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By Terri Gleich
News-Leader
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JEFFERSON CITY -- - One candidate touts himself as a calm, successful businessman. The other is a self-described professional pauper.
Libertarians will choose between J. Mark Oglesby, 44, owner of Accounting Services Inc. in Springfield, and Martin Lindstedt, 38, a political writer and part-time truck driver from Granby, in that party's first gubernatorial primary since it won an automatic place on Missouri's ballot four years ago.
Oglesby has previously run for state representative and said he jumped into the governor's race because the party needs an experienced debater to promote its ideas. "(Libertarians) can't win the race for governor until we win the debates for governor."
If elected, he said, be would work to repeal the state income tax on individuals and the 1993 education tax hike known as Senate Bill 380. He also would end government spending on school desegregation and for the enforcement of drug laws.
Oglesby contends public schools have become a "battleground of prohibition laws and prayer vigils" and favors giving parents vouchers to send their kids to private schools. "The religious kids can go to one school and the marijuana smokers can go to another and we can let them compete," he said. "You could find a school that would teach exactly what you want (it) to."
Oglesby also opposes a "School-to-Work" program endorsed by Gov. Mel Carnahan and the state Department of Education. He said the program, which encourages such activities as internships and apprenticeships, would double the size and cost of the education bureaucracy, require youngsters to go to government work camps and require adults to pass government tests to keep their jobs.
Oglesby estimates he's spent about $4,000 on his campaign, with all but $580 coming out of his own pocket.
Lindstedt echoes Oglesby's comments on the School-to-Work program, but that's about the only area of agreement between the two.
He said he is feuding with Libertarian Party leaders over party rules. He also sued the party during candidate filing last spring because he didn't want to pay a $200 filing fee. He lost in state court and paid the fee, but he plans to continue his fight in federal court.
Lindstedt proposes replacing public schools with locally run private schools. "The way to get rid of (Outcome-Based Education), Goals 2000 and Senate Bill 380 is pretty much pull it up, shake the dirt off its roots and let it die," he said.
A leader of the
Lindstedt has observed the system personally. In the spring,
he said, he spent 30 days in jail for contempt of court because
he refused to pay a fine for having a burned-out headlight. He
contends the Granby police officer who issued the ticket exceeded
his authority.
Lindstedt, who has also run for state representative and municipal
offices, said he hasn't spent a penny on his campaign and is getting
his message out primarily via the Internet. He calls his homepage
"your one-stop shopping for sedition."
The address: www.clandjop.com/~mlindste/
The Springfield News Leader
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July 22, 1996
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