City to exert its voice on issues before legislators

Missouri's Capitol in Jefferson City is shown during the early morning hours.
Missouri's Capitol in Jefferson City is shown during the early morning hours.

There was no shotgun start, but the 2017 session of the Missouri General Assembly began its work Thursday with the pre-filing of legislation to be considered when the House and Senate open deliberations a month from now.

Local government and residents have a big stake in what the General Assembly does in 2017.

Jefferson City retains the services of former mayor and government affairs advocate Tom Rackers to represent its interests at the Capitol and with state government agencies that regulate local government.

The annual meeting with Rackers to coordinate the efforts of the City Council, the fire department, police department and other city interests hasn't been scheduled yet, but Rackers said Friday he hopes it will occur this month, if possible, given the arrival of new Governor-elect Eric Greitens and his cabinet. City Administrator Steve Crowell already is focused on the General Assembly and the governor-elect, as well as new faces coming to the offices of the lieutenant governor, state treasurer, secretary of state and attorney general.

Earlier this year, at the 2016 sit-down with Rackers, the city's wish list was 17 points long. Many of those items figure to be the same for 2017, Crowell said. Among the most important of those elements was "the importance of having local elected officials testify (in support or opposition of) various bills being considered," he said.

In other words, the work of the members of city government is hardly restricted to City Hall.

Term-limited Senate Appropriations Chairman Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, was often heard urging local voices to be heard at the witness table in hearings and constituent meetings, as opposed to the hired guns such as Rackers - not a slam against the lobbyists but an acknowledgment it was the citizens actually affected whose opinions carried the most weight with elected officials.

Mayor Carrie Tergin agrees with Schaefer. While noting the value of Rackers as the city lobbyist, she said, "I certainly advocate for our city on a daily basis to citizens, companies looking to locate here, visitors, businesses and more, like any mayor should. I look forward to continuing a great relationship with the state and sharing with the new administration our progress on ongoing projects, such as riverfront access, Capitol Avenue revitalization and historic prison redevelopment, all of which will positively affect the state."

Crowell ticked off items that figure to be on Jefferson City's 2017 Capitol menu - some of which will be opposed and some of which will be supported, depending on the city's position on each:

Maintain local control on issues, particularly as they may have an impact on city revenue and/or expenditures.

Preserve local revenue (i.e., monitor legislation that may impact the city, such as tax increment financing, local sales tax, tax exemptions, vehicle sales, municipal court revenue and others).

Generally oppose bills that require increased city expenditures (expenditures should be a decision of a particular locality, i.e., local control), such as public safety training, body cameras, etc. If legislation is proposed that has an impact on municipal expenditures, encourage the General Assembly to identify funding sources.

Support legislation allowing Jefferson City firefighters to leave the city-specific firefighter pension program and join LAGERS, the local government pension program.

Oppose legislation further restricting or impacting property rights of individuals, limiting the ability of municipalities to address property-related issues and oppose efforts to increase civil liability associated with various property-related issues, i.e., oppose new requirements for municipalities to maintain rights-of-way, restrict municipalities' ability to enter property to address specific code and/or safety concerns and others.

Legislation which impacts law enforcement: training, body cameras, use of force, deadly force, mandated staffing levels.

Ethics bills.

Landlord/tenant bills.

Eminent domain bills, some of which, if passed, would negatively impact the city. The city will oppose those detrimental to it.

University of Missouri-related bills that may have an adverse impact on the city.

Wastewater/clean water proposals.

Legislative efforts boosting Lincoln University.

Meet with state officials, including the governor, his cabinet, budget and appropriations chairs, to inform them of upcoming projects and priorities. Continue to meet with the Office of Administration to keep it apprised of progress on projects, including the Missouri State Prison. Rackers said Friday he would attempt to schedule these meetings for city officials as soon as possible.

Maintain close communications with the Missouri Municipal League (MML) to discuss legislative priorities and strategies.

Crowell and Tergin share a belief working with the MML is essential to Jefferson City. "MML is connected with how legislation will affect cities statewide," Tergin said. "It is important to have a group such as MML when you think of cities as a group; many of us face the same issues."

Rackers, who is paid $25,000 annually for his work on Jefferson City's behalf, said he is actively on duty for the city on a daily, almost hour-by-hour basis.