Missouri Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick returns to Politically Speaking to talk with St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum and Jaclyn Driscoll about his bid for a full four-year term.
The Republican statewide officeholder is squaring off against Democrat Vicki Englund in November. Englund's episode of Politically Speaking will be posted later this week.
Here’s what Fitzpatrick had to say on the show:
- He went through some of the highlights of his partial term, including partnering with the Department of Social Services to have unclaimed property used to pay outstanding child support.
- His role in heading up a task force recommending where federal coronavirus funds should go, as well as efforts to make sure that some of that money went directly to county health departments.
- A draft plan to restart the state low-income housing tax credit, which could get final approval later this month. During his last appearance on Politically Speaking, Fitzpatrick talked in depth about his efforts to overhaul the incentive to develop housing for low-income, disabled and elderly Missourians.
- During the primary season, Fitzpatrick spoke out against a ballot initiative expanding the state’s Medicaid program. He explained why he opposed that measure and why he thinks it's not a good policy for the state.
Fitzpatrick served three full terms in the Missouri House, including two years as the chairman of the powerful House Budget Committee. Gov. Mike Parson appointed the Barry County Republican to be treasurer in early 2019 after Eric Schmitt was picked to be attorney general.
Fitzpatrick is a native of Shell Knob, a community about 40 miles from Branson. He started a dock-repair business while he was in high school, a company that grew dramatically while he was in college.
After state Rep. David Sater term-limited out of the House, Fitzpatrick won a Republican primary for his seat – the real contest in the heavily GOP district. He became House Budget chairman in 2017, which gave him a major say over how to craft Missouri’s spending priorities.
Follow Jason Rosenbaum on Twitter: @jrosenbaum
Follow Jaclyn Driscoll on Twitter: @DriscollNPR
Follow Scott Fitzpatrick: @MOTreasurer
Music: “Tell the Truth” by Derek and the Dominos
