Jay Nixon: It’s good to be with you and your online readers today. Let’s have a productive and thoughtful discussion about how we need to change the direction of our state.

Ben Stormo: Jay,

As a college student, I and many of my peers have found it difficult to pay for college without taking out massive amounts of loans. Going to college is, I think, required for young people to be successful. What would you do as governor to help curb the rising costs of education at Mizzou and other schools?

Thanks,


Benjamin Stormo

Jay Nixon: Students like yourself, and families across our state, are feeling squeezed by skyrocketing tuition. For many families, college is simply unaffordable. That’s why I have proposed the Missouri Promise. It’s a plan that builds on our existing A+ Schools Program and creates a pathway to a four-year degree for middle-class students, and allows those students to graduate debt-free. If the student starts at community college, keeps his or her grades up and gives back to the community, the state will cover the cost of tuition for those final two years at a state college or university. Students today are graduating with tens of thousands of dollars of debt. That’s not good for anybody.

Brian R.: Hello Mr. Nixon,
Urban decay and poverty are problems that have been ignored in Missouri for far too long. As governor, what will you do to stimulate positive economic activity and lift people out of homelesness and poverty in north St. Louis and Kansas City? Additionally, how do you plan to address rural poverty?

Jay Nixon: Particularly during these tough economic times, families in both our urban centers and rural regions are struggling to make ends meet. Since October 2007, our state has lost nearly 17,000 jobs and meanwhile gas prices are going through the rough. Turn to turn this economy around and begin creating new jobs, we must start investing in Missouri’s greatest asset – its people. We must hold the line on taxes and provide additional relief to Missourians who need it most. We must invest in worker training programs to ensure that we have a workforce that will attract the jobs of tomorrow. We need to help small businesses grow and expand, and bring down the skyrocketing cost of health care.

Perry Nelson: Mr. Attorney General,

Why did you feel the need to file a seemingly activist (yet last-minute) brief on June 3rd with the California Supreme Court concerning their correct ruling on gay marriage? I'd appreciate knowing your rationale behind this action, especially since this matter has already been decided (locally) by Missouri voters. Thank you.

Jay Nixon: I was raised to believe that marriage is between one man and one woman. The California ruling was reported widely in the news, and it was important to make it clear that this ruling would have no bearing on how we define marriage here in Missouri.

Scott Mason: What are your plans regarding Missouri's license/fee office system? I've heard several approaches to the appointment process. If elected, do you plan to keep the current system in place, convert the offices to state-run facilities or create an open-bid system allowing for anyone to submit a proposal? Thanks.

Jay Nixon: The current system of political patronage must change. Whether we achieve that change through an open bid process, or another avenue, what’s clear is that the status quo is unacceptable. In addition, we must use every available technology to make sure that Missourians can access services in the most efficient and cost-effective way.