Every Missouri driver has to pay to drive, by visiting a license bureau. Those bureaus are run by independent contractors who profit from the transactions.

With Wednesday's transportation bill signing, it's a bidding war to decide who runs them from now on.

"In the past, no one had to explain how they would operate an office for the good of the citizens of our state," says Governor Jay Nixon, D-Missouri.

Now they do, according to Nixon. The bill requires those who want to run the offices to prove why they're deserving.

"The system has allowed us to put license offices in the hands of bidders who will provide the best service to the people of the show-me state," says Nixon.

"It's the best thing for Missouri," says Bontiea Goss, the CEO of Alternative Opportunities, Inc.

Her company,a not-for-profit that runs the Carol Jones Recovery Center in Springfield, outbid two other companies.

"We looked at it as an opportunity to provide training for some of our youth and dislocated workers and to use the resources that are generated here to benefit this community," says Goss.

But the organization contributed nearly $6,000 to Jay Nixon's 2008 campaign. Other big Nixon contributors have also won offices, including the St. Charles office - won by Kielty Enterprises, Inc. Jay Nixon's campaign recieved nearly $6,000 from the address associated with the company.

Republicans say that calls into question the bidding process.

"We've seen it play out in politics that any system can be manipulated," says Missouri State Senator Jack Goodman, R-29th.

"There are competitive bids and not everybody wins - and that competition is open," says Nixon.

Not every winner supported Nixon. T&J Stark Enterprises, LLC won the Bolivar fee office. The "T" in "T&J" stands for Tom Stark - who contributed $1,350 to the gubernatorial campaign of republican Kenny Hulshof.

"I don't know about the Bolivar case or where it is in the process. If there are times when the bid process is working well and being applied fairly, that's great," says Goodman.

Either way, Nixon insists political contributions have nothing to do with it.

"While there has been some chattering here and there about some of the failed bidders across the state, we haven't had a single person that's actually looked at the documents and disagreed with the director and her team's decision," says Nixon.

To find out more about the bids, check out the Office of Administration's website.

Wednesday's signing also included a few things we've told you about before: a revision of the Mack's Creek speed-trap law, and a dedication of a section of West Bypass to a Jewish civil rights leader.

Lawmakers removed a section that would have regulated red light cameras before the bill passed.

Contact: dmagditch@kspr.com