Sen. Wayne Wallingford faces challenge from Democrat Donnie Owens in low-key race

State Sen. Wayne Wallingford and Democratic challenger Donnie Owens of Marquand, Missouri, agree on one thing: They oppose constitutional Amendment 3 on the November ballot.

The measure would raise cigarette taxes to fund early-childhood education programs. Wallingford and Owens oppose raising tobacco taxes.

Wallingford, a Cape Girardeau Republican who is seeking a second four-year term, said “an excise tax like Amendment 3 singles out one group for a punitive tax, and I do not agree with this approach.”

Donnie Owens

Wallingford and Owens, a school-bus driver and retired truck driver, said the proposed tax would be particularly burdensome for low-income residents, many of whom smoke.

Owens said, “I cannot support another tax on the working poor, the ones this proposal would affect the most.”

Owens said it is the Missouri Legislature’s responsibility to decide on taxes rather than pass off that duty to the voters.

“It is their responsibility, not ours,” he said.

Wallingford said the plan to raise taxes on smokers is just as unacceptable to him as it would be to propose raising taxes on golfers.

He said he also opposes Amendment 3 because it would bypass the legislative appropriations process by putting the spending of the proposed tax revenue in the hands of an unelected board.

Both men are vying to represent Senate District 27, which covers Cape Girardeau, Perry, Madison, Scott, Bollinger and Wayne counties.

Both candidates favor increasing the fuel tax to fund needed repairs and improvements to state roads and bridges. Both men also contend the state needs to cut wasteful spending and allocate the savings to transportation projects.

“I have worked all my life. I know there is government waste that can be cut,” Owens said.

The Madison County Democrat said the money should be spent only on roads and bridges and not “walking/biking trails that are used by a small, select group.”

Wallingford said he prefers to “free up funding” in the state budget to help fund road and bridge projects but “definitely could support a fuel tax increase.”

The Senate race has been a relatively low-key affair, with little campaign spending.

Owens, who also owns a real-estate business, said, “I have not asked for nor have I received any contributions for my campaign.”

He said he has not put up signs, placed ads or mailed any campaign literature to voters.

“I just can’t see buying your office,” he said.

Wallingford said he spent several hundred dollars on campaign T-shirts and magnets. He said he has erected one yard sign, and that one is in his yard.

The lack of campaign spending, however, doesn’t mean there are not political differences between the two candidates.

Owens, who drives a bus for the Fredericktown, Missouri, School District, supports Amendment 2 that would limit campaign contributions. Wallingford opposes the measure.

But Wallingford said “Amendment 2 is far too flawed for me to support.” He said a candidates’ supporters should not be restricted in how much money they give to political campaigns. Such a move would limit people’s freedom of speech, he said.

Wallingford said the measure also would prohibit lawmakers from donating money from their campaigns to other candidates’ campaigns. Wallingford, who has made such donations, said such actions should not be banned.

Owens, an Air Force veteran and Bulgarian-language specialist, favors raising the minimum wage. Wallingford opposes the idea.

Owens wants the Legislature to raise the minimum wage from the current $7,65 an hour to $10 an hour. Owens said Missouri needs “good-paying jobs” that provide a “livable wage.”

Wallingford, who has a human-resources position as the “chief people officer” for McDonald’s of Southeast Missouri, argued such a move would hurt small employers financially and lead to fewer jobs.

“It wasn’t meant to be a living wage,” Wallingford said.

Owens also wants to expand Medicaid coverage. The Republican-dominated Legislature has refused to accept federal money to offer Medicaid insurance coverage to about 300,000 uninsured Missourians as provided for in the federal health-care law.

“The state needs to take the money,” Owens said.

But Wallingford said such a move would saddle the state with huge expenses if federal funding is reduced. He said a better solution would be to make it easier for consumers to compare costs of health-care visits and procedures. Such action could result in reduced prices as a result of competition among health-care providers, he said.

The lack of price transparency is a major issue, he said, adding, “There is almost no correlation between quality and price.”

Owens, who previously ran unsuccessfully for the same state Senate seat 12 years ago, criticized the climate in the state Legislature.

“We have a very partisan legislature,” Owens said.

Owens, who ran unsuccessfully for Madison County presiding commissioner in 2014, described himself as “just an old country boy.”

Wallingford, who has a master’s degree in health-care administration, stressed his business background.

“I do have that business mindset,” he said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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