Otto Bean responds to attacks by Johnson at rally

HOLCOMB -- District 163 State Rep. Otto Bean (R-Holcomb) responded Friday to claims leveled by Missouri House Minority Leader Rick Johnson (D-High Ridge) that he has voted against his constituents' interests.

At a Democratic rally held in Dexter last week, Johnson accused Bean and his fellow Republicans in the House of voting to cut health care and education for poor areas in the Bootheel. At the same time, said Johnson, Bean voted to give millions to the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, home of the Rams football team.

"People down here need people who are voting for health care, for jobs, for education, and most importantly they want a straight shooter," Johnson told The Daily Statesman the day of the rally.

But Bean said Johnson is painting a misleading picture about his actions in the General Assembly.

"That was a commitment made by the legislature, and we had to honor that commitment," Black said of the Jones Dome money. "If the legislature didn't honor its commitments, we wouldn't have any credit."

The Missouri General Assembly committed millions to the Edward Jones Dome in the '90s after creating the Convention and Sports Complex Authority in the late '80s to oversee the project. The particular vote Johnson referenced was a line item in a budget bill, said Bean.

Bean admitted that he did vote for reforms in Medicaid in the House, which cut benefits to some people previously receiving them. However, he said those cuts didn't negatively affect his constituents, but benefited them.

"In my area, we have an average income of roughly $23,000," said Bean. "While is the St. Louis area, they have people making $50,000 a year who are on Medicaid. We wanted to make more money available for those local people who really need it, who are really struggling."

Bean also denied voting to cut education funding for local schools. "I have never voted to cut education," he said. "The Republicans in the House voted for more than the governor recommended. We gave more money to education than ever in history."

Early this year, Republicans in the General Assembly and Democratic Gov. Bob Holden were locked in a heated battle over the education funds. Holden withheld over $100 million from education, saying it would be needed to balance the budget Republicans passed.

Republicans, however, claimed increased revenues would be forthcoming and would bring the budget in balance.

The funds were eventually released in April.

Bean's opponent in the November election is Democrat Jeff McCormick.

Matt Sanders may be reached via email at msanders@dailystatesman.com