Missouri House candidates talk
October 28, 2020
Sheila Harris
Scott Cupps, of Shell Knob, and Brenda McKinney, of Seligman, have two things in common. They are both candidates for the Missouri House seat for the 158th District. They are also both very passionate in their desire to create better living conditions for residents of Barry County.
Cupps, the incumbent, was voted in during a special election held November 5, 2019, after the seat was vacated by Scott Fitzpatrick, who was appointed to the State Treasurer position in January of the same year.
McKinney, a native of St. Louis, prospectively brings to the office experience in the corporate retail world.
“I have a lot of experience with budgets,” she said, “with reading them and creating them.
“Good governance,” she said, “starts at home. I want to make a difference right here in southwest Missouri where I live.”
McKinney’s three priorities for the office are jobs for area residents, education and healthcare.
“Voters voted for Medicaid expansion in the last election,” she said. “Now we need to get it implemented.
“We also need to see wages in Barry County that people can support a family on,” she said.
“Education is key,” she continued. “Unfortunately, every time we see a budget cut, it’s cut for higher education. Those from southwest Missouri who do receive a college education, too often, leave southwest Missouri for areas which pay better wages, so the cycle continues.”
Scott Cupps agrees that people often do leave the area after they receive a college education, but he also believes it’s unjustified.
“I know of several people - one person, in particular,” he said, “who leave, then get trapped in a work-cycle in some urban area and end up hating it, but are too proud to come back home.
“Life’s not meant to be lived that way,” he said. “As far as jobs go, we have all kinds of opportunities for employment right here in Barry County for people who are willing to work.
“In fact, we’ve created those job opportunities here by being welcoming to businesses,” he said. “We don’t over-regulate, nor over-tax, like some larger urban areas do, and we’ve seen those looser restrictions pay off in the form of multiple new business start-ups over the years.
“One large city I was in had a sign up that said ‘No Trucks,’ while the city officials complained because they couldn’t attract businesses to the area,” he continued. “You can’t have it both ways. If you want jobs in your area, you can’t make rules that make it an undesirable location for businesses.
“As legislators,” he said, “our job is to create the environment for employment. It’s up to individuals to take responsibility for what they do with those opportunities.”
Cupps has reservations about the implementation of Medicaid expansion.
“I do believe there are people in need of it,” he said, “but I also know there are people who will abuse it. We need to create a system of checks and balances so that those who truly need the medical care do not fall through the cracks if the healthcare facilities become overwhelmed by those who are taking advantage of it.
Cupps agrees with McKinney, though, that the expansion needs to be implemented quickly, since the voters approved it.
Cupps, the incumbent, was voted in during a special election held November 5, 2019, after the seat was vacated by Scott Fitzpatrick, who was appointed to the State Treasurer position in January of the same year.
McKinney, a native of St. Louis, prospectively brings to the office experience in the corporate retail world.
“I have a lot of experience with budgets,” she said, “with reading them and creating them.
“Good governance,” she said, “starts at home. I want to make a difference right here in southwest Missouri where I live.”
McKinney’s three priorities for the office are jobs for area residents, education and healthcare.
“Voters voted for Medicaid expansion in the last election,” she said. “Now we need to get it implemented.
“We also need to see wages in Barry County that people can support a family on,” she said.
“Education is key,” she continued. “Unfortunately, every time we see a budget cut, it’s cut for higher education. Those from southwest Missouri who do receive a college education, too often, leave southwest Missouri for areas which pay better wages, so the cycle continues.”
Scott Cupps agrees that people often do leave the area after they receive a college education, but he also believes it’s unjustified.
“I know of several people - one person, in particular,” he said, “who leave, then get trapped in a work-cycle in some urban area and end up hating it, but are too proud to come back home.
“Life’s not meant to be lived that way,” he said. “As far as jobs go, we have all kinds of opportunities for employment right here in Barry County for people who are willing to work.
“In fact, we’ve created those job opportunities here by being welcoming to businesses,” he said. “We don’t over-regulate, nor over-tax, like some larger urban areas do, and we’ve seen those looser restrictions pay off in the form of multiple new business start-ups over the years.
“One large city I was in had a sign up that said ‘No Trucks,’ while the city officials complained because they couldn’t attract businesses to the area,” he continued. “You can’t have it both ways. If you want jobs in your area, you can’t make rules that make it an undesirable location for businesses.
“As legislators,” he said, “our job is to create the environment for employment. It’s up to individuals to take responsibility for what they do with those opportunities.”
Cupps has reservations about the implementation of Medicaid expansion.
“I do believe there are people in need of it,” he said, “but I also know there are people who will abuse it. We need to create a system of checks and balances so that those who truly need the medical care do not fall through the cracks if the healthcare facilities become overwhelmed by those who are taking advantage of it.
Cupps agrees with McKinney, though, that the expansion needs to be implemented quickly, since the voters approved it.
