The LMC's Issues Committee has made the following recommendations to the Board for positions on 2009 legislative issues. The committee, comprised of representatives from labor and management, developed the positions over a series of meetings. Except for items that have been approved in past years, the LMC Board still must vote on these issues:
Federal Issues
•The LMC supports inclusion of the General Services Administration planned new office building in downtown Kansas City, Mo., in the federal economic stimulus package, and supports moving forward with the Honeywell plant relocation project. The LMC will watch for other key projects in the metropolitan area to be supported for inclusion as they are identified.
The LMC also supports proposals to provide operating relief for safety net hospitals, Medicaid health care coverage for the newly unemployed, additional Medicaid coverage for the uninsured, and federal support of COBRA coverage for the unemployed in the stimulus package.
•The LMC supports movement towards comprehensive health care reform and will determine its position on specific proposals as they are brought forward.
•The LMC supports timely reauthorization of the federal transportation plan with funding adequate to rebuild our highway system and supports consideration of additional and alternative revenue sources, as a funding formula that is fair to Missouri and Kansas and funding of “green” projects.
•The LMC opposes proposed changes in the U.S. Small Business Administration rule that would severely limit the areas of federal contracting that include women as disadvantaged contractors.
•The LMC supports award of the new Air Force tanker contract to the Boeing Co.
Missouri
•The LMC supports reasonable and effective economic development incentives. While the LMC supports ensuring that tax credits and other incentives are cost effective, we want to preserve those tax credits crucial to economic development such as the historic tax credit, tax increment financing, the tax credit for the Three Trails project and similar programs. The LMC also supports enhancing the Quality Jobs program.
The LMC also supports enhanced education and training tax credits, as long as those programs include existing construction apprenticeship and journeyman training programs.
•The LMC supportsr Gov. Nixon’s task for on the automotive industry in Missouri, and encourages the Task Force also consider the General Motors Fairfax plant in its plans as Missouri workers and businesses are involved with that plant as well.
•The LMC supports restoration of Medicaid funding (Missouri) to its level before the cuts of 2005.
•The LMC supports restoration of Missouri programs that foster economic development and provide critical services such as Medicaid, education, the arts, childcare subsidies for working parents and others.
•The LMC supports state funding for a comprehensive transportation plan.
•The LMC supports Prevailing Wage in its present form.
•The LMC opposes TABOR (taxpayer bill of rights).
•The LMC endorses retention of the Missouri Plan for judicial selection and the similar policy that exists in Kansas.
•The LMC opposes the “Missouri Civil Rights Initiative” that would ban affirmative action programs and is attempting to gather signatures to get on the ballot. Opponents are urging Missourians to not sign.
Kansas
•The LMC supports reasonable and effective economic development incentives.
•The LMC supports funding for a comprehensive transportation plan.
•The LMC opposes immigration reform proposals that would put the burden of I-9 verification on contractors for subcontractors. Verification responsibility should fall only on the direct employer of those workers.
Local
•The LMC urges that the Kansas City School District and Kansas City Federation of Teachers Local 691 reach a contract agreement as soon as possible.
•The LMC supports MBE/WBE and Workforce diversity ordinances that are standardized among area municipalities and counties, with the Kansas City, Mo., ordinances as a model.
•The LMC supports extending the Workforce diversity ordinance to city-related projects including the Port Authority, Planned Industrial Expansion Authority, Tax Increment Financing and others.
•The LMC should initiate discussions among key leaders for enhancing mass transit in the metro area, perhaps via public-private partnerships.
Issues to Watch
•Proposed federal bills that would limit or eliminate arbitration in employment disputes.
•Any changes in unemployment compensation reform should be fair to seasonal employers. Otherwise the LMC is interested in looking at proposed changes to shore up the fund's solvency.
•The LMC is interested in but has no specific positions at this time on proposed legislation to address workers compensation.
•The LMC will study the proposal to include the cost of projects to increase energy production in the current rate base, particularly if alternative energy and efficiency projects are included.
•The LMC will study the proposed closing of the Municipal Corrections Institution and moving Kansas City, Mo., prisoners to Jackson County and the possibility of a regional jail.
•The LMC will look at ways to support the successful implementation of the Johnson County Research Triangle.
