Salute to Legislators Coalition 2009 Proposed Legislative Priorities
Approved 1/10/09

The following legislative issues are the top priorities of the 12 sponsoring organizations of the Springfield/Branson Regional Salute to Missouri Legislators.

Economic Development

• Missouri and its communities need to have reasonable economic development incentives in order to recruit and retain businesses. We support efforts by state and local government to maintain economic development tools and tax incentives that will foster an entrepreneurial climate and create jobs and new capital investment, allowing Missouri to be competitive with other states.

Education

• Quality education is a top priority of the Springfield/Branson region. We must invest in our future by fully funding the state’s foundation formula and all related categoricals at the elementary/secondary level.
  Additionally, the coalition encourages the Missouri General Assembly to take both enrollment and equity into consideration when appropriating funds to public higher education institutions in Missouri.

Environment

• The coalition recognizes that one of the most valuable assets of southwest Missouri is the natural environment, and encourages standards that provide a balance between protecting our area’s natural resources while ensuring economic growth in the region.

Libraries and the Arts

• The coalition supports the role of the arts, libraries, and cultural organizations as they contribute to the economic health, educational growth, and tourism of the region; and as such, encourages lawmakers to continue to provide adequate funding through the Missouri Cultural Trust.  

Tourism

• Tourism is vital to the region’s economy. Therefore, the coalition encourages legislators to continue the full funding of the Missouri Division of Tourism’s marketing budget based on the established formula.

Transportation

• The economic success of our region is dependent upon the transportation system of the entire state and region. We support legislative efforts to continue to keep pace with pressing statewide transportation needs.  

Workforce Development

• We support increased appropriations for workforce training programs, including training and technical education that includes customized skill and classroom training and retraining for new and expanding businesses. With the region’s ever-growing need for qualified workers, training funds will be essential to new and potential businesses.