Howell County Lincon Days 2023

The Howell County Republican Party held their Lincoln Day event Friday night at the Historic Post Office in downtown West Plains. Dignitaries from the county government and Jefferson City gathered for a night of fundraising and socializing. 

State Representatives David Evans and Travis Smith were on hand to discuss their work this session in the Missouri House of Representatives, including a bill to remove taxes on Social Security income and a budget draft that has been sent to the Senate.

State Senator Karla Eslinger spoke about the over thirty bills the Senate has passed this year, highlighting bills banning medical treatment for transgender minors and requiring sports participation according to biological sex. She mentioned plans to reform the initiative petition process to require measures to be passed both by a majority of the population and in rural areas. 

Representative Evans took the opportunity to present outgoing Howell County Collector Dennis VonAllmen with a resolution honoring his decades of service to the county government and his personal character. 

“Dennis is one of the most respected county officials, maybe of all time,” Evans said. 

Keynote speaker Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick used his time to describe his road to the Auditor’s office. 

“We’re still in a time where a bunch of money is being spent because of COVID,” Fitzpatrick said, “I got into politics because I wanted to focus on how the government spends taxpayer money. There's never been a greater opportunity for money to be wasted or stolen.”

He ended his address describing “ESG,” or “environmental, social, governance.”

“The left have been the loudest,” he concluded. “If you disagree, it's time to start talking with your money.”