Chamber outlines legislative priorities

by David Reed

January 8,2010

The Columbia Chamber of Commerce has unveiled its legislative priorities for the 2010 session of the Missouri General Assembly.

Chamber Chairman Byron Hill, president of ABC Labs, said during a meeting Thursday night that the top priority is that the legislators fully fund the University of Missouri's core budget of $451 million.

Gov. Jay Nixon has already proposed the full funding, as long as MU – the engine of Columbia's economy — doesn't raise tuition and fees above the level of inflation. However, Nixon's official budget proposal isn't coming out until the end of the month and the recession has caused a reduction in state revenue.

State Sen. Kurt Schaefer, vice chairman of the appropriations committee, said the debate over the budget bill "is going to dominate everything this session."

The other Chamber priorities are:

–Passage of the Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment Act, or MOSIRA. The legislation would invest state money in projects to improve infrastructure, train and retrain workers for high-tech jobs and help increase investment capital for startups.

–Passage of legislation authorizing the sale of bonds to finance construction projects at colleges and universities, including the renovation of MU's engineering building, Laferre Hall, and construction of a new Ellis Fischel Cancer Center. The proposal would also require voter approval.

–Passage of the Grow Me State Initiative, which would create a co-investment seed capital fund, a $5 million angel tax credit program and a program to help companies convert good ideas into marketable products.

–Continued funding for Interstate 70 and U.S. 63.

–Extension of term limits in the Missouri Senate and House of Representatives.