CAPITOL OFFICE

State Capitol201 West Capitol Avenue

Room 308Jefferson City, MO

65101-6806Tele: (573) 751-4039

Todd.Richardson@house.mo.gov

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSETodd Richardson

State RepresentativeDistrict 152

COMMITTEE

Ex-officio member of all committees of the House

DISTRICT ADDRESS

123 South Second StreetPoplar Bluff, MO 63901

Tele: (573) 686-7281

November 5, 2015

Governor Jay Nixon:

As you continue to move forward on your own with a stadium financing plan, it is important to clarify the position of leadership of the Missouri House of Representatives, as well as a broad bipartisan cross-section of our membership. St. Louis is, and should remain, an NFL city. However, regardless of our desire to see the Rams remain in St. Louis, we will oppose any proposal that undermines the authority of the Missouri General Assembly and the will of the people. As both the chairman and the vice chairman of the House Budget Committee have made clear, we will not stand idly by as the people of this state are committed to millions of dollars in debt without proper legislative approval or a public vote.

We find it both confusing and troubling that the General Assembly has been excluded from any conversation involving the commitment of state funds to the financing of a new stadium. We would remind you that the Constitution of Missouri exclusively vests the authority to appropriate money with the legislature. We strongly urge you to consider this before continuing upon any path that seeks to circumvent the people of this state and their elected representatives. While my colleagues and I hold the state’s triple-A credit rating in the highest regard, the consequences of forcing the General Assembly to choose between jeopardizing the State’s triple-A credit rating and funding poor public policy with hundreds of millions of dollars of debt payments with no public input will be disastrous.

Historically, both the legislature and the citizens of this state have shown immense support for our NFL franchises. Missouri is very proud of its NFL franchises and has invested more than $350 million dollars in funding for the Jackson County Sports Complex in Kansas City and the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis over the last 25 years. However, this loyal support is now being sorely tested by a process that has been conducted in secret, even as we continue to pay debt service on the Edward Jones Dome for the next six years.

It is time for public debate upon this issue. This debate is not about the cultural or civic significance that the NFL brings. This debate is about the commitment of hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ dollars and decades of debt obligations by the state. Such a commitment cannot and should not be taken lightly; nor should it be made behind closed doors and out of the public’s eye.

We call upon you to begin operating in good faith with the legislature and the people of Missouri. For the sake of the citizens of the state of Missouri, your fans, and your customers, we invite you, Rams ownership, and the National Football League to work with the General Assembly, just as you have in the past.

The St. Louis Rams have become an integral part of Missouri’s sports history and community. We are a diverse state, comprised of two major metropolitan areas, millions of acres of rural communities, and a great level of enthusiasm for all of our professional and collegiate sports teams. We are a state that respects the rule of law, and are known for our healthy ‘Show-Me’ skepticism. With that in mind, the time has come for an open and transparent dialogue regarding the future of Missouri’s professional sports landscape, and Missourians will not place their full faith and credit in any process that commits taxpayer financing while failing to respect our Constitution and the rule of law.

Sincerely,

Todd RichardsonDistrict 152

Allen AndrewsDistrict 1

J. EgglestonDistrict 2

Nate WalkerDistrict 3

Craig RedmonDistrict 4

Lindell ShumakeDistrict 5

Tim RemoleDistrict 6

Mike LairDistrict 7

Jim NeelyDistrict 8

Delus JohnsonDistrict 9

Galen HigdonDistrict 11

Kenneth WilsonDistrict 12

Kevin CorlewDistrict 14

Noel J ShullDistrict 16

Nick KingDistrict 17

Lauren ArthurDistrict 18

Bill E. KiddDistrict 20

Brandon Ellington

District 22

Randy DunnDistrict 23

Jeremy LaFaverDistrict 25

Mike CierpiotDistrict 30

Sheila SolonDistrict 31

Jeanie LauerDistrict 32

Rebecca RoeberDistrict 34

Gary L. CrossDistrict 35

T.J. BerryDistrict 38

Joe Don McGaughDistrict 39

Jim HansenDistrict 40

Randy PietzmanDistrict 41

Bart KormanDistrict 42

Jay HoughtonDistrict 43

Caleb RowdenDistrict 44

Dave MuntzelDistrict 48

Charles BasyeDistrict 47

Travis FitzwaterDistrict 49

Caleb JonesDistrict 50

Dean DohrmanDistrict 51

Nathan BeardDistrict 52

Glen KolkmeyerDistrict 53

Denny HoskinsDistrict 54

Rick BrattinDistrict 55

Jack BondonDistrict 56

Wanda BrownDistrict 57

David WoodDistrict 58

Mike BernskoetterDistrict 59

Jay BarnesDistrict 60

Justin AlfermanDistrict 61

Tom HurstDistrict 62

Bryan SpencerDistrict 63

Robert CornejoDistrict 64

Anne ZerrDistrict 65

Margo McNeilDistrict 69

Sue MeredithDistrict 71

Mary NicholsDistrict 72

Rochelle Walton GrayDistrict 75

Tracy McCreeryDistrict 88

Jeanne KirktonDistrict 91

Genise MontecilloDistrict 92

Cloria BrownDistrict 94

Marsha HaefnerDistrict 95

John McCahertyDistrict 97

Andrew KoenigDistrict 99

Shamed DoganDistrict 98

Don GosenDistrict 101

Kurt BahrDistrict 102

John WiemannDistrict 103

Kirk MathewsDistrict 110

Ben HarrisDistrict 118

Jason ChipmanDistrict 120

Mark ParkinsonDistrict 105

Chrissy SommerDistrict 106

Ron HicksDistrict 107

Justin HillDistrict 108

Paul CurtmanDistrict 109

Shane RodenDistrict 111

Robert VescovoDistrict 112

Dan ShaulDistrict 113

Becky RuthDistrict 114

Dave HinsonDistrict 119

Keith FrederickDistrict 121

Steve LynchDistrict 122

Diane FranklinDistrict 123

Rocky MillerDistrict 124

Warren LoveDistrict 125

Patricia PikeDistrict 126

Mike KelleyDistrict 127

Sue EntlicherDistrict 128

Sandy CrawfordDistrict 129

Jeffrey MessengerDistrict 130

Sonya AndersonDistrict 131

Eric BurlisonDistrict 133

Elijah HaahrDistrict 134

Lincoln HoughDistrict 135

Kevin AustinDistrict 136

Lyndall FrakerDistrict 137

Don PhillipsDistrict 138

Jered TaylorDistrict 139

Lynn MorrisDistrict 140

Tony Dugger

District 141

Robert RossDistrict 142

Jeff PogueDistrict 143

Paul FitzwaterDistrict 144

Shelley KeeneyDistrict 145

Donna LichteneggerDistrict 146

Kathryn SwanDistrict 147

Holly RehderDistrict 148

Don RoneDistrict 149

Andrew McDanielDistrict 150

Tila HubrechtDistrict 151

Steve CooksonDistrict 153

Shawn RhoadsDistrict 154

Lyle RowlandDistrict 155

Jeffery JustusDistrict 156

Mike MoonDistrict 157

Scott FitzpatrickDistrict 158

Bill LantDistrict 159

Bill ReiboldtDistrict 160

Bill WhiteDistrict 161

Charlie DavisDistrict 162

Tom FlaniganDistrict 163