TERM-LIMITS LAW SPARKS RACES

MARBLE HILL -- Bollinger County Associate Commissioner Rod Jetton may run for state representative of the sprawling 156th District.

Poplar Bluff High School history teacher Tim Slayton of Fairdealing has indicated he will run in 2000 for the state representative seat as a Republican. That would set up a primary race if Jetton runs.

State Rep. Bill Foster, a Butler County Republican who holds the seat, is considering running for the 25th District state Senate seat held by Democrat Jerry Howard of Dexter.

Foster, who was elected to the House seat in a 1993 special election, is being forced out of office by term limits. His term ends in 2000.

Foster said he could legally run again and serve the first six months of 2001, if re-elected. But Foster said he doesn't want to leave in mid-year. "That doesn't make any sense," he said Thursday.

Missourians approved term limits in November 1992. Under the measure, legislators are limited to eight years in the House and eight years in the Senate.

Term limits took effect in 1993. But for those who were already serving in the Legislature, the clock didn't start ticking until they stood for re-election in 1994 or in the case of some senators 1996.

Howard said Thursday he isn't ready to announce his political plans. But he said he doesn't plan to leave the Senate until forced out by term limits in 2004.

Howard has served in the Senate since winning a special election in 1990. He defeated Foster in that election. His four-year term ends in 2000.

State Rep. Marilyn Williams, D-Dudley, has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the Senate seat in 2000. Williams said she is planning to run for re-election to the House, but she wouldn't rule out running for the state Senate. "The possibilities are always open for anything."

Jetton, 31, has yet to officially enter the race for state representative. But the Republican officeholder said he is raising money and testing the political water at Republican gatherings around the 156th District.

The district covers parts of Bollinger, Wayne, Ripley and Butler counties. It extends 110 miles from the Arkansas border to the Marble Hill area. "It is huge,' said Foster. "I have about 30 zip codes in my district."

Jetton, who operates a real estate firm in Marble Hill, was elected to the Bollinger County Commission in 1996. At the time he was the youngest county commissioner in Missouri.

If he runs, Jetton plans to campaign for tax cuts and cuts in state spending.

Missouri's taxes are the 16th highest in the nation, he said. "We are paying and spending more but not getting our money's worth," said Jetton.

State spending has grown 7.3 percent a year since 1992, he said. "We have added 13,000 more state employees since 1992, five times the rate of our population growth," Jetton said.

Slayton, 29, wants to fight gun control and raise teachers' salaries. "I want to see the minimum teacher salary raised from $18,000 to $25,000," he said.

He wants to abolish the property tax and replace it with a state sales tax and some form of revenue sharing for local governments.

Slatyon, who owns a 900-acre hay and cattle farm in Ripley County, said he knows about the plight of farmers. "We have to return to some common-sense decision-making in Jefferson City," he said.

He and Jetton are each looking at raising and spending $40,000 to $50,000 to run for the legislative seat.

Foster, 52, said he would likely have to spend $300,000 to run for the state Senate. The district covers Butler, Dunklin, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Stoddard and Wayne counties.

Foster said he would likely decide this year if he will run for the Senate seat in 2000.

Foster said term limits will force a number of veteran lawmakers out of office in the coming years.

State Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, could run for re-election to the District 27 seat in 2000. But like Howard, he would have to step aside in 2004. Kinder is considering running for attorney general in 2000.

State Rep. Mary Kasten, R-Cape Girardeau, plans to retire at the end of next year.

In 2002, term limits would force out state Reps. David Schwab of Jackson, Mark Richardson of Poplar Bluff and Patrick Naeger of Perryville, all Republicans. Williams, a Democrat, also would be forced out of office that year.

The term-limits requirement is expected to send more than 100 state lawmakers packing in 2002.