2017
Legislative Priorities
220 SE Main Street • Lee’s Summit, MO 64063 816.524.2424 • LSchamber.com
The Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce, the third largest chamber in the Kansas City metropolitan area, represents 1,000 business and professional organizations that employ a combined total of more than 30,000 people living in and around the city of Lee’s Summit. The Chamber focuses on the economic prosperity of the business community by fostering and promoting significant job growth, increased revenues, superior infrastructure and an exceptional quality of life.
Mission Statement We create opportunities for business success through networking and advocacy, as well as business and professional development. We provide leadership by serving as a catalyst for the economic growth and prosperity of the Lee’s Summit community.
Legislative Advocacy & Public Policy The Lee’s Summit Chamber is actively engaged in and committed to representing the business community at all levels of government. Our legislative program is interconnected to all aspects of the Chamber’s activities. The Chamber offers its members convenient and timely access to the expertise of staff. The participation of the Governmental Relations Committee and the Legislative Committee is critical to ensuring economic success, prosperity and quality of life for businesses and residents alike. The mission of our volunteer leaders is to review, debate and make recommendations to the Chamber’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors. The Chamber continually monitors legislation and political affairs on the local, state and federal levels of government. We strive to effectively communicate relevant information to assist our members in making the appropriate day-today and long-term decisions impacting their businesses.
Table of Contents State Legislative Priorities Transportation.................................................4 Economic Development..................................5 Health Care......................................................5 Education.........................................................6 Missouri Government Directory...................... 7
LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES TRANSPORTATION Support improvements to Missouri’s transportation infrastructure that enhance the orderly growth and development of Lee’s Summit. Background: MoDOT is responsible for the 7th largest road system in America. Missouri ranks 47th nationally in revenue per mile, primarily because the state’s system is funded with one of the lowest fuel taxes in the country. MoDOT’s construction program has fallen from more than $1.3 billion in 2009 to just over $740 million today. The Blue Ribbon Citizens Committee on Missouri Transportation Needs, created in 2012, held public meetings across the state examining current and future transportation needs and exploring possible solutions. The committee concluded that an “additional $600 million to $1 billion per year will more adequately address our state’s growing transportation needs vital to Missouri’s economic growth, and that the voters of Missouri should be given the opportunity to make that investment.” In the recently updated long range plan, MoDOT found that Missourians suggested thousands of projects, wants and needs that significantly outweighed the amount of money we have available. This amount doesn’t include inflation or existing city and county needs. Not surprisingly, there is growing gap between the transportation system that people want and need, and what can be delivered with current funds. The bottom line is the amount of money available to maintain our roads and bridges has declined and will continue to decline over time. In the very near future, it will be impossible to maintain existing transportation systems and services, let alone provide Missourians’ many needs and wants. Action Needed: When surveyed, Lee’s Summit Chamber members identified transportation as the most urgent issue facing our state. The Lee’s Summit Chamber would like to see passage of legislation creating a comprehensive, sustainable transportation funding strategy addressing Missouri’s immediate and long-term transportation infrastructure needs. The Chamber also asks its members to proactively engage their state elected officials stressing the importance of this crisis. Further actions include:
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Supporting and actively pursuing comprehensive and sustainable funding increasing revenues targeted for multiple transportation infrastructure needs (gas tax, tolls, sales tax, etc)
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Supporting the Federal Highway Administration “conditional provisional” pilot toll project implementation of tolls on I-70 to reconstruct and expand this vital corridor
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Encouraging legislation to allocate direct funding for roads and highways within Lee’s Summit, and encourage the City of Lee’s Summit and the Missouri Department of Transportation to find mutually beneficial funding methods for the following: •
3rd Street and U.S. 50 Highway
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M-291N & U.S. 50 Highway interchange
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Comprehensive I-470 Corridor Study to address mobility, accessibility, capacity and economic development opportunities
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Support initiatives enhancing quality business development in Missouri by attracting and retaining employers. Background: Missouri made gains in 2016 with job creation and an unemployment rate of 5.2 percent. Lee’s Summit is poised to attract and leverage significant private investment, create highpaying jobs and establish a breakthrough model for preparing its future workforce for the jobs of tomorrow. For the past five years, the Missouri General Assembly has been unable to reach consensus on comprehensive and meaningful economic development and tax credit reform legislation, creating an environment inhibiting the ability to attract much needed private investment and create sustainable job growth. Action Needed: Advocate and actively support the passage of legislation providing incentives regarding the following: •
Investments in next generation businesses that focus on innovation in well-defined industries (health care, life sciences, advanced technologies, energy production, etc.)
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Workforce development and sustainability – restructure the state’s workforce training incentives to meet the variety of training needs of growing businesses
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Efforts to assist Missouri businesses in reinvesting into enhanced technologies, systems and facilities that allow existing companies to improve operations in Missouri
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Advocate for and actively support the comprehensive redesign of Missouri’s tax system that adequately, but not excessively finances the core functions of Missouri’s government
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Implement Internet sales tax reform to level the playing field between online and main street retailers
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Support policy to expand broadband access, including the final mile buildout, to help Missouri meet 21st century business needs
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With Right-to-Work being one of the top five locational considerations of corporations, advocate passage of Right-toWork legislation to improve the competitiveness of Missouri against adjacent states in attracting signature employers
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Support Missouri’s current stance on minimum wage which prohibits political subdivisions–including cities, towns and counties from raising minimum wage above the statewide level
HEALTH CARE Advocate for an improved health care system for state residents through the implementation of proactive approaches to dramatically decrease the number of uninsured and improve access to health care. Background: A healthy workforce and a healthy community are critical to the economic vitality of the Lee’s Summit community. Uninsured residents present a burden for our health care providers, and an added cost to anyone with health insurance. The health care industry is a key sector and plays an active role in the growth and vitality of the Lee’s Summit community.
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Action Needed: Advocate and support legislative action to: •
Support legislation providing the appropriate level of funding to ensure the ongoing viability of health care providers furnishing care to the uninsured and underinsured
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Create flexibility to make regulatory changes allowing for creative solutions in the provision of health care to the vulnerable population
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Advocate for sufficient funding providing safety net services accessible to Lee’s Summit residents, including primary care that fosters physical and mental health and wellness
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Support the creation of a prescription drug monitoring database to curtail prescription drug abuse and lower the costs for employers who are paying for that abuse
EDUCATION Support funding for Missouri’s educational system (Pre K–12 and higher education) that will prepare students to become suitably competent and “workforce ready” to meet the needs and expectations of employers. Background: Quality education creates opportunity, and an educated citizenry is vital to a successful economy. Schools need to be equipped to provide necessary support to student populations through advanced curriculum offerings, experiential and interactive learning processes, superior educators and advanced equipment and facilities. Action Needed: The following are needed to meet the demands of Missouri’s employers to successfully compete in a continuing complex and competitive global economy:
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Support a long-term plan to fund and maintain the integrity of the Foundation Formula, avoiding any adjustments that would significantly alter the manner in which funds are distributed
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Support investments in high-quality early education programs in all school districts
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Support funding for accelerated college and career programs such as the Missouri Innovation Campus
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Support legislation that promotes the creation and development of a system of interventions that leads to improvements in achievement for struggling school districts in lieu of the current transfer approach
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Continue support of the Educational Ecosystem, the collaboration between the community of Lee’s Summit and its diverse educational partners to meet the lifelong learning needs of each student and all citizens
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Support providing adequate funding to support all public colleges’ and universities’ operating budgets and developing a plan to make substantial, ongoing investments in these educational institutions
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Increase funding for technical occupation training programs, programs that enhance workforce competitiveness and economic development
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Keep the A+ promise. Students who meet the requirements to receive A+ scholarship awards should receive what they are promised: full tuition and fees at a community college or area career/technical school
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Support legislative efforts which continue to allow access to a college education at all of the state’s post-secondary institutions, including private colleges, through the Access Missouri program
STATE GOVERNMENT DIRECTORY Missouri Governor Eric Greitens P.O. Box 720 Jefferson City, MO 65102 573.751.3222 Lt. Governor Mike Parsons 224 State Capitol Jefferson City, MO 65101 573.751.4727 SENATE S. Kiki Curls - District 9 Room 434 • 573.751.3158 shalonn.curls@senate.mo.gov Ed Emery - District 31 Room 431 • 573.751.2108 ed.emery@senate.mo.gov Jason Holsman - District 7 Room 329 • 573.751.6607 jason.holsman@senate.mo.gov Will Kraus - District 8 Room 418 • 573.751.1464 will.kraus@senate.mo.gov
John Rizzo - District 11 573.751.3074 john.rizzo@senate.mo.gov HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Rick Brattin - District 055 Room 114C • 573.751.3783 rick.brattin@house.mo.gov Mike Cierpiot - District 030 Room 302B • 573.751.0907 mike.cierpiot@house.mo.gov Gary Cross - District 035 Room 112 • 573.751.1459 gary.cross@house.mo.gov Rebecca Roeber - District 034 Room 116-3 • 573.751.1456 rebecca.roeber@house.mo.gov Joe Runions - District 037 Room 101F • 573.751.9469 joe.runions@house.mo.gov Dan Stacy - District 031 573.751.8636 dan.stacy@house.mo.gov
LOCAL GOVERNMENT DIRECTORY COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES Frank White II County Executive 816.881.3000
DISTRICT TWO Craig Faith 816.204.4763 Craig.Faith@cityofLS.net
Theresa Galvin County Legislator - 6th District 816.881.3132
Trish Carlyle 816.309.6364 Trish.Carlyle@cityofLS.net
Garry Baker 1st District At-Large Legislator 816.881.4477
DISTRICT THREE Phyllis Edson 816.352.6885 Phyllis.Edson@cityofLS.net
LEE’S SUMMIT Mayor Randall L. Rhoads 816.524.8245 Randy.Rhoads@cityofLS.net
Diane Seif 816.668.3658 Diane.Seif@cityofLS.net
DISTRICT ONE Mayor Pro Tem Rob Binney 816.289.1929 Rob.Binney@cityofLS.net
DISTRICT FOUR Chris Moreno 816.774.1303 Chris.Moreno@cityofLS.net
Diane Forte 816.537.8958 Diane.Forte@cityofLS.net
Dave Mosby 816.246.1315 Dave.Mosby@cityofLS.net 7
220 SE Main Street • Lee’s Summit, MO 64063 816.524.2424 • LSchamber.com