Full interview with House District 60 candidate Shane Kampeter

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Shane Kampeter is a Republican running for Missouri’s 60th House District. He was born and raised in Jefferson City and serves on the Jefferson City Council in the Fifth Ward seat.

Kampeter graduated from Lincoln University and worked for the Missouri Army National Guard before starting his construction and remodeling business in 2019. He is also a father of three and co-owner of GKS Management.

House District 60 covers part of Cole County, including much of Jefferson City. Kampeter is running against Suzanne Luther, the Democratic Party’s candidate.

ELLYSE EDWARDS: Could you tell me a little bit about yourself?

SHANE KAMPETER: Yeah. My name is Shane Kampeter, running for the 60th District here in Jeff City. Born and raised here in Jeff City. Went to Helias High School. Graduated college from Lincoln University here in Jeff City. And after college, went to work for the Missouri Army National Guard and Environmental Office.

And in 2019, started my own construction business and just been doing construction remodeling around Jeff City. And got on council last year in April and have enjoyed it, working with the city, trying to figure out better ways to help people in Jeff City. And then during that process is when I've, you know, started working with the state and how it helps and works with Jeff City and just trying to, you know, that's how I got me into the state stuff.

EDWARDS: Okay, so what is the biggest issue facing House District 60 right now, and how would you work to address it?

KAMPETER: Oh, man. The biggest -- there's several. I think the biggest one is just, and I don't think it's just 60, but, you know, it's definitely 60 when you knock on doors, it's just cost of living. Cost of living everywhere, but in Jeff City, it is high. I think there's several ways that the legislature could work on it. With tort reform, looking at, just even going down to, child care, trying to figure out better ways to help people get cheaper and just available child care because it's hard to even find that, and then just, you know, fighting for Jeff City.

EDWARDS: Okay. So what are you hearing most often from people who live in the district?

KAMPETER: So we've knocked close to 9,000 doors. And I would say the No. 1 thing is they just, you know, they just want somebody that wants to listen, listen to them. And then, and that's what my thing from the beginning is. I've said, I'm going to fight for people in Jefferson City. I've been, you know, I've lived here my entire life. I've never been in politics besides city council this last year. And, you know, but I've seen all the red tape and all this stuff as a business owner. And I just want to help people in Jeff City, make it make it a better place to live, an easier place to live and make it where they can their kids can want to come back to Jefferson City.

EDWARDS: Okay, what is one specific change you would push for in the Missouri House that you believe would make a difference for District 60 residents?

SHANE KAMPETER: Can you repeat that one more time?

ELLYSE EDWARDS: Yeah. What is one specific change you would push for in the Missouri House that you believe would make a difference foDistrictct 60 residents?

SHANE KAMPETER: Okay, so I would have said if I didn't answer this earlier, but, you know, somebody just wants to listen to it. But that's the number one. But I think the other thing is, is, you know, our education, as well. I think this year we're going to, you know, this year and next year they're going to start working on the funding formula for the schools. And, I think, you know, we've got to find ways to fund education, and support all the education in Jefferson City. So I think that's, you know, one thing that we really need to work on this year, okay.

EDWARDS: How would you make sure the needs of all parts of the district are represented in Jefferson City?

KAMPETER: So just listen, I've, you know, I think anybody that wants it has my cell phone number. Anybody that wants. I want to be the person that you can come up to talk to at any point. If you see me at the grocery store or if you see me at a picnic, if you see, anywhere you see me, I want to be that person you can come up and talk to. I know we're not ... everybody's not going to agree. But I, you know, I still listen to everything and everybody. And I think that's the way, you know, just to sit there and listen and then, put it all together, and then when you listen, then you can fight for what they want.

EDWARDS: What is an issue affecting the district that you think isn't getting enough attention?

KAMPETER: I would say one that, you know, I don't know if a lot of people think about it, but it's the prison redevelopment site down in, by the river in Jefferson, downtown Jefferson City. I would like to fight to get that to be either a, you know, become a state park or see just some funding to get into it. I've been in through the tour several times. And the only thing that's funding that right now is the tours. There's no state money going into it, even though it's on state property. So just trying to get some money in there. So that way that can continue to show the history of Jefferson City. And then continue to bring people to Jefferson City.

EDWARDS: So Jefferson City is one of the many communities that use Flock cameras for license plate reading technology. What role do you think state lawmakers should play in the debate around their use?

KAMPETER: I think they need to be looked at pretty deep to try to figure out who's using the data, how it's being used, how it's being stored. You know, the law enforcement side likes them. It helps them out, find things. But, you know, when you listen to other people, they don't like to be tracked. They don't like to have their license plate read everywhere they go.

So I think if there's a program or a camera that's like it that can just, you know, it's only stored at the police department only. And they're the ones who store it, and they know how it's being stored. Where right now, I, you know, from what I've looked into it, it's not, you know, I'm not, I haven't deep-dived into it. But I know that the, the storage is a big issue of ... who and what can see that information.

ELLYSE EDWARDS: Proposition A asks voters whether to approve the congressional map passed by the General Assembly in 2025. What is your position on Proposition A and why?

KAMPETER: So I think it's what we have to listen to the people on. This i ssomething that was done by the previous legislation. You know, every two years is new. It's something that we just have to wait and see what happens on Nov. 3. And whatever the people want, you know, that's what I think most of the new legislators are wanting, including myself. But it's just, it's up to the people. I'm not gonna say anything that the past legislator did because I wasn't a part of it. So I think this one is just a vote that we just listen to on Nov. 3.

EDWARDS: Okay. Amendment 6 would require 80% of each chamber of the General Assembly to send proposed changes to voter-approved initiative laws back to voters. Do you support or oppose Amendment 6 and why?

KAMPETER: I think it's the same thing as last question. Nov. 3 will will tell us how we're going to do it. I think, in the last election, we saw ... the last amendment go fail. And it was, you know, eight of eight. This one's 80%. I would've loved to see, you know, everybody meet in the middle. 60%. 58%, 60%. I think that's most realistic. Most people will understand. You don't want the Constitution changed with the 50-plus-one. So I think if we could have got it to be 58, 60, either side wouldn't have a problem voting on it. Now we'll see what the people think.

EDWARDS: Okay. My last question would be, if you're elected, what do you hope to accomplish for House District 60 by the end of your term?

KAMPETER: I think make it where the residents of Jefferson City want to continue staying here in Jefferson to do that. The kids that live here go to college, come back to Jefferson City. And then growth. I think we've been kind of stuck in the past. We don't like change. And I think that's something that needs to happen is, you know, some change and definitely some growth to bring people in back into the 60th.