It’s election day in Missouri Tuesday. School board races and ballot issues are vital and we hope to see many voters at the polls.

The Labor-Management Council of Greater Kansas City Board of Directors has taken unanimous positions on two issues in Kansas City, Mo.:

•Question 1 allows the issuance of $750 million in sewer bonds. These bonds will fund much needed and legally required improvements to the city’s wastewater system, and do so in the most cost-efficient way. This infrastructure work will not only enhance the community’s environment but will also create jobs and spur economic development. The LMC urges a YES vote on Question 1.

•Question 2 renews the city’s property tax levy to support health care. This levy has funded ambulance service, nonprofit health care providers and and care for more than 70,000 Kansas Citians otherwise unable to afford it including newborn children and their parents and mental health. This keeps costs down for those who have insurance. The LMC urge a YES vote for Question 2.

In addition to these ballot issues, the LMC takes positions on key issues where at least three-fourths of Board members from both labor and management agree as part of our mission to enhance collaboration and trust between labor and management and the community.. Other LMC positions include:

Federal
•Any future stimulus funds include significant vertical construction projects.
•Support continuation of Davis-Bacon in any new federal infrastructure program.
•Oppose federal “right-to-work.”
Watch: Multiemployer benefit fund reform implementation

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 and enact an angel tax credit and data center incentives.
•The LMC opposes legislation to impose “right-to-work.”
•The LMC supports maintaining and increasing Medicaid eligibility and adequate provider reimbursement.
•The LMC supports state funding for a comprehensive transportation plan.
•The LMC supports Prevailing Wage.
•The LMC supports development of a statutory framework for public employee collective bargaining in Missouri to reduce uncertainty for workers and for public employers.
•The LMC opposes legislation that discriminates against transgendered persons.
•The LMC opposes legislation that prohibits employers from requiring workers to be vaccinated (except for religious and health exemptions).
•The LMC opposes the change in funding formula for the Kansas City Police Department contained in Missouri SB 678 and SJR 38. The LMC supports adequate funding for the KCPD but opposes changing the formula in current law for determining city revenues and opposes changing the Missouri constitution’s prohibition of unfunded state mandates on local government.
•The LMC opposes changes in unemployment compensation contained in SB 665 and HB 1860 that reduce benefits based on the statewide unemployment rate.
•The LMC supports state of Missouri matching funding for the Health Sciences Development District.
Watch: Unemployment Insurance, Workers Compensation, Utility Rates & Energy Capacity, Education/Kansas City School District.

Kansas
•The LMC supports reasonable and effective economic development incentives.
•The LMC supports continued funding for the 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.
•The LMC supports reinstatement of a local option for prevailing wage in Kansas.
•The LMC supports maintaining and increasing Medicaid eligibility and adequate provider reimbursement.
•The LMC opposes legislation that discriminates against transgendered persons.
•The LMC opposes legislation that prohibits employers from requiring workers to be vaccinated (except for religious and health exemptions).

Local
•The LMC supports issuance of $750 million in sewer bonds by Kansas City, Mo., Question 1 on the April 5 ballot.
•The LMC supports renewal of the Kansas City, Mo. Health Levy, Question 2 on the April 5 ballot.
•The LMC opposes elimination of the Kansas City, Mo. city earnings tax until an alternative is in place.
•The LMC supports prevailing wage on projects with economic development incentives.
•The LMC supports modernization of the Kansas City International Airport.

The LMC also wishes good luck to the University of Kansas in its NCAA basketball championship game tonight and to the Kansas City Royals for its home opener Thursday. We look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming events:

•Construction Industry Committee and Construction Summit meeting April 14

•43rd Anniversary Celebration and 22nd Awards Dinner April 21

•Mid-America Labor/Management Conference July 10-13 at Camden on the Lake

•Craig Whitaker Memorial Golf Tournament July 25

•Sporting Clay Shoot Sept. 15

•Public Officials Reception Oct. 14

Please contact the LMC with have questions or ideas.