Greater North County Chamber of Commerce
2007 Legislative Agenda

EDUCATION

Funding

We support appropriations for public schools sufficient to fully fund the Foundation Formula and categorical programs, and support reducing the number of years to phase in the full funding of the new Formula. We support equitable funding of educational facilities. We oppose further mandating of programs until all current programs are fully funded. Unfunded mandates place an unnecessary burden upon school districts. We support legislation mandating accurate property assessments.

We support legislation to offer greater financial assistance to local education agencies to improve the quality of and access to pre-kindergarten education programs for all students. We also endorse the consolidation of responsibility for early childhood education programs to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. We support continuing and expanding the "Parents as Teachers" program.

We oppose voucher, tuition tax credits, or any other program, which would divert public funding into private institutions and be detrimental to our public school systems.

Autonomy

We support the local autonomy of school districts. Local school districts are in the best position to determine the most effective use of funds and other resources. We oppose any effort to impose new restrictions upon the authority of local school districts. We do not support legislation that would erode local control of public schools and destroy teachers' associations. We do not support legislation that fails to support libraries, teacher training, health services, transportation or school support staff, such as nurses, counselors, custodians, principals, curriculum coordinators, bus drivers and security officers. Legislation that does not add any funding to schools, yet increases State control and mandates, is unacceptable. The State should not override the fiscal oversight of our local Boards of Education for spending of local tax dollars.

Higher Education

We respectfully request that no further cuts to higher education be made. St. Louis Community College at North County and the University of Missouri-St. Louis play a vital role in the vitality and economic development of our area. Our region is heavily involved in developing and attracting Plant and Life Science companies, and expanding manufacturing and engineering interests. Higher education, through its training programs, has been an important partner in these efforts.

We support a State funding formula for the University of Missouri-St. Louis that is relative to other public campuses and reflects the importance of the St. Louis region on the State's economy and well-being. We support increased funding for UMSL to correct system-wide equity issues. We support funding for the continued implementation of the campus master plan toward the completion of the Business, Technology, and Research Park.

We support efforts to reach full funding for St. Louis Community Colleges. We support capital funding for maintenance and repair of buildings and equipment, as our community colleges enhance the educational opportunities, and provide vital skill development of our workforce.

HEALTH CARE

Medicaid

The Medicaid program must maintain the safety net for those who cannot afford health insurance, such as those with pre-existing conditions who are ineligible for health insurance. The Medicaid program should adequately reimburse health providers, including dentists, as this would increase access to care with more physicians willing to accept Medicaid recipients. The availability of primary care physicians to this population will promote preventive and long-term care, thus alleviating the use of hospital emergency rooms for non-emergency care. Long-term this would create a "healthier state."

Medicaid Reform should provide for mental health parity for both adults and children. Reform should encourage use of generic drugs and mandate the State work with the federal government on legislation changes needed to allow the State to negotiate drug costs.

While the Medicaid program is set to sunset in 2008, we encourage the extension of the date to allow time to create a viable program.

Certificate of Need

We oppose repealing the Certificate of Need for new hospitals, which encourages niche providers who only serve a limited segment of the medical market focusing on the most profitable services, such as uncomplicated outpatient surgeries for individuals with insurance, medical imaging, etc. Niche providers focus on only the most profitable hospital services, and they attack hospitals' major revenue streams, making it difficult for hospitals to sustain other critical but unprofitable services, such as emergency rooms and trauma centers.

Emergency Preparedness

We support legislation that will provide liability protection from civil lawsuits to doctors, nurses, and health care workers who are deployed in response to a state emergency. Provide liability protection for corporations and individuals who volunteer their resources and assistance in response to a state emergency. Trauma Centers We support additional funding for trauma centers to maintain high-quality health care services for North St. Louis County. Health Care Coverage We support pooled-purchasing associations to offer self-insured coverage under ERISA to small businesses, individuals, the self-employed and municipalities. Support above the line deductions for individuals who pay their own health insurance premiums. Reform the medical malpractice liability system. Oppose the unreasonable expansion of liability to employers. Oppose new mandates that undermine employers' abilities to provide high-quality health insurance at a reasonable cost to employees.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Job Training

We support protection of existing state appropriations for job training and exploration of avenues to make programs more accessible.

Encourage Local Economic Development Activity

The State should support and encourage local Economic Development Organizations to actively participate in economic development needs best served at the local level. Matching funds or saleable credits would encourage local organization investments in business retention and expansion, entrepreneurial development, and small businesses development.

Business Retention and Expansion

We lend support to potential DED retention enhancement and the addition of a commission that would decide when retention incentives should be offered to a particular Missouri company. The commission membership should include well-qualified organizations such as MEDC and others who support economic development initiatives.

Supplier Tax Credit

We support the exploration of an incentive to encourage Missouri businesses to attract their supplier(s) (and the associated jobs and economic activity) to locate or expand in Missouri, perhaps by sharing the Quality Jobs program benefits awarded to the supplier(s).

Investment-Based Incentives

We support the exploration of an incentive program that would recognize and encourage increased investment by a company.

Entrepreneurial Development

We encourage further funding enhancements in this critical area. Entrepreneurship promises to be the subject of additional attention from the Governor's office and DED and is an important growth area for the business community.

Small Businesses

We support the development of an appropriate assistance program for small businesses, a lead growth sector in the Missouri economy, and encourage the State to work with organizations throughout the State that support economic development initiatives in this endeavor.

TRANSPORTATION

Funding

We support fair and equitable distribution of transportation funding and encourage the consideration of economic development and job creation impact when funding future projects. We urge legislators and State agencies to continue the emphasis on maintenance of existing infrastructure. We oppose efforts to redistribute money away from the St. Louis region. We support a dedicated, reasonable, and equitable source of State funding for multi-modal forms of transportation. Metro should be efficient and held accountable for use of taxpayer dollars. We support a one time only $20 million operating expense appropriation for Metro.

We support various forms of user fees be considered as one source of new transportation funding.

We oppose a statewide sales tax for the Transportation Department, as many highway users would not pay anywhere close to a fair share of this tax.

GENERAL ISSUES

TABOR

We oppose TABOR or a "Taxpayers Bill of Rights" due to the harm it would cause to our schools, shifting of burden to local level and loss of federal money and decrease in business growth, which may occur if legislation such as this is enacted. Also, with Hancock in place that limits the amount state government can grow to a percentage of personal income growth and Hancock III, which already requires a vote of the people for significant tax increases it is unnecessary to have TABOR.

Predatory Lending

We condemn predatory lending practices, which have created an increase in home foreclosures. These practices include loans at excessive rates of interest; loans that are difficult to repay because of added fees, balloon pay-off requirements, and 'flipping' refinancing practices, which strip homeowners of their equity; payday loans' misleading sales practices; or other predatory practices. Small businesses in our region will thrive only if their customer bases are not overwhelmed by increasing mortgage loan balances, monthly payments, and bankruptcies.