In the District 113 campaign for the state House of Representatives, the Republican primary on Aug. 5 features Jason Fulbright of Arnold and Dan Shaul of Imperial. The winner will face Democrat Sean Fauss of Arnold and Constitution Party candidate Donna Ivanovich of Arnold on Nov. 4.
Fulbright, 40, lives at 3443 Tenbrook Road in Arnold, with his wife, Tammy. He is the owner of a real estate development company, Jastam LLC. He is a Ward 1 representative on the Arnold City Council and is mayor pro tem. He has served on the city’s Board of Adjustment and the Farmers Market committee. A graduate of FoxHigh School, he earned an associates degree in business from JeffersonCollege and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from MissouriBaptistUniversity.
Shaul, 45, lives at 925 Falcon Drive in Imperial. He and his wife, Kim, have three children. He is state director of the Missouri Grocers Association and has served on the WindsorSchool District’s Board of Education since 2009. He is involved in Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, school activities and youth sports. He is past chairman of the board for Food Industry Association Executives, is on the Food Marketing Industry Government Relations Committee and the National Grocers Association. He is a graduate of LindberghHigh School and ParksCollege and served in the Air Force from 1987-90.
Shaul lists among his major endorsements the National Rifle Association and Missouri Right to Life.
What role, if any, should the General Assembly take on regulating abortion?
Fulbright: I am pro-life and have been endorsed by the Missouri Right-to-Life PAC. I will not support pro-abortion bills or funding.
Shaul: The General Assembly should have a very strong role in protecting the life of all human beings, both born and unborn. The bill passed this past session increasing the waiting period for an abortion to 72 hours, was a positive move. The focus should be on what we can do limit the number of unwanted pregnancies.
What should be done to address partisan nastiness in the Legislature?
Fulbright: We have adopted a code of ethics and professional behavior for our City Council in Arnold. The state Legislature should do the same. It would be impossible for every representative to agree on every issue, but you have to remember that even if you do not agree with another member’s opinion, they have been elected by their constituents and deserve to treated professionally and with respect.
Shaul: To reduce the partisanship in the General Assembly, one must be able to listen to opposing views and show respect to one another. I have shown thought out my career whether it be serving on the Windsor school board or the Missouri Grocers Association, that I have the skill set to bring people to together and find common ground. I also believe that there needs to be total transparency in state and local government.
What programs or services should be cut to balance the state budget?
Fulbright: One of the programs I co-sponsored in Arnold is a green fleet initiative. Every city vehicle must be best-in-class for fuel economy or a hybrid. This change should result in a two-thirds reduction in our fuel expenses over the next three to five years. Reducing waste and finding ways to be more efficient with our state funds is the key to balancing the budget.
Shaul: We should not use education as a bargaining chip or media sound bite to make one position stronger, as the governor has done recently. Education is one of the steps in turning the economy around. A good and transparent education system will attract new business and create family sustaining jobs in our community. The community benefits from higher demand and higher resale on homes in successful school districts. The first step in ensuring the state has a balanced budget every year is to agree on reasonable state income levels. Furthermore, we need to make sure that each agency is held responsible for fraud waste and abuse of funds. We must remember that these dollars are the taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars.
Explain your position on Medicaid expansion.
Fulbright: Medicaid is a promise made to our citizens and will expand as our population ages. Before we can just expand the number of people in the Medicaid system, we first need to make improvements in availability of care for Medicaid patients. By simply adding people into an already overburdened program you basically give people coverage with no real access to care. If the system can be improved so that costs are controlled and access to care is improved, then we have something to consider.
Shaul: The state must make good sound financial decisions so that we do not place an unneeded burden on our children and their children. The issue that concerns me the most with Medicaid expansion is the long-term effect it will have on the state budget and the ability it will have on the state to offer other services to its residents. Until we have a clear and reliable solution that will serve everyone well, I will not put future generations at financial risk for a short-term gain.
Explain your position on Common Core.
Fulbright: Common Core should be decided by the local school boards and not forced upon schools by federal or state agencies.
Shaul: The original idea behind Common Core of having a baseline for all high school graduates was commendable. However, this is a good example of a good idea spoiled by excessive government intervention. Local school boards should retain control over the school districts and what they teach and how they teach it. I’m also a strong supporter of holding everyone accountable in the education process, from the administration to the teachers to the students themselves and finally the parents as well. All of these segments need to work together to create a successful learning environment.
Why should voters choose you?
Fulbright: My leadership experience in local government combined with my desire to work for and with people makes me the best candidate for our area. I was born and raised here and I will always keep focused on what is best for northern JeffersonCounty. We need good people in Jefferson City fighting for JeffersonCounty.
Shaul: The 113th District is in need of an individual who will be able to draw upon their prior experience and success, to lead this community to better jobs, stronger economy and a reliable education system. It is the sum of the experiences of serving in the Air Force, directing the Missouri Grocery Association and serving on the Windsor school board that have prepared me to be an active part of the solutions to the issues that face this community and this state. I have a proven track record of bring parties together for the greater good and working for a better future.