Letter to the Editor: Fiscal Responsibility Motivated My Vote

 referenced a vote taken in the Missouri House of Representatives that eliminates public funding for the Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life, as well as any other public entities that utilize public funds for political activity. 

Currently the University of Missouri-St. Louis spends $300,000 for the Sue Shear Institute.  It is not a college class and many of their courses are not limited to students who attend UMSL.  By the way, an article in the Kansas City Star reported the University of Missouri system will raise tuition 3 percent on average, will forgo “badly needed” repairs, has a system wide shortage in excess of $47 million dollars, and may eliminate 200 full time jobs.

As your State Representative, I have to make decisions every day that I believe are best for our community as well as the state of Missouri.  A critical question has been forced upon the legislature this year; can we afford to fund a program that only benefits a specific group of citizens – in this case the development of leadership for women? 

Budget items that address the needs of children, citizens in need of medical or living assistance and veterans take precedence when I make these decisions.  There are countless fiscal mandates, including funding K-12 education, that have to be considered through the budgetary and legislative process.

It is offensive when fiscally responsible decisions are twisted to benefit someone else’s agenda.  I too am “sick of all the anti-women rhetoric” that serves no purpose except to mislead the public from the actual truth.  Isn’t it amazing how selective information is freely given?  More times than not, knowing the whole story changes the intended result. 

I didn’t take classes from the Sue Shear Institute to learn about our political system or have them teach me “skills needed in running for office and how to manage campaigns.” Does that make me any less of a leader?  Evidently, even though I am a woman, I managed to figure it out on my own.  And you, the taxpayers didn’t have to pay for it!  Do women want to be treated equally, or don’t they?  We can’t have it both ways ladies!

I’m not against the mission of Sue Shear Institute.  I simply think our universities should NOT use taxpayer dollars to support it.  I intend to earn respect and integrity, as your State Representative. My actions and accomplishments will determine what kind of a leader I become.  Leadership is a quality, which a person acquires through a variety of opportunities and experiences, not a class.

The next time you hear Republicans in the Missouri House of Representatives have voted to exclude women from becoming leaders, or any other nonsense, (i.e.- we don’t support education and/or don’t want to help citizens in need) please consider the source.  The vote taken in the House this week was not about the merits of the Sue Shear Institute for Women.  It was about fiscal responsibility for our state.  That’s why we were elected and why we will continue to make decisions that use YOUR tax dollars in the best possible way. 

Respectfully Submitted,

Representative Marsha Haefner

District 100