Bonnaye Mims January 2014 newsletter

8/13/2019 Bonnaye Mims January 2014 newsletter

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In this issue:

Person of Interest 2Governor Nixon Time Line 2-7Kansas City Corner 5-6

Just For Fun Sudoku 8

It is a new Year. As we moveforward my mission remains the

same to serve and protect the

people of the community who elected

me for the job. I continue servingon the committees that will allow the

peoples voices be heard. Also, mymission is to continue keeping my

community informed on the issues

and concerns that will allow their

voices be heard regarding what will

affect them.Lets continue working together tomove our district and the state

forward for the betterment of all!

W e l c o m e 2 0 1 4M y m i s s i o n

1st African American to Practice Law. Governors Dates of Legislation.

Events in Kansas City/Raytown.

Sudoku Puzzle

R

epresentative

Bonnaye

mims

january

2014

Serving

th

e

27th

district

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 4 V o l u m e 2 , I s s u e 1

Representative Bonnaye Mims discussing a

bill to a committee .

c o m m i t t e e s Joint Committee on Education Higher Education Economic Development

AppropriationsHealth, Mental Health, and Social Services Corrections

Special Standing Committee on Corrections

Freshman Bipartisan Issue Development

Issue Development Standing Committee on Disadvantaged Communities


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Macon Bolling Allen was the

first African American

licensed to practice law in the

United States, and is believed

to be the first African American to hold a

judicial position, . He moved to Charleston,

South Carolina after the American Civil War

to practice law and was elected to be a judge in

the probate court of Charleston in 1874.

Following the Reconstruction Era, he moved

to Washington, D.C., where he worked as an

attorney for the Land and ImprovementAssociation. In 1845 he moved to Boston,

Massachusetts, walking fifty miles to the bar

exam test site because he could not afford

transportation, and passing the exam despite

his fatigue. Born: Aug 4, 1816 Indiana, United

States Died: Jun 11, 1894 Washington, D.C.

P E R S O N O F I N T E R E S T

If you need additionalinformation please contact

the office at:201 W. Capitol Ave.

Jefferson City MO 65101573-751-7639

Thursday Dec. 26 2013NIXON RELEASES $40.1 MILLION IN SPENDING AUTHORITY

Gov. Jay Nixon on Dec. 24 released $40.1 million in spending authority that he

had frozen just prior to the start of the 2014 fiscal year on July 1. The bulk of the

released funding is for capital improvements projects, including $18 million for

repairs to the Capitol building, $7 million for general maintenance at state

facilities and $5 million for projects in the state parks system.

The remaining $10.1 million is for programs in the state operating budget. That

funding includes $5.8 million that was part of a four percent restriction in various

programs, $562,000 for the Division of Tourism, $750,000 for small business

programs under the Department of Economic Development, $500,000 for dental

programs at rural health clinics, $200,000 for the Elks Mobile Dental program to

provide dental services to children and adults with disabilities, and $50,000 for

the Missouri Department of Transportation.

GOVERNOR APPOINTS NEW AG DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR

Gov. Jay Nixon on Dec. 19 appointed Richard Fordyce of Bethany as director of

the Missouri Department of Agriculture. Fordyce replaces John Hagler, whostepped down in October after nearly six years as director.

Fordyce grows soybeans and corn plus raises cattle on his family farm in Harrison

County. He also has served as chairman of the Missouri State Soil and Water

Districts Commission since 2008. Fordyces appointment as director will be

subject to Senate confirmation.

The Missouri House of Rep-

resentatives is in session from

early January to mid-May.

We hope you will have the

opportunity to visit the Capi-

tol during a legislative session

and watch your government

in action. If you are unable to

come to Jefferson City, you

can always listen to the de-

bate on the House Floor via

the internet at:

www.house.mo.gov. Please

take this opportunity to be-

come active in our state gov-

ernment. You are the future


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Thursday Jan. 9 2014TOP GOP LEADERS AT ODDS OVER SCHOOL

TRANSFER LAW

The 2014

legislativesession got

underway on

Jan. 8 with the top lead-

ers of the Senate and

House of Representatives

taking diametrically op-

posed positions on the

need to make changes to

an existing state law that

allows students in unac-

credited school districtsto transfer to nearby

accredited districts at the expense of their home district. Re-

publicans control both chambers, outnumbering Democrats 24

-9 in the Senate and 108-52 in the House.

Although the student transfer law has been on the books since

1993, it went largely unused until the St. Louis Public School

District lost its accreditation in 2007. Implementation of the

law remained tied up in litigation for another six years until the

Missouri Supreme Court rejected constitutional challenges to it

in June, a position in reaffirmed in a separate case in Decem-ber. While the St. Louis district has since regained provisional

accreditation and is no longer subject to the law, three other

districts, Riverview Gardens and Normandy in North St. Louis

County and Kansas, are now unaccredited.

Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, said

modifying the transfer law, which has caused financial and lo-

gistical problems for both unaccredited districts and accredited

districts that have accepted transfer students, is his top priority

for the 2014 session. However, House Speaker Tim Jones, R-

Eureka, said he sees little need for changes.

Another issue that will top the 2014 agenda includes a second

attempt at enacting a large tax cut, which Gov. Jay Nixon ve-

toed last year because it would have blown an $800 million a

year hole in the state budget while mostly benefitting just cor-

porations and wealthy individuals. Republicans, especially

those in the House, also will pursue legislation to prohibit

companies from negotiating labor agreements that require em-

ployees to be union members. Democrats note that right-to-

work laws have led to lower average wages in the states that

have adopted them.

Expanding eligibility in the states Medicaid program to lever-

age billions in additional federal health care dollars and create

an estimated 24,000 new jobs in the health care field alone is

the top priority for Nixon and Democratic lawmakers. Despite

strong support from traditionally Republican business groups

such as the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry and

Associated Industries of Missouri, GOP legislative leaders re-

main steadfastly opposed to expansion. Under the federal Af-

fordable Care Act, the federal government would pay the full

cost of expansion through 2017 and at least 90 percent of the

cost thereafter.

NIXON FILLS VACANCIES ON STATE BOARD

OF EDUCATION

Gov. Jay Nixon has appointed Dr. John Martin of Kansas Cityand Joe Driskill of Jefferson City to the Missouri State Board of

Education, which oversees the state Department of Elementary

and Secondary Education. Nixon appointed Martin on Jan. 6

before picking Driskill two days later to fill two of the three

vacancies on the eight-member board. Both appointments are

subject to Senate confirmation.

Martin served as superintendent of the Grandview School Dis-

trict from 1990 to 1996 and then was deputy superintendent of

the St. Louis Public Schools from 2006 to 2007. He served as

interim superintendent of the Kansas City School District in

2008. His appointment is for a term ending on July 1, 2014.

Driskill represented parts of Southeast Missouri in the state

House of Representatives from 1983 to 1993 and then served

as director of the Missouri Department of Economic Develop-

ment from 1993 to 2003 under Democratic Govs. Mel Carna-

han and Bob Holden. His appointment is for a term ending on

July 1, 2021.

BOEING TO BUILD NEW AIRLINER IN

WASHINGTON STATE

The Boeing Co. will build its next-generation airliner near Se-

attle, Wash., after the companys local Machinists union on

Jan. 3 narrowly approved a new contract that shifts workers

away from guaranteed pensions. The vote brought an unsuc-

cessful end to Missouris efforts to convince the company to

build the Boeing 777X at its St. Louis County plant.


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Gov. Jay Nixon called the General Assembly into

a special legislative session last month to approve

$1.7 billion in state tax breaks for the company. St.

Louis County ocials subsequently endorsed an-

other $1.8 billion in incentives. Because Boeing

isnt building the plane in Missouri, it wont getthe tax breaks.

NIXONS 2014 STATE OF THE STATE

ADDRESS SET FOR JAN. 21

Gov. Jay Nixon will present his proposed state

operating budget for the upcoming scal year and

outline his 2014 legislative priorities during his

annual State of the State address before a joint ses-

sion of the Missouri General Assembly on Jan. 21at 7 p.m. The address will be streamed live on the

states website, www.mo.gov

NET STATE REVENUE UP 2.8 PERCENT

SO FAR IN FY 2014

Year-to-date net state general revenue collections

were up 2.8 percent through the rst half of the

2014 scal year, going from $3.77 billion during

the same period in FY 2013 to $3.87 billion thisyear. Net general revenue collections for Decem-

ber 2013 increased by 5.1 percent compared to

those for December 2012, going from $722.9 mil-

lion to $759.6 million.

GOVERNOR APPOINTS HEALTH,

ECO DEVO DIRECTORS

Gov. Jay Nixon on Jan. 8 nominated Gail Vaster-

ling as director of the Missouri Department ofHealth and Senior Services and Mike Downing as

director of the state Department of Economic De-

velopment. Vasterling and Downing each have

been serving as interim directors of their respec-

tive departments for several months.

Vasterling has worked for Nixon in various capac-

ities in the aorney generals and governors oc-

es since 1994. Downing has spent most of the last

32 years working at the Department of Economic

Development under seven dierent governors

from both major political parties. Both nomina-tions are subject to Senate approval.

Thursday Jan. 16 2014ANTI-LABOR BILL FIRST TO RECEIVE

HOUSE HEARING IN 2014

House Republican leaders followed through

on a promise to make anti-labor legislation a

top priority when a so-

called right-

to-

workbill became the rst measure of the year to re-

ceive a House commiee hearing. However,

the bulk of the testimony during the House

Workforce Development and Workplace Safe-

ty Commiees ve-hour hearing on Jan. 13

came from the bills opponents.

House Bill 1099 would make it a crime pun-

ishable by up to 15 days in jail and $300 nefor an employer to negotiate a labor contract

that makes union membership a condition of

employment. Such closed-shop provisions

are common at unionized businesses


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Although supporters say the bill would make Missouri more

business friendly, opponents note that average worker wages

have dropped in states that have adopted right-to-work laws.

During a Jan. 9 news conference, even one of right to works

strongest proponents, Republican state Sen. Ed Emery of La-

mar, acknowledged that wage suppression would result. One

of the things that will be advocated by the unions is look at all

these right-to work-states, average wages all go down, Em-

ery said. Sure they go down.

The workforce development committee took no immediate

action on HB 1099 but could vote on it as early as Jan. 21,

when the panel is scheduled to hear another two additional

bills on the issue. Because Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, has

vowed to veto any right-to-work bill that reaches his desk,

there is some speculation that Republicans might seek to by-

pass him by instead putting the measure of the statewide ballot

for voter approval.

LAWSUIT OPPOSES TAX FILING BY

MARRIED GAY COUPLES

Representatives of various evangelical Christian groups on Jan.

8 filed a lawsuit challenging Gov. Jay Nixons recent executive

order directing the Missouri Department of Revenue to accept

jointly filed tax returns from same-sex couples who are legally

married in other states. The plaintiffs claim Nixons action

violates a provision of the state constitution that says Missouri

only recognizes marriages between a man and a woman.

Nixon signed the order in November in response to a U.S.

Supreme Court ruling over the summer striking down the

federal statute that prohibited married gay couples from enjoy-

ing the same legal provided to heterosexual married couples

under federal law. Because married same-sex couples are now

allowed to file joint federal tax returns, and Missouri law re-

quires married couples who jointly file their federal taxes to do

the same with their state returns, Nixon said the state had little

choice but to accept joint returns from same-sex married cou-

ples.

The plaintiffs in the case are Kerry Messer, founder of the Mis-

souri Family Network; Justin Mosher, a pastor and chairman

of the Christian Life Commission of the Missouri Baptist Con-

vention; Don Hinkle, public policy director for the Missouri

Baptist Convention; and Joe Ortwerth, executive director of

the Missouri Family Policy Council. The case, which was filed

with the Cole County Circuit Court, is Messer v. Nixon.

Governor Nixon, Mayor James and other elected and local

officials, Cerner Corp. and Representative Bonnaye Mims,

District 27 united together for

a special announcement byGovernor Nixon and Cerner

Corp. regarding its companys

expansion plans at the new

Three Trails Crossing in Dis-

trict 27. A special thank you

to Councilman John Sharp for

all his hard work in making

this a reality for the 5th, 6th

Council Districts and Kansas

City as a whole.

EXTRA,

EXTRA

READ ALL

ABOUT IT...


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GROUP PROPOSES PRIVATIZING KC SCHOOL DISTRICT

A group hired by the Missouri State Board of Education to de-

velop an alternative governance plan for the unaccredited Kan-

sas City School District is recommending the district be broken

up and privatized. The Indianapolis-based Cities for Education

Entrepreneurship Trust presented its proposal to the board on

Jan. 13. Although the plan specifically targets the Kanas Cityschools, it could be adapted for other unaccredited districts

should the state board choose to adopt it.

Under the CEE Trust plan, the Kansas City School District

would cease to exist. A state-appointed community schools

office would assume general oversight over the former dis-

tricts schools but wouldnt actually run them. Instead the CSO

would hire private not-for-profit operators to independently

run each individual school. Although the CSO would provide

student transportation and handle building maintenance, the

principals of each privately operated school would have com-plete discretion to run their school as they see fit, including

having total authority over allocation of financial resources and

personnel decisions.

Two days after the report was presented to the State Board of

Education, State Auditor Tom Schweichs office announced it

will review the process by which CEE Trust was awarded the

$385,000 contract for the study despite the fact that its bid was

more than triple that of the next highest bidder

Stories published by The Kansas City Star in December based on

internal Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

emails led to allegations that Education Commissioner Chris

Nicastro may have manipulated the bidding process to ensure

that CEE Trust received the contract.

Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Rhodes Russell and

Representative Bonnaye Mims

RAYTOWN CITY NEWS up coming

eventsFebruary 6th After hours networking on the first

Thursday of the month: The first event will be held

at CareSpot, 9490 E. 350 Highway. 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Come have a refreshment and network with other

businesses within the community.

State of The City Address -Mayor David Bower.

Wednesday, February 26th at First Baptist Church

of Raytown, 10500 E. 350 Highway $20.00 per per-

son RSVP by Feb. 24th. Luncheon Sponsored by

KCP&L.

Missouri Mavericks vs. Quad City Mallards

March 21, 2014 7:05 p.m.

Ticket $16,00$24.00

Tickets only available at the Chamber Office


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Thursday, Jan. 23, 2014

EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE NIXONS

TOP PRIORITIES IN 2014

During his 2014 State of the State address on Jan. 21, Demo-

cratic Gov. Jay Nixon proposed a $27.67 billion state operating

budget for the upcoming fiscal year that includes new federalfunding to expand Medicaid eligibility in Missouri and another

$490million for education. Republican leaders of the General

Assembly, however, are unlikely to go along with either rec-

ommendation.

The overall state operating budget for the current fiscal year,

FY 2014, is $25.2 billion. The bulk of the $2.47 billion increase

Nixon proposed for FY 2015, which begins on July 1, would

come from federal money to expand Medicaid. Under the fed-

eral Affordable Care Act, states can increase their Medicaid

eligibility limit to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, withthe federal government paying the full cost of the expansion

through calendar 2016 and at least 90 percent of the cost there-

after. Although Nixon said Missouri is losing $5.47 million a

day from its share of federal funding by not expanding Medi-

caid, Republican legislative leaders remain opposed to the idea.

About one-third of Nixons proposed budget consists of general

revenue, which is the portion of the budget over which law-

makers have the most discretion. Nixons proposal is based on

5.2 percent general revenue growth over FY 2014. However,

the House and Senate budget chairmen, both Republicans, saythey will write the budget based on 4.2 percent growth, which

amounts to about $148.5 million less than what the governor

expects. The budget chairmen also said they wont include rev-

enue from various statutory changes and other factors Nixon

included in his budget. As a result, Republicans say they will

cut a total of $370 million from the governors budget

Such a cut likely would negate most of Nixons proposed $490

million boost for education. Nixon called for a $278 million

increase in the formula for distributing state money to local

public school districts. The current education formula, enactedby Republicans in 2005, has never been fully funded and is

about $620 million short of what the law says it should be. The

proposed FY 2015 increase would put the state in position to

fully fund the formula the following fiscal year. Nixons educa-

tion budget also includes another $29.5 million for early child-

hood education and a $42.1 million increase in operating funds

for public four-year colleges and universities. In exchange for

the increase, Nixon is asking the schools to freeze tuition for

the upcoming academic year

Legislative priorities Nixon discussed during his speech includ-

ed enactment of the Missouri Nondiscrimination Act to prohib-

it employers from firing workers based on sexual orientation.

He also called on lawmakers to approve comprehensive govern-

ment ethics and campaign finance reform, including the re-

imposing campaign contribution limits, which Republicans re-

pealed in 2008.

CHIEF JUSTICE CALLS FOR OVERHAUL

OF CRIMINAL CODE

Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Rhodes Russell on

Jan. 22 urged lawmakers to enact a comprehensive overhaul of

the states criminal code, which hasnt undergone a complete

revision in 35 years. Russell made her comments during the

annual State of the Judiciary speech before a joint session of the

General Assembly.

Russell said unfairness and inconsistencies have crept into the

code over the decades. As an example, she noted that killing

someone while driving drunk and writing a bad check for less

than $500 carry the same seven-year maximum prison sen-

tence. Russell also noted that there are hundreds of crimes on

the books that are rarely, if ever, charged. Lawmakers have

been working on an overhaul of the criminal code for the last

several legislative sessions.

SENATE COMMITTEE APPROVES$900 MILLION TAX CUT

The Senate Ways and Means Committee on Jan. 23 approved

tax cut legislation that would reduce state revenue collections

by an estimated $900 million a year once fully implemented. SB

509, sponsored by state Sen. Will Kraus, R-Lees Summit, is

similar to legislation Gov. Jay Nixon vetoed last year that

would have cut tax collections by at least $800 million year.

Krauss bill would reduce the states top individual income tax

rate from 6 percent to 5 percent over 10 years. More signifi-

cantly, it would allow a 50 percent deduction for business in-

come reported as personal income. During his State of the State

address, Nixon reiterated that he would not support a tax cut

that jeopardized the states ability to fund public education and

pay for other basic state services.

Bonnaye Mims January 2014 newsletter

Documents

Transcript of Bonnaye Mims January 2014 newsletter