TREASURER CANDIDATE HOPES TO APPLY COUNTY MANAGEMENT SKILLS TO STATE

Gary Melton believes he has done a good job managing the money of Christian County in southwest Missouri the last six years and would like to apply his skills to the funds of Missouri as state treasurer.

"If our state and federal government operated like Christian County we would not have the kind of debt we are facing," declared Melton, during a campaign stop in Cape Girardeau this week.

Melton, making his first bid for statewide office, is promoting his experience in managing money in both government and the private sector.

"I am the only candidate for treasurer that has managed millions of dollars for a private company and a government," said Melton.

He is hoping to apply common sense approaches used at the county level and sound business practices to the management of state funds.

"I think government can be operated more efficiently and I want to be a part of that," said Melton, who is facing State Rep. Mark Holloway of Maryland Heights for the Republican nomination for treasurer. "Government can operate efficiently if you have the right people involved."

He worked for 14 years for Frisco Railroad as accounting manager and operations manager, and was elected county treasurer in 1986 and re-elected in 1990.

As treasurer, Melton points out that he has written over $50 million in checks for his county, and has maintained a "rainy day" fund for emergencies. Christian County is the second fastest growing county in the state.

At the end of last year, Melton noted that the county had a building fund with $504,000 in it and carried over $1.4 million in revenue with an interest rate of 6.36 percent.

"I don't think there is any third class county in the state getting that kind of financial management," observed Melton.

Part of his campaign platform calls for abolishing the state lottery director and commission, and putting it under the treasurer. That should reduce the 175 employees and $4 million in annual administrative costs associated with running the lottery, he believes.

Melton is also upset that only 16 percent of the gross lottery revenue is going to education, because he claims citizens were led to believe all lottery profits would be earmarked for education.

Melton also believes the state treasurer should be more active in overseeing the Second Injury Fund of the Division of Workers Compensation, which has become a major issue of the Republican primary races for governor and attorney general.

He points out that state law makes the treasurer custodian of the fund.

On larger claims, Melton said, "the state treasurer should be looking at these claims and forcing them to be litigated. The treasurer should be more involved and deny some of the frivolous claims."

Melton said the fund is controlled too much by attorneys and that settlements have become routine.

"We are not helping a person who is hurt as much as it is helping attorneys," said Melton.

Under Melton's plan, as treasurer he would ask for the authority to hire two to four additional employees to review Second Injury Fund claims. The new staff would cost about $100,000 a year, but could save the state up to $10 million a year.

Melton supports the MOBUCKS program, which provides low interest loans for businesses and farmers if the focus is on helping small businesses to provide jobs.

"We need to take a hard look at the program," said Melton. "Anytime we can create jobs, all areas of government should be ready to help; but we need to focus on jobs that can be created for small business.

"Our government should be managed like a business; businesses should not be looking to the government for handouts."

Melton, 48, a lifelong resident of Southwest Missouri, lives in Ozark. His past community service includes six years on his local school board.

He began looking at the statewide race about two years ago, and then last September announced his candidacy. Incumbent Treasurer Wendell Bailey - who Melton says has done a good job - cannot by law seek a third term.

"I felt the timing was right for me to run this time," he remarked.

Melton said he is confident of winning the primary on Aug. 4 because his opponent has little experience in money management and has not traveled the state campaigning the way he has.

He has been in all but five of the state's 114 counties and points to a wide variety of endorsements by Republican party leaders and political organizations.

Melton noted that he has been endorsed by four of the largest townships in St. Louis, including Holloway's home township group.