Nixon pledges to competitively bid Mo. fee offices

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Jay Nixon wants to eliminate a political plum Missouri governors have used to reward supporters and competitively bid the state's 183 driver's license fee offices.

The fee offices allow Missourians to renew driver's licenses and motor vehicle registrations without coming to Jefferson City. The fee agents can keep a small fee added to each transaction.

Democratic and Republican governors have rewarded allies with the contracts. But it prompted a federal inquiry in 2006. That same year, Gov. Matt Blunt's administration started competitively bidding new office contracts. So far, 12 fee offices have been awarded by bid.

Nixon said Friday that he plans to expand that to all the state's fee offices. He said doing that is necessary to "end the system of political patronage."