Each week I get dozens of questions from constituents regarding funding. There are questions about highway building, additional traffic controls, more Children's Service workers, additional facilities for Veterans, expansion of Medicaid, more education programs, more assistance for law enforcement and so on. There are literally thousands of needs for State revenue.
Over the years, the States have assumed ever larger roles in paying for services. That's great and how it should be until we reach a point where our needs are greater than our revenues. Don't get me wrong; Missouri isn't about to go bankrupt. We do have a balanced budget amendment that keeps us from spending more than we take in. What has happened is that many of the programs grow each year and require more funding. One such program is Medicaid. Without even expanding Medicaid, like so many want us to do, our Medicaid expense grew last year an additional $100 million due to thousands of people being recruited. Road construction costs have doubled during the past decade. Educating our children is more expensive each year. Every department in State Government is requiring more money each year.
Unfortunately, Missouri is not growing and, in fact, lost ground again last year. We went from 47th in the nation in economic growth to 48th. In addition, we are losing population every year. Our projected increases in revenue aren't materializing. What that means is that some program increases aren't going to happen. That information paints a pretty bleak picture, doesn't it? There are no quick and easy solutions to these problems. Missouri has lost some major employers over the past 10 years or so. The auto industry isn't nearly what it used to be, clothing and shoe manufacturing are all but gone, and even tourism dollars have shrunk drastically with the recession.
A big portion of the Legislative Conference I attended was devoted to finding solutions to these problems. One of the first priorities is educating our work force. Our high schools and community colleges are shifting some of their emphasis to vocational and job training courses. Our State leaders and the Missouri Chamber of Commerce are approaching industry leaders with offers of help finding locations to build new facilities. Counties and cities are offering to build to suit. There are many things the Federal Government can do to bring manufacturing back to the U.S., but we need to be ready for them.
One of the top three requirements of major industry when seeking a location is Right to Work laws. I still believe that the only way to truly turn Missouri around is the passage of RTW. Of the 15 states represented at the Southern Legislative Conference, all but Missouri and Kentucky had passed RTW. Many of the other states landed a new automobile plant location within the last 10 years. Four of them have new tire plants. It may still be a while before we are able to join the 25 states who have Right to Work, but I believe join them we must!
On Tuesday, I met Charlie Davis in Joplin to present the SAFE seatbelt program to a group of school Superintendents and board members from three different schools! McDonald County is the first school in Missouri to adopt the Kansas program, and we had phenomenal results for our first year. The Missouri Highway Patrol sent both of their Law Enforcement Liaisons to hear the presentation. Kansas has reduced their deaths and serious injuries in teen-aged roll-over accidents by close to 80 percent. They now have over 160 schools participating.
Friday evening we were at the fair and worked in the cook shack. The cook shack was busy, but it was a whole lot cooler there than out in the show barns. A big hat's off to all the participants and a bigger one to the organizers! You guys did a great job!
Saturday morning I presented a House Resolution to Ms. Maggie Pratt. Maggie is an 11-year-old young lady who has a pretty darned good idea of what she wants and how to get there! She has worked every Saturday for close to three years at Poppy's Doughnut Shop helping her Uncle Gary. She has her own regular customers and greets everyone with a gigantic smile! Doughnuts, great as they might be, aren't her life's ambition, though. She aspires to be a Hospital Administrator and has already been invited to job shadow Administrator for Freeman Health Systems Paula Baker and attend a board meeting. Stop in and congratulate her. Who knows - she may interview you for a job someday!
I have a Joint Committee meeting next week in Jeff City. I'll tell you about it next time.
Until then, I am and remain in your service.
State Rep. Bill Lant may be reached by calling 417-437-8223 or 573-751-9801, or emailing [email protected]. Opinions are those of the author.
Community on 07/28/2016