LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES & AGENDA

The Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce, the third largest Chamber in the Kansas City metropolitan area, represents nearly 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 is intensely focused on the economic prosperity of the business community by fostering and promoting significant job growth, increased revenues, superior infrastructure and quality of life.

Mission StatementWe create opportunities for businesses to succeed through networking, advocacy, and business and professional development.

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 immediate access to the expertise of our adept Governmental Relations staff.

The participation of the Governmental Relations Committee and the Legislative Committee members; (comprised of volunteer leaders who’s mission it is to review, debate and make recommendations to the Chamber’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors) is critical to ensuring economic success and prosperity and quality of life for businesses and residents alike.

The Chamber is continually monitoring legislation and political affairs at all levels of government. We strive to effectively communicate relevant information to assist our members make the appropriate day-to-day and long-term decisions that impact their business.

Legislative Advocacy & Public Policy

Table of Contents

Legislative Priorities

State Legislative Issues

Economic Development

Road & Highway

Education

Health Care

Other

City & County Legislative Issues

Infrastructure

Economic Development

Cultural

Missouri Government Directory

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2011 Legislative Priorities

Support aggressive office, industrial and commercial growth and redevelopment to help balance the tax base and create good paying jobs.

Background: Residential growth does not pay its own way for city services such as infrastructure and safety. These services are subsidized by commercial, office and industrial assessed valuation. A rule of thumb for a city to achieve fiscal stability is to have tax income with non-residential assessed valuation at about 35 percent and residential assessed valuation about 65 percent.

Impact: Without robust non-residential growth, the tax burden will be placed on residential development, to shoulder the burden to finance new public infrastructure and upgrades. This could strain existing and future residential development, and the tax burden may create disincentives for continued growth, which in turn stymies the potential for fostering investment and good paying jobs.

Action Needed: Pursue and encourage the City of Lee’s Summit’s City Council and administration to embrace the Lee’s Summit 360 Strategic Plan and other strategies to attract and retain non-residential investment in the city.

Angel Investor Tax Credit - Support Angel Investor Tax Credit legislation to elevate entrepreneurship and attract external risk capital to the City of Lee’s Summit.

Background: Success in economic development today and into the future requires that Missouri focus on three primary strategies: recruiting businesses to the state, incentivizing the expansion and retention of existing businesses, and fostering the growth of business startups. In today’s economic development environment, Missouri must be equipped to compete with other states and countries to attract, retain and grow businesses with competitive business development incentives that are easy to understand and promote by providing direct incentives to businesses that create jobs and make capital investments. Missouri remains ill-equipped to compete with neighboring states in providing gap financing that serves as an obstacle to growing new, start-up businesses in the state. The ShowMeAngels was established in 2008 to provide capital to promising emerging businesses, but has consistently hit roadblocks in attracting investment and subsequently businesses that have received more favorable tax treatment in adjacent states.

Impact: The inability to provide venture capital through a competitively structured investor tax credit program continues to plague Angel Investor groups from offering enhanced financial assistance packages to promising emerging, entrepreneurial businesses. Passing legislation that creates an incentive-laced Angel Investor Tax Credit program will attract new capital and create high-profile, and high paying, technologically-advanced jobs.

Action Needed: Encourage the Missouri General Assembly to establish a new Angel Investor Tax Credit Program as recommended by the Missouri Tax Credit Review Commission to address the financing gap that serves as an obstacle to attracting venture capital and growing new businesses in the State.

Highway M-291/50 Highway Interchange Reconstruction - Encourage the City of Lee’s Summit and the Missouri Department of Transportation to pursue creative funding methods for the reconstruction of the M-291/US 50 Highway Interchange.

Background: The M-291/50 Highway Interchange is grossly under designed for the level of traffic that it now carries creating

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traffic congestion, incidences of accidents and an impediment to redevelopment and other economic development activities. The City of Lee’s Summit is actively seeking to elevate the reconstruction project on MoDOT’s 10-Year Road Capital Improvement Plan.

Impact: The reconstruction of M-291/50 Highway Interchange will provide the impetus for the redevelopment of many areas of M-291 south to 150 Highway, especially the targeted areas near or adjacent to the M-291/50 Highway interchange. The City of Lee’s Summit’s preliminary Redevelopment Plan and Land-Use Plan focuses strongly on the need for a newly constructed interchange to attract private investment for the redevelopment of large parcels of underutilized and/or vacant properties.

Action Needed: Encourage the City of Lee’s Summit and the Missouri Department of Transportation to pursue creative funding methods for the reconstruction of the M-291/US 50 Highway Interchange.

Lee’s Summit Road - Strongly support and pursue full funding for the reconstruction of Lee’s Summit Road from Colbern Road to Highway 40.

Background: Since its initial construction, Lee’s Summit Road alignment has been unchanged. Lee’s Summit Road is under the direct jurisdiction of Kansas City and Lee’s Summit. Jackson County is involved through the County Urban Road System (CURS). Lee’s Summit Road serves as an alternate route for I-470 and serves as a major access to the Truman Medical Center East. Lee’s Summit Road is currently under designed for the volume of traffic it now carries which has elevated the number of accidents and deaths to a critical level. A Memorandum of Understanding between the three governmental entities was entered into in May 2008 to delineate the duties and responsibilities of each entity in the redesign and reconstruction of Lee’s Summit Road. MoDOT and the Mid-America Regional Council are also participating in the reconstruction planning process. Since the MOU execution, design work is being completed on a number of the sections, land acquisition has begun and efforts are underway to secure full project funding.

Impact: Reconstruction of the Lee’s Summit Road to a three-lane roadway with sidewalks, on- and off-street bicycle accommodations, street lights and landscaping, interfacing with the Little Blue Trail Trace, accompanying green stormwater features will provide significant impacts. These include but are not limited to: increased traffic and pedestrian safety resulting in reduction of serious/fatal accidents, increased economic development, traffic relief from I-470, and enhanced connectivity between Strother Road and I-470.

Action Needed: Pursue total funding for Lee’s Summit Road by 1) advocating for the passage of a new U.S. Department of Transportation Appropriation Bill (ICE-TEA); 2) advocating Lee’s Summit Road as a high-priority project within MARC; 3) advocating for the continuance of Jackson County CURs money appropriation to Lee’s Summit Road; and 4) maintaining vigilant monitoring of the progress of the City of Kansas City’s, City of Lee’s Summit’s and Jackson County’s MOU duties and responsibilities.

Unemployment Trust Fund – Support legislation that protects the viability of the Unemployment Trust Fund while balancing the interests of small businesses.

Background: By the end of the year, Missouri will likely owe the federal government nearly $1 billion for money borrowed to pay unemployment benefits. That figure is projected to grow to more than $2 billion by 2014. The state began borrowing to pay unemployment benefits in 2009, when its trust fund was depleted. The unemployment tax rate is different for every business, but new employers start at 3.51 percent, and the rate is adjusted after two

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years, depending on contributions and draws from the fund. The state must repay the principal from employer contributions to the unemployment trust fund; interest is repaid through a 0.3 percent special assessment.

Impact: Without a solution for repaying the Federal Government, employers will be burdened with ever-increasing unemployment taxes. With a continued sluggish economy, coupled with increased unemployment taxes, small businesses will experience further reductions in net income forcing more out of business.

Action Needed: Encourage legislation that will allow for bonding the amount owed, stretching the bond repayment period to allow businesses to pay principle and interest within the Hancock Amendment restrictions.

2011 State Legislative Issues

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ISSUESSupport initiatives that will enhance quality business development in the State of Missouri.

1. Support Angel Investor Tax Credit legislation to elevate entrepreneurship and attract external risk capital.

2. Support 2011 funding and programs for the Arts within the Kansas City Metropolitan area.

3. Monitor and support any effort to eliminate the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the state’s minimum wage legislation.

4. Oppose tax credit legislation which reduces economic development related tax credit incentives or imposes administrative delays on their awards.

5. Support legislation for incentives to help retain or expand investment in Lee’s Summit.

6. Support the Grow Me State Initiative to enhance the state’s ability to increase research capacities.

7. Support stem cell research in the State of Missouri, stressing the analogous ethical and oversight mechanisms and prohibition of human cloning, as provided for in Amendment 2, and oppose any and all efforts to overturn the provisions of Amendment 2. Support the appropriate funding mechanisms that will advance stem cell research.

8. Advocate for and actively support the creation of legislation that provides tax incentives for new data centers considering locating in the State of Missouri.

9. Support continuation of Missouri Employment at Will.10. Advocate for legislation that satisfactorily adheres to the

recommendations contained in the Tax Credit Review Commission’s November 2010 Final Report.

ROAD & HIGHWAY ISSUESEncourage orderly growth and development of Lee’s Summit by improving transportation infrastructure throughout the city.

1. Encourage legislation that would allocate direct funding for roads and highways within Lee’s Summit, and/or encourage the City of Lee’s Summit and the Missouri Department of Transportation to find creative funding methods for the following: 1) M-291 at US 50 Highway (Interchange improvements); 2) Todd George Interchange; 3)Blackwell Road Interchange with access to Smart Road; 4) I-470 from US 50 Hwy. to I-70 (capacity improvements)

2. Support legislation that would provide for state funding assistance for local Tax Increment Financing projects that involve substantial infrastructure improvements to state-owned facilities.

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3. Encourage the $29.5 million federal appropriation for the purchase and preservation of the old Rock Island Railroad Corridor which will extend the Missouri KATY trail from Pleasant Hill to downtown Kansas City, Mo.

4. Encourage the Missouri Transportation Department to double its annual Cost Share Program from $30 million to $60 million.

EDUCATION ISSUES Support legislation that assists the Blue Springs R-4 and Lee’s Summit R-7 School Districts’ successful implementation of continuous improvement efforts to include, but not be limited to:

1. Support appropriations for full funding of the state foundation formula and for the adequacy target calculation to provide no less than a 2 percent increase each time it is recalculated.

2. Oppose legislation which would either combine the state retirement systems or combine the assets of the state retirement systems.

3. Support legislation that provides an avenue for new sources of revenue for public school districts.

4. Support legislation that defines the parameters of collective bargaining for public school employees while preserving the authority of the local Board of Education as the decision-making body on all issues.

5. Support legislation that provides a balanced approach to granting economic development incentives with a stronger voice from taxing jurisdictions whose revenue would be impacted by the incentives.

6. Support legislation to increase the constitutional limit for school districts’ bonding capacities.

7. Oppose any legislation that would reduce or divert revenue from the public schools.

8. Oppose legislation that authorizes scholarship or tuition tax credits, tuition tax deductions, or vouchers for pre-K through 12th grade students.

9. Oppose open enrollment that places an undue burden, such as overcrowding, on local school districts or transfers school district resources and removes local control.

10. Support the provision for a simple majority for the passage of local school district bond issues.

11. Support legislation stipulating the enactment of sound and timely property tax assessment practices and the clarification of assessment terms and timeliness to promote uniformity and fairness of property tax assessments.

12. Support the funding of state-mandated programs unless individual school districts are allowed to decide on continuing or discontinuing such programs.

Support the higher education community’s mission of providing access to high quality and affordable education and training for local citizens and the business community.

1. Support funding for higher education. 2. Support the continuation of the Missouri A+ Schools Program

and legislative efforts to increase funding and manage participation.

3. Support Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City’s request for a capital appropriation of $2.8 million for the Homeland Security Regional Training Institute at MCC-Blue River.

4. Support any state legislative effort to provide additional funding or initiatives to support the training, re-training or development of the Missouri workforce within higher education.

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5. Recognize the importance of higher education as an economic engine; invest additional specific funds in select programs that have a direct impact on Missouri’s economy and workforce.

6. Support entrepreneurship education and training for rapidly growing businesses through continued and expanded funding of Missouri federal and state technology program; Small Business and Technology Development Centers; and Innovation centers through funding the Missouri Technology Corporation (MTC).

7. Support the Missouri Customized Training Program, an essential tool to keep businesses successful and competitive, administered by the Department of Economic Development. The program is the state’s most flexible training program and provides funding for eligible businesses to train workers in newly created and/or existing jobs. The program is operated by Local Education Agencies (LEA’s) across the state. UCM and MCC are authorized LEA’s.

8. Provide incentive funding for collaborative projects between higher education institutions, especially community colleges and four-year universities.

9. Support comprehensive statewide initiatives and appropriations (in addition to traditional core operations funding) for such programs as Caring For Missourians, Nurse Student Loan Program, and other grants, funding, and/or loan forgiveness programs that provide increased access to allied health professions.

10. Support statewide efforts to increase METS/STEM Initiative funding and program development that would provide scholarships, grants, etc., for universities involved in the training and education of students and professionals.

HEALTH CARE ISSUES Advocate for an improved health care system for all Missouri residents through the implementation of a variety of proactive approaches that dramatically decrease the number of uninsured and improve access to health care.

1. Support adequate funding for MOHealthNet that ensures the ongoing viability of all health care providers who provide care to the uninsured and the underinsured. Ensure that all MOHealthNet is structured and geared to maximize all available resources outside Missouri general revenue, including federal matching dollars and Missouri’s FRA program.

2. Provide funding for “safety net” services accessible to Lee’s Summit area residents to include primary care for physical health.

3. Oppose health care benefit requirements and provider mandates unless they meet rigorous, objective, social and financial impact standards.

4. Support a health care initiative addressing worker shortages in the health care industry.

5. Support incentives for Missouri companies who provide health insurance for their employees.

6. Support a comprehensive approach to incentives for individuals and businesses to live healthier lifestyles to reduce chronic diseases and reduce health care costs. Examples include incentives for wellness, health coaching, medical homes, coordination of care for chronic diseases, etc.

7. Maintain support for mental health programs, with emphasis on people who create significant burdens on jails, hospitals, schools or other government programs through repeated, inappropriate use.

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OTHER BUSINESS ISSUES

1. Support a Missouri Job Reference Immunity Law to provide immunity for employers who provide basic employment information and a more limited liability for employers who provide more detailed information regarding job performance.

2. Support the elimination of the corporate franchise tax.

3. Support the removal of the Federal tax deduction limit on state returns for businesses and individuals.

4. Promote legislation to preserve essential funding for the Missouri Judiciary as the independent third branch of government.

5. Monitor legislation that would affect the make-up of the Judiciary Selection Commission.

6. Support measures that increase the availability of affordable and reliable energy through expanding overall energy production from increasingly cleaner sources, promoting broad based energy efficiency measures and encouraging investment in alternative energy technologies.

7. Support the increase of surcharges authorized for municipal and associate circuit courts for cities and towns having shelters for victims of domestic violence from $2.00 per case to $4.00 per case

2011 City & County Legislative Issues

INFRASTRUCTURE Encourage orderly growth and development of Lee’s Summit by improving our infrastructure throughout the city.

1. Encourage and support City Council efforts to establish a utility fund as a dedicated funding source to address storm water problems in the community; expand and maintain the storm water system using both traditional and “green” solutions, and comply with the City’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Phase 2 permit requirements both now and in the future. Work to educate residents, local businesses and employers, and the development community as to the necessity of this utility fund.

2. Strongly support and pursue full funding for the reconstruction of Lee’s Summit Road from Colbern Road to Highway 40.

3. Transportation: Encourage city elected officials and staff to seek and leverage funding for improvements to and reconstruction of roads and highways within Lee’s Summit, including but not limited to: 1) Todd George Interchange; 2) South M-291/50 Highway Interchange and other road amenities (South of Highway 50 to enhance the development/redevelopment of the M-291 South Corridor to Highway 150); 3) Blackwell Road Interchange with access to Smart Road.

4. Encourage the active participation by Lee’s Summit with other local governments in eastern Jackson County to develop a regional public transit plan that supports current and future employment, quality of life and the environmental needs of the region.

5. Encourage and support City Council efforts to secure/earmark funding for purchase of rights-of-way along the inactive Rock Island Railroad corridor for the purpose of developing alternative recreational and transportation uses.

6. Support public policy that enables and encourages free market competition and infrastructure investment in the areas of voice, video and data services.

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ISSUESSupport initiatives that will attract, retain and enhance investment to balance the tax base and job creation in the City of Lee’s Summit.

1. Support the lengthening of the Lee’s Summit Airport’s runway and surrounding land development to facilitate investment and employment opportunities.

2. Encourage the city to find increased revenue sources to fund tourism efforts in Lee’s Summit.

3. Support, promote and fund the city’s cultural plan recommendations as an enhancement to economic development vitality and growth.

4. Encourage and advocate cultural arts in Lee’s Summit as defined by the 360° citizens’ policy process that supports: 1) the redevelopment of Arnold Hall into a theater and performance arts venue; 2) the development of a Cultural Arts Center; and 3) increasing cultural arts venues and attractions.

5. Support aggressive office, industrial and commercial growth and redevelopment to help balance the tax base and create good paying jobs.

6. Encourage the use of the Land Clearance Redevelopment Authority and other incentive tools to promote development and redevelopment of the downtown area and aging commercial and neighborhood areas throughout the city.

7. Actively support and engage in the 360° Lee’s Summit Strategic Plan implementation process to ensure that issues that affect small businesses remain high priorities in the minds of the community and policy makers.

8. Support city efforts to develop the View High/I-470 Corridor area into a “Health/Technology Corridor”.

9. Support and encourage recreational activities and special events that generate economic activity in the city.

CULTURAL (QUALITY OF LIFE) ISSUESPromote and support cultural and recreational initiatives that provide for increased quality of life.

1. Encourage the preservation of open spaces for recreational amenities to ensure continued balance within our commercial areas and ideal environments for vibrant city commerce.

2. Advocate for the creation of a strategic plan for strengthening the historic and cultural aspects of Lee’s Summit, including the relocation and expansion of the Lee’s Summit Historical Museum.

3. Support the Mid-America Regional Council’s and City of Lee’s Summit’s efforts to foster the development of a metro-wide retail sales tax to fund priority public investments (regional transit system, trails and greenway, i.e., MetroGreen Plan) that will benefit the region.

4. Support the Mid-America Regional Council’s MetroGreen Plan’s recommendation for the extension of the KATY Trail to the Kansas City Metropolitan area utilizing the most viable route along the abandoned Rock Island Railroad Corridor. Support policies that advance/increase environmental stewardship and sustainability by all sectors of the community in the areas of recycling, alternative energy use, alternative transportation opportunities and conservation of resources

5. Advocate for expanded efforts to address diversity issues within the community.

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Missouri State Government Directory

MISSOURI STATE CAPITOL201 W. Capitol Avenue Jefferson City, MO 65101 www.mo.gov

MISSOURI GOVERNORJeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon201 West Capitol Avenue Room 216 Jefferson City, MO 65101 1(573)751-3222

STATE SENATORWill Kraus - District 8201 West Capitol Avenue Room 220 Jefferson City, MO 65101 1(573)751-1464 Will.Kraus@senate.mo.gov

STATE REPRESENTATIVESMike Cierpiot - District 056201 West Capitol Avenue Room 305A Jefferson City, MO 65101 1(573)751-0907 Mike.Cierpiot@house.mo.gov

Gray Cross - District 048201 West Capitol Avenue Room 110B Jefferson City, MO 65101 1(573)751-1459 Gary.Cross@house.mo.gov

Jeff Grisamore - District 047201 West Capitol Avenue Room 205 Jefferson City, MO 65101 1(573)526-8184 Jeff.Grisamore@house.mo.gov

Noel Torpey - District 052201 West Capitol Avenue Room 415B Jefferson City, MO 65101 1(573)751-3623 Noel.Torpey@house.mo.gov

Rick Brattin - District 124201 West Capitol Avenue Room 201F Jefferson City, MO 65101 1(573)571-3783 Rick.Brattin@house.mo.gov

Kevin McManus - District 046201 West Capitol Avenue Room 101G Jefferson City, MO 65101 1(573-751-9469 Kevin.McManus@house.mo.gov

COMMITTEES Vice-Chair, Ways & Means & Fiscal Oversight Appropriations Governmental Accountability Judiciary and Civil & Criminal Jurisprudence

Vice-Chair, Transportation Funding & Public InstitutionsCrime Prevention & Public SafetyElectionsUtilities

Vice-Chair, Tax ReformSmall Business General Laws Transportation Funding & Public Institutions

BudgetAppropriations – Health, Mental Health & Social ServicesInternational Trade & Job CreationWays & Means

Vice-Chair, Small BusinessFiscal ReviewDownsizing State GovernmentAppropriations – Public Safety & Corrections

Children & FamiliesCorrectionsInternational Trade & Job Creation

General LawsInternational Trade & Job CreationLocal GovernmentWorkforce Development & Workplace Safety

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