Kirkwood, MO – Rick Stream, current Budget Chairman of the Missouri House and a former Department of Defense Budget and Project Manager for the Army Aviation and Logistics Commands, today filed as a candidate for the Office of St. Louis County Executive.
“My entire career has been devoted to budgeting and financial management,” Stream said. “St. Louis County needs a manager to focus relentlessly on accountability rather than politicians focusing on getting re-elected.”
Stream believes his candidacy will bring fresh ideas to the race and offer voters a new choice. “The current debate is between two incumbents pointing fingers at each other of how the county got in such poor shape,” Stream said. “It is time to end the blame game and restore accountability, manage better, deliver more, remove the impediments to job creation and restore integrity to our county. I am an outsider and a manager who is committed to bringing about those changes.”
Elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 2006, Stream serves as Chairman of the Budget Committee overseeing a $26 billion state budget. He has served as Vice Chairman or Chairman six of those years. He was also the Chairman of the House Fiscal Review Committee.
“I have led the state budget process in the House and balanced our budget every year without raising taxes even when revenues were dropping. We are providing more money to education and key priorities than ever before because we made the hard, but right choices. With my record I feel confident I can bring my experience and a lifetime of financial expertise to make dramatic changes in the way the county operates to do more with less,” Stream said.
Stream was raised in Kirkwood and attended Kirkwood Public Schools. He received an Associates degree in Business from Meramec Community College and a BS degree in Business Administration from University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Steam served as a U.S. Naval Officer and has been active in his American Legion Post. He has been active in Hope Unlimited, Epworth Children and Family Services–Board of Directors, a former member and president of the Kirkwood School Board, coaching youth sports and a member of the Greentree Community Church. Stream and his wife Ellen of 38 years have four children and three grandchildren.
