Press Releases from Clint Zweifel Missouri and clintformissouri.comhttp://www.clintformissouri.com/news/pressreleases/(c) Copyright 2008 - Paid for by Clint for Missouri. All Rights Reserved.State Treasurer Clint Zweifel (ZWY-ful) announced today he has made available an online Sunshine request application as a one-stop shop for open records request for his administration. Any individual wishing to file a Sunshine request with Treasurer Zweifel's office can visit www.treasurer.mo.gov/Sunshine/SunshineLawRequest.aspx. 'I know government works best when citizens are able to ask questions and get the information they need. My administration is committed to providing an open and transparent view of the government,' Treasurer Zweifel said. 'This new online application allows individuals in Missouri to obtain information from my office quickly and easily from their home computer. Gone is the need to send in a slow paper request or search for the needed language. It is all right there in the online request form.'http://clintformissouri.com/news/pressreleases/display.asp?prID=84State Treasurer Clint Zweifel (ZWY-ful) today called on the Missouri Housing Development Commission to pass a multi-million dollar package to provide housing for Missourians suffering from a mental illness at its meeting on August 20 in Jefferson City. The plan requires no new spending; instead it leverages existing federal and state resources by allocating $127 million, or 33 percent, of affordable housing resources for fiscal year 2011 to create needed housing that tackles mental illness and chronic homelessness.http://clintformissouri.com/news/pressreleases/display.asp?prID=83State Treasurer Clint Zweifel (ZWY-ful) announced today that 2010 Missouri State Fair attendees will be able to enter a drawing once each day to win a $529 contribution to a MOST - Missouri's 529 College Savings Plan account.* 'The State Fair is a great Missouri tradition and I am pleased we can participate, giving a lucky family a little extra help,' said Treasurer Zweifel, who sponsors the program. 'Just like the State Fair, Missourians can be proud of MOST 529 as one of the best plans in the nation. My wife and I use the plan to save for our two daughters.' http://clintformissouri.com/news/pressreleases/display.asp?prID=82State Treasurer Clint Zweifel (ZWY-ful) said today that he is expecting hundreds of Missourians to claim Unclaimed Property at the 2010 Missouri State Fair beginning tomorrow. One in 10 Missourians has Unclaimed Property, and more than $600 million is waiting for more than 3.5 million account holders. 'Hundreds of Missourians will go home with more money than they came with and we will be getting it back to them faster than ever before,' Treasurer Zweifel said. 'School is right around the corner for many families and an average claim of $365 can help a lot.' http://clintformissouri.com/news/pressreleases/display.asp?prID=81State Treasurer Clint Zweifel (ZWY-ful) today announced his administration returned a record $35 million in Unclaimed Property to a record 92,000 account holders during fiscal year 2010. "We have put $35 million back into the pockets of Missourians at a critical time," Treasurer Zweifel said. "We do this free of charge and faster than ever before because we know that an average return of $365 can help pay for home repairs, groceries, school supplies or filling up the tank." http://clintformissouri.com/news/pressreleases/display.asp?prID=80State Treasurer Clint Zweifel (ZWY-ful) was at Hometown Pharmacy today in Trenton, Mo., to announce a $120,000 Missouri Linked Deposit Program loan to the newly opened pharmacy that is creating six jobs. He also announced that in the first six months of 2010, the loan program had made 705 loans totaling more than $134 million impacting 1,500 jobs and 426 farmers throughout Missouri. 'Throughout the state I hear a consistent call for jobs on Main Street and help for local businesses and farmers,' Treasurer Zweifel said. 'Missouri Linked Deposit Program loans help Main Street and costs taxpayers nothing. Helping small businesses like Hometown Pharmacy create jobs and continue to grow throughout the region is an excellent example of how this program works for Missourians.'http://clintformissouri.com/news/pressreleases/display.asp?prID=78State Treasurer Clint Zweifel(ZWY-ful) announced today the state will earn an extra $1 million on its investments made in the first six months of 2010 thanks to new investment rules he developed and worked to pass in 2009. "The new investment rules allow me to be confident in telling taxpayers that for the first time they are getting a fair shake when their money is invested in Missouri financial institutions," Treasurer Zweifel said. "This legislation will return $15 million extra per year when fully phased in beginning in 2014. The fact we will earn an extra $1 million right off the bat shows the legislation is working for Missourians." http://clintformissouri.com/news/pressreleases/display.asp?prID=77 State Treasurer Clint Zweifel (ZWY-ful) was at VFW Post 3838 in Cape Girardeau today to outline his plans to protect and return military medals found in Unclaimed Property. Treasurer Zweifel was with members of the veterans community as he discussed implementation of the Veterans Medals Bill, part of recently signed HB 1524, which makes it illegal for him or any future administration to sell an unclaimed military medal held by Unclaimed Property.The law also provides tools for enhanced efforts to return the medals. HB 1524, signed by Gov. Nixon this past week, passed the House and Senate with full bipartisan support May 14, the last day of the 2010 Legislative Session. http://clintformissouri.com/news/pressreleases/display.asp?prID=76State Treasurer Clint Zweifel (ZWY-ful) announced today that Unclaimed Property has developed a 100 percent paperless process for most claims $250 or less at www.ShowMeMoney.com. In Unclaimed Property, nearly 88 percent of all accounts being held are $250 or less. His office is the fifth in the nation to offer 100 percent paperless claims. Previously, all claims required a paper form to be submitted by mail. 'One in 10 Missourians has Unclaimed Property, and paperless claims will allow almost every individual to easily search and file with no paper, no stamp and no ink,' Treasurer Zweifel said. 'This is cash that can help with groceries, home repairs and filling up the gas tank. We know that every penny counts right now, and this process makes it easy and secure for Missourians to get their Unclaimed Property fast.'http://clintformissouri.com/news/pressreleases/display.asp?prID=75State Treasurer Clint Zweifel (ZWY-ful) today applauded Governor Nixon for signing the Veterans' Medals Bill, part of HB 1524, which ensures Missouri Veterans are not forgotten for their service to our state and country. The bill passed the House and Senate with full bipartisan support May 14, the last day of the 2010 Legislative Session. The law ensures military medals held by Treasurer Zweifel's office will never be auctioned or sold. Treasurer Zweifel established the administrative policy that led to the language in HB 1524 upon taking office. 'It is important that we recognize and appreciate the great sacrifice the men and women in the military give to our state and nation, and that we protect those medals honoring their service,' Treasurer Zweifel said. 'A signature on this bill ensures that no veteran who has a medal in Unclaimed Property will ever have it auctioned.' http://clintformissouri.com/news/pressreleases/display.asp?prID=74State Treasurer Clint Zweifel (ZWY-ful) today thanked the Missouri Legislature for passing the Veterans' Medals Bill, part of HB 1524, helping to make sure Missouri Veterans are not forgotten for their service to our state and country. The bill passed one day before the 60th Armed Forces Day, which was started by President Harry S. Truman. The Veterans' Medals Bill ensures military medals held by Treasurer Zweifel's office will never be auctioned or sold. Treasurer Zweifel established the administrative policy that led to the language in HB 1524 upon taking office. HB1524passed the House and Senate unanimously. http://clintformissouri.com/news/pressreleases/display.asp?prID=73With a little less than two months left in the fiscal year, State Treasurer Clint Zweifel (ZWY-ful) announced today his office has made more than 77,000 people a little richer, surpassing the all-time record of 75,441 accounts set the previous year. Treasurer Zweifel also announced that one person in the Springfield area has just received $300,000. As always, when done directly with Treasurer Zweifel's office, the Unclaimed Property return was made free of charge. Additionally, Treasurer Zweifel said that fiscal year 2010 was the second largest on record for total dollars returned at $28 million. Last year's returns totaled $26.5 million and the all-time record set in fiscal year 2008 was $34.5 million.http://clintformissouri.com/news/pressreleases/display.asp?prID=72State Treasurer Clint Zweifel (ZWY-ful) issued a statement following yesterday's release of a clean audit of his office performed by State Auditor Susan Montee's office. 'Since day one, I have been committed to running an administration focused on modernizing this office and making it more transparent as it invests in job creation and economic development. This audit is a reflection of the accountability I have strived to bring while performing my constitutional and statutory duties. We protect taxpayer money, we ensure there is liquidity for spending needs at all times and for the first time in 50 years we are achieving a fair rate of return for taxpayers. Whether it is our banking services, Unclaimed Property, Missouri Linked Deposit Program loans or time deposits, we take pride in performing at a high level Missourians can trust.'http://clintformissouri.com/news/pressreleases/display.asp?prID=71State Treasurer Clint Zweifel (ZWY-ful) was in St. Joseph today to announce that since January 2009 his administration had made more than $10 million in low-interest loans to farms and small businesses in northwest Missouri. While at a stop at FCS Financial, Treasurer Zweifel said 126 loans had been made impacting 71 jobs and 106 farmers in the region. Borrowers in the region will save an estimated $152,000 in interest annually using loans made through the Missouri Linked Deposit Program. 'I have been traveling our state, and one thing I hear consistently is that Missourians need jobs right now and we need to position this state for long-term success. This is happening, and it is being done in a fiscally-responsibly manner right here in northwest Missouri,' Treasurer Zweifel said. 'Farmers and small businesses are savings thousands of dollars and they are putting it to work immediately. These low-interest loans cost taxpayers nothing, and they allow us as a state to put tools in place for farms and small businesses to thrive.'http://clintformissouri.com/news/pressreleases/display.asp?prID=70The Missouri House gave unanimous support today to a bill that will ensure the protection of unclaimed military medals in Missouri. HB 1745 is known as the Veterans Medals Bill and was developed by State Treasurer Clint Zweifel (ZWY-ful). The bill ensures veterans' medals held by Unclaimed Property in Treasurer Zweifel's office will never be auctioned or sold. Treasurer Zweifel established the administrative policy that lead to HB 1745 upon taking office. 'I applaud the House and thank Rep. Day for his sponsorship of this measure that recognizes the significant meaning military medals hold for recipients and heirs,' Treasurer Zweifel said. 'Servicemen and women deserve to know we will ensure their medals are safe under all circumstance once they enter Unclaimed Property, no matter who is State Treasurer.' http://clintformissouri.com/news/pressreleases/display.asp?prID=69 State Treasurer Clint Zweifel (ZWY-ful)and Attorney General Chris Koster announced today they had reached a $303,000 settlement in a lawsuit against Sprint over uncashed and unclaimed rebate checks. Treasurer Zweifel said his office had already added more than 3,600 Missourians affected by the lawsuit to ShowMeMoney.com. Thirty-six states signed on to the $22 million settlement. As a result, thousands of people will be able to claim their rebate checks and put money back in their pockets. The suit centered on whether uncashed rebate checks are reportable under Missouri's Unclaimed Property laws and, if so, who is the proper party to report them to Treasurer Zweifel's office. http://clintformissouri.com/news/pressreleases/display.asp?prID=68