State Rep. Kathy Swan, challenger Greg Tlapek differ widely on issues

Republican state Rep. Kathy Swan and Libertarian Party challenger Greg Tlapek differ widely on everything from illegal drugs to the election process itself.

The two Cape Girardeau candidates for the 147th House district disagree on Missouri constitutional Amendment 2 on the November ballot, which would limit campaign contributions. Both oppose Amendment 3 on the ballot, which would raise tobacco taxes to fund early-childhood education, although for different reasons.

Tlapek, a self-employed investor, is no stranger to political races, having run unsuccessfully for Congress in 1994 and 1996, for Cape Girardeau County clerk in 1998 and for Swan’s seat in 2014.

Tlapek, who serves as executive director of the Missouri Libertarian Party, wants to legalize all drugs, including heroin and cocaine. Ending the “war on drugs” would lead to a reduction in crime, he said.

But Swan, seeking her third term in the Nov. 8 election, opposes legalizing illegal drugs. She said such a move would add to the substance-abuse problem, damaging lives and families.

Greg Tlapek

While alcohol is legal, Swan said there is “a strong argument against legalizing more addictive substances.”

Tlapek wants to change the process for electing members of the state House to make it easier for third parties to be represented.

“It is not enough to count every vote. We need to make every vote count,” he said.

He favors “proportional representation” in which voters cast ballots for a party instead of a candidate. Each party would receive a number of seats in the state House based on the percentage of votes garnered by that party, Tlapek said.

Tlapek said many other nations have such a system. He said such a change in Missouri would bring “additional voices to the table who might have some new and different ideas.”

He argued the current system favors incumbents in both parties who often run unopposed.

“It is a one-party system,” he said.

In contrast, Swan favors the current system, in which voters choose candidates.

“I think the system we have works fine,” she said.

Swan supports constitutional Amendment 2, which would limit campaign contributions to state and judicial candidates in Missouri. A person, business or committee could donate a maximum of $2,600 per election.

A candidate’s committee would be prohibited from making direct contributions to another candidate’s political committee, a practice Swan said has “become excessive.”

Swan said the amendment would eliminate large donors unduly influencing candidates and elections.

“I do think we need to clean this up,” she said.

Swan said most constituents who responded to her survey indicated they support campaign-contribution limits.

But Tlapek opposes Amendment 2.

“Although I am entirely unsatisfied with our political process, monkeying with campaign contributions will not fix the problem,” he said.

Tlapek also opposes Amendment 3 because it would raise tobacco taxes.

“I do not support ‘sin taxes,’” he said of the measure.

As a Libertarian, Tlapek said he objects to taxes in general.

“It is just morally wrong to take money from people against their will,” he said.

Swan also plans to vote “no” on Amendment 3.

She said she opposes the measure because it would “impose a tax increase, bypass the normal legislative appropriations process and impose a vague administrative grant program.”

The measure would create a state board to dispense the tax money without any legislative oversight, she said.

For Swan, a major issue is tax credits. Missouri has over 60 tax-credit programs, with total credits amounting to $400 million to $600 million annually, she said.

State lawmakers have no authority over the tax credits, Swan said. She said she wants lawmakers to have some budgetary control and “establish priorities for our state and create a process of checks and balances in coordination with our state budget.”

For Tlapek, a major issue is deregulation of health care. Tlapek said he would remove “every obstacle to health care that the state has erected,” including licensing of doctors and other health providers. Licensing and other government regulations are “driving up the cost of health care,” he said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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