State Rep. Donna Baringer, D-St. Louis, talks with St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum about the need to regulate vaping and other topics during the latest episode of Politically Speaking.
Baringer’s district includes the neighborhoods of South Hampton, Princeton Heights, St. Louis Hills, Villanova and parts of Lindenwood Park, Northampton, Bevo Mill and Boulevard Heights.
Here are some highlights from the discussion:
- Baringer wants the state to reconsider a law that doesn’t allow vape products to be treated and taxed like tobacco products. She said Missouri is losing out on revenue by not taxing vaping like smoking.
- She wants to cut down on the number of cars with expired temporary license plates. She believes people are continuing to use temporary tags after they have expired because they aren’t able to pay the vehicle sales tax needed to get their permanent plates. She said vehicle sales tax should be paid at the time of a car sale.
- Baringer said she is in favor of instituting stricter concealed-carry gun laws.
- She believes the St. Louis region should be looking toward Kansas City and Jackson County as a model for a successful city-county government merger.
Baringer has a master’s degree in corporate communication from Lindenwood University and a bachelor’s degree in business management from Maryville University. Before getting elected to the statehouse in 2016, she served on the St. Louis Board of Aldermen for 14 years.
Outgoing Music: “Mule Skinner Blues” by Dolly Parton
The podcast is sponsored by the St. Louis-based law firm of Capes Sokol.
Follow Jason Rosenbaum on Twitter: @jrosenbaum
Follow Donna Baringer on Twitter: @STLDonnaB
