"Tax relief for families is the priority for me," said Steelman last Thursday during a brief visit to Warrenton which included a stop at the office of the Warren County Record. "I'm an economist by nature and I know people of this state are feeling the pinch now." Steelman is vying with U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof for the Republican spot in the November general election to succeed Gov. Matt Blunt. Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon is expected to be the Democratic candidate. With gas prices at an all-time high and the cost of groceries and utilities also climbing, Steelman said the economy is very uncertain at present. "We need to get more money back into people's hands," she said. To help stimulate the economy, Steelman said she will propose a plan to get nearly $200 million in real and substantive tax relief for Missouri families. The tax relief proposals would be offset by a 2 percent reduction in state general revenue or a 0.08 percent cut in the state's $23 billion budget. "If families are having to tighten their budgets, we need to do the same thing at the state government level," Steelman said. Her plan calls for increasing the state's personal exemption from $2,100 to $2,625 for single taxpayers and from $4,200 to $5,250 for married filers. "The personal exemption amount was last changed in 1999," said Steelman. "Things are much different now." Steelman also proposes an increase in the dependent child care exemption from $1,200 to $2,100, which would provide families with two children a $108 tax relief and families with three children a $162 tax relief. To help Missouri seniors, Steelman said she would propose raising the exemption on dependent seniors from $1,000 to $2,100. Steelman said she likes the idea of the economic stimulus program of President George W. Bush which is starting to impact some taxpayers now. But Steelman said the one-time payment of up to $600 for single taxpayers and up to $1,200 for married couples doesn't go far enough. "It's a good idea," Steelman observed. "But it doesn't provide a permanent impact. As an economist, I think it would be better if it offered sustained buying power over a period of years." Another issue Steelman feels is central to the race is illegal immigration. "It's a subject which continues to weigh heavily on this state," Steelman said. "In order to address it, I think the first thing we have to do is cut off any (current) economic incentives for employers who continue to abuse the system. "Those employers need to know they will face stiff economic penalties," she added. "Breaking the law is not acceptable under any situation and it's also not fair to employers who insist on doing the right thing." The primary election will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 5, and the general election is Tuesday, Nov. 4.