Neosho's Eggs & Issues: talking politics over breakfast

Talking politics at the breakfast table may sound uncouth, but at the Neosho Chamber of Commerce's Eggs & Issues event, breakfast and politics were all that was on the menu.  Local leaders met with the community at Crowder College in Neosho to provide an update on the end of the legislative session in Missouri. Leaders in attendance included Missouri State Senator Jill Carter, State Representatives Dirk Deaton, Cathy Jo Loy, Lane Roberts, and Bob Bromley. During their time at the podium, the lawmakers looked back at the success and shortcomings of this year’s legislative session and provided insight as to what may lay ahead.

One of the major topics this year was state spending as federal COVID relief funding continues to dry up. “This year was the first year, with I would say a couple more years to go, of the state government having to rebalance some things and having to pull back on some areas to make sure we continue to have a balanced budget and maintain fiscal responsibility,” Dirk Deaton, the Chairman of the state’s budget committee said, “But this isn’t anything different than what families have to do around the kitchen table. You have to adjust expenses with income. And that is what we did.” The proposed state budget for the next fiscal year is $50.7 billion, down from 2025’s budget of $51.2 billion.

Meanwhile, State Representative Lane Roberts of Joplin used his time at the podium to highlight the struggle lawmakers face when voting on legislation. “When we go to vote we get a ‘yes’ and a ‘no’ button…every time our fingers hover over those two buttons six million Missourians are at risk. Yet there is no such thing as a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ issue. And we find ourselves frequently, especially with omnibus bills, trying to decide ‘do I like more than I don’t like?’ it is not easy.”

The term limited Roberts went on to implore local residents to pay close attention to local elections to ensure fair and effective representation. “As you look to your next election, be careful who you elect. Because they can do you a lot of good or they can do you a lot of harm.” 

Representative Bob Bromley of Carl Junction highlighted the lesser-known similarities we share. “90% of all people believe pretty much the same things…but even if you believe the same things there are a lot of differences in how you believe you should get there.”

Bromley went on to explain the unique position that state representatives have in that there are 163 people that share the exact same rank yet have different philosophies as to how to best govern. “You vote on a bill up there, and you’re discussing policy, everyone of us has exactly the same vote. There are no high votes or low votes. We all have one vote. And that makes it a very unique situation because when you are lobbying for your own legislation and something your constituents want that doesn’t mean you can just make it happen. It is a very difficult process.”

Freshman lawmaker Cathy Jo Loy of Carthage used her time at the podium to explain her governing principles, “One of the things that I always do when the legislation comes through the house is I ask, ‘is this the role of government?’ and I know maybe we might have done that thing for 30 years or for 10 years and maybe it’s a good thing, maybe it’s a kind thing but is it really the government’s role to do that? And I always try to stick with those principles.”

A lot of local statewide representation is being term limited out this year including Dirk Deaton, Lane Roberts, and Bob Bromley. Despite this, freshman representative Cathy Jo Loy expressed optimism for her freshman lawmaker class, “I have a group of other freshmen and we get together every Wednesday and we pour through the bills and we try to navigate the good things and the bad things and we discuss whether or not that is something they want to vote ‘yes’ on.” 

One of the big successes of the session, in its final hours, was a bill to help save Joplin’s Memorial Hall proposed by Joplin State Representative Lane Roberts. Missouri State Senator Jill Carter said, “Lane asked me to carry the bill [in the senate]. The community in Joplin was really working to save Memorial Hall for the veterans. It was a promise that the veterans made to other veterans that they would save Memorial Hall…it was a passion of our community... It was the third from the last bill read.” That bill ultimately passed and is now on Governor Mike Kehoe’s desk.

Something that all the lawmakers present agreed on was that this session was well oiled, efficient, and got an impressive amount done. 

“This was by far the best session I have ever been involved in. Last year we had a change in leadership in both chambers…there wasn’t the advisory relationship between the chambers, between the leadership, between the leadership and their members. And this year was even better.” said Representative Roberts.

Senator Carter echoed that sentiment saying, “this was the best session, and yet it was kind of predetermined to be one of the worst sessions ever.”