Kelly Swanson is Commissioner, Division of Tourism, and co-owner, Port of Kimberling.

and she wrote this article that was printed in the SN-L on September 4, 2009.

In the article she takes Governor Nixon to task for reducing the state's tourism budget.

But wait, there's more!According to a frequent Bus rider, who knows this kind of stuff, Kelly Swanson is married Randy Swanson, the son of Ralph and Mary Swanson who have had a virtual lock on the Corps of Engineer controlled boat docks and surrounding activities in Kimberling City area since the 1970s.

The elder Swansons retired but somehow, someway, the control of the Hwy. 13 Boat Dock, Port of Kimberling, What's Up Doc, and surrounding campgrounds remain in the control of the family. Try to find out the dollar amount of annual sales and lease amounts returning revenues to the taxpayer. It has been impossible to get accurate information from the CofE. The Swansons' led the efforts to reduce reporting and set up fee schedules more favorable to them.

Now, Kelly Swanson is the mouthpiece to criticize Governor Nixon for having to address budget shortfalls. She wants it all. A monopoly on the revenue stream from federal owned resources and the taxpayer to buy all of the advertising for her business by supporting the tourist industry. They run the business with seasonal employees who receive no benefits other than deep, dark tans.

Why is she qualified to snipe at the Governor. It could be that she and the other Swansons have given over $50,000 to Bond, Blunt, Talent and now Goodman in recent years.

As a member of the Missouri Republican Party State Committee she understands the importance of having more than normal access to representatives in the federal government concerning the Corps of Engineers and in Missouri as a Blunt appointed member of the Missouri Tourism Commission she has unequaled access, almost as good as Pete and his brother Jack.

For several years there was talk about her influence in Roy Blunt's choice to have a condo on Table Rock Lake as his 7th District home address. While it was reported on his disclosure forms as required to disclose assets and income, the debt load and value of the condo was questionable. When questions arose, Roy quickly sold out.

She replaced Raeanne Presley who is now the mayor of Branson.