meyer. Post to come.)

And then we have someone who wrote in his or her own "maybe" and circled it.

• They wrote, “Pickens?” Have some confidence, people!

And the star student of our political communication class:

• “Harrelson and Pickens and I think one other person?”

We’ll just scratch off that last part…

o “Harrelson and Pickens and I think one other person?”

We’ve been working on finding an official description of the county commissioner, but it’s proving to be harder than we thought. Harrelson has a basic explanation of commissioner duties on his website. Here’s what we found.

o Construction and maintenance of public buildings

o Granting licenses

o Fixing the tax levies for the county and having the same collected

o Authorizing payments owed by the county and auditing all officers having control of county monies

o Managing county property and county funds

o Prosecuting and defending all actions for and against the county

o Overseeing the construction and repair of county roads and bridges

That’s a starting point, but we think there’s still a lot we need to know. In the next few weeks, we will to try and meet with Harrelson and Pickens to find out directly from them what a commissioner really does. (Besides act officially, of course.)

After all…

To vote for the right person for the job, we have to know what the job is.

Until then, comment on this post if you have any ideas about the commissioner or anything else related to Adair County!

So what are we voting on anyway?

It has happened to all of us. We go to the polls feeling somewhat educated about most of the candidates on the ballot. After watching countless TV ads and being bombarded by so much literature, you can't help but have a general sense of who is running for each race. You go down the ballot feeling quite confident until you come to the section of ballot proposals.

“Huh?! What is this? What does all this fancy language mean? I didn't know anything about this! If I vote yes, how will this affect me?”

These are just a few of the questions voters have asked when they get to this part of the ballot. But fear no more! We are here to untangle all of this political jargon and tell you exactly what you need to know. Ready? Let’s begin!

First, there are 3 amendments that voters will vote on. If passed, the Missouri Constitution will be modified with these changes. Amendment proposals are put on the ballot only after the majority in the state legislature approves it.

Amendment #1: All you’re voting on with this one is whether county assessors, who are usually appointed, should be voted into office in 3 of the 4 four counties in St. Louis (which are St. Louis, Jefferson, and St. Charles).

Why is this amendment on here? Well, because some believe that assessors will be held more accountable when assessing property if they have to go through the election process.

Amendment #2: The second amendment deals former prisoners of war. The amendment states that disabled POWs should be exempted from property taxes.

Why is this amendment on here? Because it is believed that our military veterans do not receive the help they deserve after serving our country. 

Amendment #3: The last one is about real estate taxes. The amendment proposes that no taxes should be added when property is sold or transferred.

Why is this amendment on here? The idea is that if transfer taxes are prohibited, then there will be no double taxation.

And last but not least are two propositions that met the required number of voter signatures to be placed on the ballot.

Proposition A: with this proposition voters will decide whether they want to decide whether to keep the earnings tax that is currently implemented in St. Louis and Kansas City. What’s an earnings tax you ask? Well basically the state of Missouri takes out 1% of the money earned by people who work or live in the two cities. If approved, voters will decide at the next election whether they want to keep the tax and all other cities in the state will be prohibited from enforcing the earnings tax.

Supporters: Let Voters Decide and The Show-Me Institute                                        

•         They say that voters have the right to decide whether they want this tax or not
•          Many businesses are hesitant to move into these cities because of these taxes, which means less jobs available for the residents
•          It is believed that if the tax was eliminated, over 5,000 would be created

Opponents: city officials in St. Louis and Kansas City

•          Leaders in the two cities argue that the tax is necessary for day-to-day services
•          The tax brings in $200 million a year and loss of that money means a loss of jobs

Proposition B: this amendment is also known as the “puppy mills initiative.” The initiative is an attempt to regulate dog breeding facilities. The proposition asks for breeders to have no more than 50 dogs at a time and to provide them with adequate shelter, food, and veterinary care. If passed, animal cruelty will become a misdemeanor crime.

Supporters: Missourians for Protection of Dogs

• There are over 3,000 puppy mills in the state that inflict harm on these animals
• Dogs should be treated fairly and get the respect they deserve

Opponents: Missouri Farm Family Agricultural Alliance

• The initiative is harmful to the agricultural business
• It is a trick to regulate CAFO’s (concentrated animal farming operations)

So there is a brief outline of what you can expect to vote on in the polls in November. We will be looking more closely at these amendments and propositions as the election gets closer but hopefully this will help you have a greater understanding of what you'll be voting for.