SPANISH LAKE (KMOX) - A Democratic state senator from Spanish Lake is leaving a career in Jefferson City that spans back to 1988.

That’s when Tim Green was first elected to the Missouri House of Representatives. Green says he’s an electrician like his father, and a politician like his grandfather.

“When I had a chance at 23-year-old to file for office, I did it. I had a lot of people tell me ‘you’re going to lose’ and I knocked on 10,000 doors and we won,” he said.

Green is now leaving the Missouri Senate, due to term limits. He’ll be replaced by Democrat Gina Walsh of Bellefontaine Neighbors.

Green says with economic growth sluggish and costs rising, it’s not easy to come up with a fiscal plan in the state of Missouri.

“Throw out a number like a $22 billion budget. People say ‘well, that’s plenty of money’ but then you also have to explain all the different programs and all the different roads, sewer systems, all the infrastructure we have to pay for,” Green said. “People want services from the government but people do not want to pay for the services.”

The outgoing senator said he’s not a big fan of campaign contribution laws in Missouri. “I would prefer the people know if you’re getting a $50,000 contribution, who it’s coming from, instead of an individual writing $50,000 checks out of all these different committees.”