MRPC Adopts State Priorities, Plans Visit to State Capitol
ST. JAMES-Transportation, economic development, health care, education, small
business, environmental and local government issues top the list of legislative
priorities for local governments in the Meramec Region.
The board of the Meramec Regional Planning Commission established its state
priorities for the 2005 legislative session and will travel to the state capitol
on March 1 to share those ideas with local legislators. Over the course of four
months, the board identified issues and prioritized state issues of local significance.
The board was set to adopt the list of priorities during its January meeting,
which was canceled because of inclement weather. Instead, the board's executive
committee approved the priorities, which were re-affirmed by the full board,
during its regular meeting in February. Staff has prepared a written report,
that will be hand-delivered to the region's senators and representatives.
Regarding transportation, the board supports the region's transportation priorities,
including improvements to Highways 50 and 63.
Regarding economic development, the MRPC board urges the state to develop a
statewide economic development plan, encourages economic incentives to promote
job growth and increased funding for job training and supports efforts to allow
local communities to establish a dedicated sales tax for economic development.
Regarding small business, MRPC supports efforts to control workers compensation
costs and establishing maximum compensation and time limits for workman's comp
and supports efforts to provide edcuational training to workers.
In the area of health care, the board supports efforts to control health care
costs, including tort reform and limiting malpractice awards, supports the concept
of 100-percent tax credits for medical costs, and supports efforts that would
require recipients of state welfare subsidies to be drug-free.
In regard to environmental issues, the board supports the Missouri Association
of Councils of Governments recommendations for changes to the state's solid
waste law, which would provide for local solid waste districts to receive 65
percent of the fund. Additionally, the MRPC board supports the reestablishment
of the waste tire disposal fee.
In the area of education, the MRPC board supports efforts to restructure the
foundation formula to be more equitable for rural areas and supports full funding
of the formula. Likewise, the board supports efforts to encourage more vocational/technical
training in junior high grade levels and encourages the use of new technologies
in high schools.
In regard to local government issues, the board requests full funding for state
mandates, encourages the use of regional planning commissions for statewide
initiatives and continued funding for them. The board also supports the establishment
of a recording fee on real estate transactions that would provide stable funding
for county GIS initiatives and regional planning commissions. The group also
encourages the state to participate in a federal effort to collect sales tax
on internet sales and also opposes efforts that erode local tax bases. The board
supports state incentives to support farming and supports the establishment
of guidelines for municipal annexation of electric cooperative property.
MRPC's board members and staff will visit with state legislators on March 1
and will hand-deliver MRPC's state priorities report to them.
Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford,
Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps and Washington counties and their respective
cities. Officers are Chairman Gary Brown of Salem, Vice Chairman Bob Reed of
Washington County, Secretary Mary Heywood of Bourbon and Treasurer Laura Cyr
of Rolla.
A professional staff of 28, directed by the MRPC board, offers technical assistance
and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance,
transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business
loans and other services to member communities upon request.
The MRPC board will meet March 10 at its office at 4 Industrial Drive in St.
James. All meetings are open to the public.